Due to restoration works at the Manasterly Palace, the International Music Center will temporarily hold his excellent series of concerts in the Golden Hall of the Prince Mohamed Ali Palace (aka Manial Palace) in Manial. The first event to be scheduled there, last Sunday, had a full house crowd, and the concert was indeed great. The Janacek Quartet sounded beautifully. Despite the odd semicircular seat arrangement and the at first sight not so ideal shape of the hall, the acoustic was really good. If you make an effort not to be distracted by all the glitter emanating from walls and ceiling and focus on the music, I am sure you'll get a rewarding experience.
Practicalities: The IMC could have made more of an effort in the map available on their website. Everybody can find how to get to the Palace (at the north/eastern end of Manial (aka Roda) Island, ...just in case) but the missing important piece of information is that the entrance is not on Al-Saray St. where the main entrance of the Palace is. Instead, when you are coming on the Al-Saray St. (one way east direction) you have to turn right inside the street that borders the palace compound eastern walls (I have no clue about the name of the street). Continue about 300 mt. and you'll find the entrance on your left.
This little piece of information would have spared several cars a pair of dangerous u-turns and made the life of the guard at the main entrance easier. When I arrived, there were two other cars in front of us, both looking for the concert and questioning the guard.
Sadly the parking seems to be a major hassle, and at the end of the concert there was quite some chaos as this little road where the entrance is seem to be two ways.
Getting there on foot is nice and commendable but I reckon it is not for everybody. It requires you to take the Metro until Tahrir Square (Sadat Station) and walk back about 30 minutes on the Corniche until the Saray bridge from where you cross into Manial. You'll find the Palace immediately on your left.
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easier to take metro to sayeda zeinab station. just 5 minutes walk from there.
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