Egypt
Alexandria is Egypt's Mediterranean city, founded by Alexander the Great, ruled by the Ptolemies and Rome, and still wrapped around a curving bay where the sea air feels a long way from Cairo.
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina recalls the great library of the ancient world, the Citadel of Qaitbay stands on the site of the Pharos Lighthouse, and beneath the streets lie Roman catacombs, a theatre, villas and a granite column that has watched the city for seventeen centuries. Museums, including the freshly restored Graeco-Roman Museum, put faces to the history, while the Corniche, the palm-filled Montaza gardens and a fresh seafood lunch supply the pleasure. If you have an extra day, El Alamein and its Second World War cemetery lie a drive west, and a guided day trip links the city to Cairo. This guide matches you to the sights worth your time and to a hotel, from a seafront palace to a historic downtown address.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina
A tilted granite disc on the waterfront that revives the ancient Library of Alexandria as a working library, with museums, a planetarium and a skyline-defining reading room. It is the best single stop for understanding why this city matters.
Citadel of Qaitbay
A 15th-century sea fort on the very spot where the Lighthouse of Alexandria once stood, with ramparts, a keep and the best sea views in the city. It is the postcard image of Alexandria.
Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa
A three-level Roman burial complex cut into the rock, where Egyptian gods wear Roman dress. It is Alexandria's most atmospheric ancient site and easily the strangest.
Pompey's Pillar and the Serapeum
A 25-metre column of red Aswan granite that towers over the ruins of the Serapeum, once the grandest temple in Alexandria. The pillar is the largest of its kind outside Rome and Constantinople.
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
A tilted granite disc on the waterfront that revives the ancient Library of Alexandria as a working library, with museums, a planetarium and a skyline-defining reading room. It is the best single stop for understanding why this city matters.
A 15th-century sea fort on the very spot where the Lighthouse of Alexandria once stood, with ramparts, a keep and the best sea views in the city. It is the postcard image of Alexandria.
A three-level Roman burial complex cut into the rock, where Egyptian gods wear Roman dress. It is Alexandria's most atmospheric ancient site and easily the strangest.
A 25-metre column of red Aswan granite that towers over the ruins of the Serapeum, once the grandest temple in Alexandria. The pillar is the largest of its kind outside Rome and Constantinople.
A seaside park of well over a hundred acres of pine woods, palms and flower beds around the former royal summer palace. It is where Alexandrians go to escape the city and look at the sea.
A restored Italianate mansion on Fouad Street that tells the whole city story, from Pharaonic and Greek times to Coptic and Islamic Alexandria. Compact, well labelled and a good rainy-day choice.
The only Roman theatre ever excavated in Egypt, set in the middle of downtown with marble tiers, mosaic villas and lecture halls. A small site that makes ancient Alexandria feel like a real city.
The city's oldest museum, back on show after almost two decades of restoration, with galleries of statues, mosaics, coins and everyday objects from the Greek and Roman city. The best place to meet ancient Alexandria face to face.
FreeA long curving seafront road with a promenade, cafes and grand old buildings that tie the whole city together. Free to walk, best at sunset, and the easiest way to feel Alexandria's Mediterranean character.
A half-day run west along the coast to the Second World War battlefield, its Commonwealth war cemetery and a military museum. A moving trip for history fans and a good change from ruins.
A full-day guided run from Cairo to Alexandria that covers Pompey's Pillar, the Catacombs, the Citadel of Qaitbay and the Library, with a seafood lunch. The easiest way to see the highlights if you are based in Cairo.
A 1919 palace in the Zizinia district that now displays the gold, gems and personal treasures of Egypt's last royal family. Small, glittering and very photogenic, it is a good indoor stop between the ancient sites.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$$San Stefano
The splurge pick: a polished seafront hotel on the Corniche at San Stefano with three pools, a spa, a private beach across the road and some of the best dining in the city. Best for couples and families who want comfort and sea views.
Check rates →
$$$Sidi Bishr
A big beach hotel at Sidi Bishr in the east of the city with a private beach, a pool, a spa and sea-view balconies. A comfortable choice for families and for visitors who want sun as well as sightseeing.
Check rates →
$$$Saad Zaghloul Square
A historic hotel on Saad Zaghloul Square, one minute from the Corniche and a short walk to the Caesareum ruins. The best pick for travellers who want old-world charm and a central, walkable base.
Check rates →Raml Station
A 1906 seafront hotel on the Corniche with sea-view rooms, a rooftop lounge and a colonial-era feel and refreshed rooms. A value-minded way to sleep in the old city.
Check rates →San Stefano
The value pick: a 133-room hotel in the San Stefano district with sea or partial sea views from most rooms and a mall next door. A practical base for budget-minded travellers who want to be near the waterfront.
Check rates →
$$$Montaza
A resort-style hotel inside the Montaza royal park, a short walk from the palace gardens, with a private beach and an outdoor pool. A restful base for families and beach lovers.
Check rates →Al-Amriyah
A large modern resort-style hotel on the western edge of the city beside Lake Maryut, with two pools, a spa and a free airport shuttle. A fit for families, groups and travellers heading along the North Coast.
Check rates →Sidi Gaber
A modern Hilton beside the Green Plaza shopping mall in the Sidi Gaber area, a practical base for shopping, trains and the downtown sights. A comfortable chain hotel for business and leisure travellers who want the city rather than the beach.
Check rates →How many days to spend in Alexandria, what to book ahead, how to get around and how to fit the Library, the Citadel, the catacombs and the Corniche into a first visit.
A guide to Alexandria neighbourhoods and hotels: old downtown near the Corniche, San Stefano and the modern waterfront, and the beach districts toward Montaza.
A practical two-day Alexandria itinerary: the ancient sites on day one, the Library, the Citadel and the seafront on day two, with timing, transport and where to eat.
What to eat in Alexandria: the seafood-by-weight system, street food such as falafel, koshary and liver sandwiches, sweets, tea and coffee culture and how to order with confidence.
When to go to Alexandria: how the seasons feel, what changes in summer, winter, Ramadan and holidays, and how to plan around heat, crowds and the beach.
The best day trips from Alexandria: El Alamein, the Wadi El Natrun monasteries, the Nile-mouth town of Rosetta and a Cairo day, with travel times and how to choose.
