Alexandria Travelers Recommend

With two days in Alexandria, you can really get under the skin of Egypt’s second city. You can dive deep into the city’s ancient heritage, stroll the waterfront, explore the fascinating new Library of Alexandria, take a food tour, savor seaside gardens, and enjoy some Islamic architecture. Read on to find out how.

Day 1: Ancient Adventures

Morning: Dive deep into Alexandria’s classical heritage as you explore the city’s essential Greco-Roman ruins. Visit the Serapeum, a temple that’s home to the red-granite column known as Pompey’s Pillar, then descend into the eerie Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa. Don’t miss the beautifully preserved Roman amphitheater and nearby mosaics.

Afternoon: Head to the waterfront for a feast of Mediterranean seafood. Next, take in the Citadel of Qaitbay, a 15th-century sea fort built on the site of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria. Travel back in time to the ancient world at the National Museum of Alexandria: The underwater archaeology exhibits are fascinating.

Night: Discover the rich world of Egyptian cuisine, with influences from Ottoman and Arab cultures, on a street-food tour of the city. Savor dishes such as koshary, a tangy blend of lentils, noodles, and sour tomato sauce, alongside kebabs, mixed grills, meze dips, and shellfish. Finish with ice cream and sticky pastries.

Day 2: Modern Magic

Morning: For many centuries, the Great Library of Alexandria was an epicenter of learning in the ancient world. Start the day by touring the spectacular modern building that replaced it, the new Library of Alexandria. Next, take in a couple of Alexandria’s best-known mosques, perhaps the Mosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi and the Nabi Daniel Mosque.

Afternoon: Ride along the corniche, crossing the Stanley Bridge, to the Montazah Palace Gardens. The palace, once home to Egyptian kings, is closed to visitors, but make like a local and soak up the breeze as you stroll the lush grounds that line the seafront.

Night: Head back to the city and make memories with a sunset horse-and-carriage ride along the corniche, then feast on elegant, classically Egyptian cuisine at Abou el Sid restaurant. Finish the night at one of Alexandria’s elite hotels, with a glass of something special in a sea-view rooftop bar.

Three days in Alexandria gives you time to experience the essence of the city—and look beyond it. Besides taking in classical sights, royal gardens, contemporary architecture, and delicious food, you can enjoy a day trip, perhaps to the El Alamein War Cemetery or the ancient Coptic monasteries of Wadi Natrun. See below for how to do it.

Day 1: Ancient Adventures

Start the day by checking off the ancient signature sights of Alexander the Great’s city: the Serapeum and the dramatic column known as Pompey’s Pillar, the underground tombs of the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, and the Roman amphitheater. After a Mediterranean seafood feast at a waterfront restaurant, explore the Citadel of Qaitbay, which stands where the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria once towered. Go deeper into Alexandria’s history—including the remains submerged below the harbor—at the National Museum of Alexandria. Spend the evening on a street-food tour, sampling Middle Eastern favorites, such as kebabs, meze, and sticky pastries, as well as distinctively Egyptian fare such as koshary, with lentils, noodles, rice, and tangy tomato sauce. Finish with ice cream and Egyptian coffee.

Day 2: Contemporary Classics

In ancient times, the Great Library of Alexandria was as famous as the lighthouse—a beacon of knowledge that shone across the classical world. Today, the gleaming modern New Library of Alexandria stands in its place. Tour the groundbreaking structure, then discover some of the city’s mosques, perhaps the Nabi Daniel Mosque and the Mosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi. Discover the true scale of the corniche as you follow the waterfront, crossing the Stanley Bridge, to the Montazah Palace Gardens, where Egypt’s kings once played. When night falls, trade up to high-end Egyptian fare, with a dinner at Abou el Sid. Don’t miss classics such as molokhia, a green leafy vegetable with a unique texture, and grilled pigeon.

Day 3: Desert Delights

Spend your third day a little farther afield, with a day trip to one of several historical sights in the region. Second World War enthusiasts won’t want to miss El Alamein, where British and Commonwealth forces fought two great battles against troops led by Erwin Rommel, the Nazi general known as the Desert Fox; the war graves are a sobering sight. Ancient-history fans might opt for Rosetta, a city also known as Rashid, which gave the world the stone that finally cracked the hieroglyphic code. Alternatively, visit the extraordinary fortified monasteries of Wadi Natrun, first built by Coptic Christians fleeing Roman persecution. Back in the city, experience the corniche in true historical style, with a private horse-and-carriage ride. Wrap up your stay with a visit to one of the city’s elite hotels for dinner and drinks overlooking the Mediterranean.

Founded by Alexander the Great, Alexandria was one of the ancient world’s centers of learning. Today, Egypt’s second city combines Mediterranean charm with a wealth of Greek and Roman ruins. With one day in Alexandria, you can take in the city’s essential ancient sights, savor delicious seafood, stroll royal gardens, and more. Here’s how.

Morning: Roaming Ruins

Start the day off right by discovering Alexandria’s essential ancient attractions. Tour the Serapeum, a Greco-Egyptian temple dedicated to the god Serapis. On the same site, don’t miss Pompey’s Pillar, a 100-foot (30-meter) red-granite column that’s an icon of the city. Next, descend into the mysterious Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, home to three stories of underground tombs and chambers dating back to Roman times. Admire the beautifully preserved Roman amphitheater with its white-marble seats (don’t miss the mosaics at the villas on the site), then journey to the waterfront corniche for a Mediterranean seafood lunch.

Afternoon: Seaside Strolls

In ancient times, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was one of the wonders of the world, towering 328 feet (100 meters) above the Mediterranean. After it finally collapsed, during the 14th century AD, many of its stones were used to create the pretty sea fort that occupies its site: the Citadel of Qaitbay. Tour the fort (a guide can point out the pillars that once formed part of the lighthouse), then ride along the corniche and across the Stanley Bridge to the Montazah Palace Gardens. Follow in the footsteps of modern Egyptian kings as you stroll these lush waterfront grounds.

Night: Bright Lights, Big City

Just as the Nile corniche forms a centerpiece of Cairo, Alexandria’s corniche is a focal point of the city. As the sun sets, enjoy a traditional Egyptian experience—a horse-and-carriage ride along the waterfront. Next, travel back to the bohemian days of the 1940s and the world of novelist Lawrence Durrell’s Alexandria Quartet, with dinner at Abou el Sid, a stylish Egyptian restaurant kitted out with pieces from the iconic Pastroudis Café. Wrap up the night by returning to the waterfront, and raise a glass to the city of Alexander from a rooftop bar at a luxury hotel.