The sights visited depend on the number of days in your tour, see your chosen itinerary for which they will be included.Founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, Alexandria is a city with many exceptional historic sites, a cosmopolitan culture, and Mediterranean Sea views. It became renowned as a port and for its library, and over subsequent centuries, people from many countries settled here.
The sights visited depend on the number of days in your tour, see your chosen itinerary for which they will be included.
Founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, Alexandria is a city with many exceptional historic sites, a cosmopolitan culture, and Mediterranean Sea views. It became renowned as a port and for its library, and over subsequent centuries, people from many countries settled here. It is Egypt’s second-largest city, after Cairo. Spread along more than 30 km (19 miles) of coastline, Alexandria is especially popular in the summer, with Egyptians travelling here and further along the North Coast to enjoy beautiful beaches.
Significant sights include:
The Roman theater Built in the 2nd century AD, the theatre had 13 semi-circular tiers of seats and an audience capacity of about 800. Constructed from white marble brought from Europe, its columns are made of red granite from Aswan. Nearby is a large villa which dates back to the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117–138 AD), referred to as the Villa of the Birds because of the subject of its mosaic floor. There is also a Roman bath house.
The new library, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and its archaeological museum. Not to be confused with the famous ancient library, which was destroyed, construction of the new library began in 1995 and it was officially inaugurated in 2002. The library houses more than 8 million books, specialised libraries and collections, a planetarium, and a conference center. As you overnight in Alexandria, you may like to check for any cultural events held at the library in the evening. https://www.bibalex.org/en/events/showevents
Old Market. A walking tour of this area would be fascinating; its many streets include hundreds of small shops, and it gives you an insight into daily life in the city.
Pompey’s Pillar. The highest memorial column in Egypt, 30 meters (98 feet) in height and made from red granite from Aswan. It was made in the 4th century AD to honour the Emperor Diocletian. Near the pillar are the remains of the Serapeum of Alexandria, which dates back to the 3rd century BC.
The Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa consist of three levels of tombs and chambers cut into 35 meters (115 feet) of rock, the largest known Roman burial site in Egypt. It was possibly built to house the body of Cleopatra VII (the most famous Cleopatra).
El Montazah Royal Resort.
We drive east along the coastline to view its royal palace. The 115-acre complex includes two palaces, a private harbor, and gardens. The Salamlek Palace was built in 1892 by Khedive Abbas II. The larger Al-Haramlik Palace and royal gardens were added by King Fuad I in 1932. It is a favourite place for Alexandrian families to visit.
Fort of Qait Bay. Built in 1477 by Sultan Qaitbey on the site of the ancient lighthouse Pharos, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Some remnants of the lighthouse are seen in the structure of the fort. In the water surrounding the fort lie many artefacts from the city’s past. Some of these were brought to the surface and displayed in Alexandria’s National Museum and as part of a travelling exhibition in various cities around the world.
To watch Sunken Cities-Egypt’s Lost World, a brief video about the exhibition https://youtu.be/ARDjbz_VdUwMosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi.This mosque was built in 1775 over the tomb of a revered Sufi scholar and saint. He was born in Murcia, Andalucia in 1219, but the increasing dominance of Christianity in Spain saw his family move to Tunisia, and he subsequently settled in Alexandria. It is Alexandria’s largest mosque, and it is a significant place of pilgrimage for many Sufi Muslims.
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