Love It or Hate It: A Single’s Guide to Valentine’s Day in Cairo
By Malak Khaled
February 14th is almost here, and you have two ways to go about your day. You can either avoid couples at all costs, roll your eyes at every red balloon, and pretend it’s just another Friday, or you can embrace the day and love love in all its forms—self-love, friendships, family, and, most importantly, food.
Morning: Breakfast
If you’re in no mood for romance, head to 30 North for a solid, heart-free breakfast. Black coffee, no foam, no nonsense, just good food, and zero Valentine’s decorations in sight.
If you’re feeling the love, go full-on themed at Two Spoons, where their Valentine’s special breakfast is a sugar-coated love fest. Heart-shaped pancakes, heart-shaped everything, and an unapologetic amount of red—it’s a day for love, so why not go all in?
Midday: Activities
To dodge the Valentine’s craze, go kayaking in the Nile with Zamalek Kayak. Put on your headphones, blast music that has nothing to do with romance, and enjoy the serenity and solitude.
On the other hand, if you’re in the mood to celebrate love in all its forms, visit your family or take your mom out for a day of pampering at Four Seasons Cairo at the First Residence.
Afternoon: Lunch
If you’re boycotting Valentine’s Day, nothing says rebellion like biting into a massive, cheese-stuffed burger at Butcher’s Burger, where the only love story that matters is between you and your food.
But if you’re feeling the love, why not go for something over the top? You can have a Galentine’s Day at Hush Burgers in Korba, where you can eat the best tacos and get all your creative energy out with paint. Romantic love is great, but platonic love deserves a day, too.
Evening: Entertainment
For those who want to escape all things love-related, crime-thriller is the way to go. Catch the re-release of Se7en in Vox Cinemas and forget about all the lovey-dovey going on in the next showroom.
But if you’re in the mood to embrace all the heartbreak of the day, grab a blanket and head to Wadi Degla for a Me Before You screening under the stars, where you can cry your heart out free of judgment.
If you’d rather hold onto hope, why not put on Hob El Banat, the ultimate classic, and choose to believe in fate? Maybe next year, you won’t be reading this article.
Late Night: Dessert
If your approach to the day has been to avoid all romance, there’s no better way to end it than with something dark, rich, and comforting. House of Cocoa’s chocolate options will do the trick.
But if you’ve been indulging in the day, Dara’s Ice Cream is the perfect way to end on a sweet note with a humongous heart-shaped cookie. Love might be unpredictable, but dessert is always there for you.
Final Thought: However You Spend It, Make It Fun
Whether you’re dodging romance or bathing in it, Valentine’s Day is just a day. So own it. Do what makes you happy. And remember, being single on February 14th just means your dinner plans are stress-free.
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