Egypt Discovery
ExcursionAlexandria

Private Full-Day Alexandria Excursion with Egyptologist Guide

About 8 hours, private car and Egyptologist guide, four main sites and a fish lunch by the sea.

At a glance

Departs
Daily

The short answer

A private full-day excursion in Alexandria of about eight hours: the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, Pompey's Pillar, the Citadel of Qaitbay and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, with an Egyptologist guide, a private car and a fish lunch.
  • New
  • Private

Snapshot

Good to know

Destinations
Alexandria · Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa · Pompey's Pillar · Citadel of Qaitbay · Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Includes
Door-to-door transfers from and back to your Alexandria hotel or the cruise port · Your own air-conditioned car with a driver for the whole day · A private English-speaking Egyptologist to guide your party · Tickets for the Catacombs, Pompey's Pillar, Qaitbay Citadel and the Library · A fish lunch at a local seafront restaurant
Guide languages
English

Best time to go

October to April is the most comfortable for walking. In summer, the heat is eased by the sea breeze but midday can still be tiring.

  • Licensed Egyptian tour operator, founded in 1988
  • Six offices across Egypt, run by Discovery Tours Egypt

02Overview

A first look

This is a private full-day excursion in Alexandria for travellers who want to see the city properly rather than rush through it. Your Egyptologist guide meets you at your hotel or at the cruise port at 08:30. You go down into the Roman catacombs, walk around Pompey's Pillar, tour the Citadel of Qaitbay on the Eastern Harbour and spend the afternoon in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Lunch is at a seafront fish restaurant. Your party has its own car, so you can ask for more time wherever you like.

Background

The facts

Alexandria sits on Egypt's Mediterranean coast, about 220 kilometres north-west of Cairo. It was founded by Alexander the Great and its main sights lie along the seafront and in the older districts inland.

Named in this entry

Alexandria on the Mediterranean·Serapeum of Alexandria

Suited to

Is this for you?

Yes, if

  • Visitors and cruise passengers who want to see Alexandria's ancient and modern highlights in one unhurried day.

Maybe not, if

  • Not suitable for wheelchair users, because of the steep stair at the catacombs and uneven ground at the Citadel.

What lingers

  • 01Kom el-Shoqafa's catacombs: burial chambers of the Roman period, carved down through the bedrock
  • 02Pompey's Pillar and the ruins of the Serapeum on the same hill
  • 03Qaitbay's fort, standing on the footprint of the ancient lighthouse
  • 04The modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, with its reading hall and museums
  • 05A fish lunch at a restaurant by the sea
  • 06A private Egyptologist guide and your own air-conditioned car

Honest assessment

The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.

Highlights

  • Four major sights and lunch in one day
  • Starts in Alexandria, with no long drive from Cairo
  • Private guide and car, so you set the pace

Things to Consider

  • A lot of walking and several steps
  • Winter weather can be cool and wet

Stop by stop

Detailed itinerary

  1. 1

  2. 2

  3. 3

  4. 4

  5. 5

  6. 6

  7. 7

The fine print

What's included – and what is left out

Included

  • Door-to-door transfers from and back to your Alexandria hotel or the cruise port
  • Your own air-conditioned car with a driver for the whole day
  • A private English-speaking Egyptologist to guide your party
  • Tickets for the Catacombs, Pompey's Pillar, Qaitbay Citadel and the Library
  • A fish lunch at a local seafront restaurant
  • Bottled water in the car

Not included

  • Tips for your guide and driver
  • What you drink with lunch
  • Anything you buy for yourself
  • Tickets for the extra museums inside the Library

Field notes

From our Egyptologists

  1. 01

    Bring a thin layer even on a sunny day, as the harbour wind is strong

  2. 02

    Ask your guide about the story behind the Pompey's Pillar name before you reach it

Before you go

What to pack & wear

Children & families

Children are welcome and are counted in the size of your party. The day involves a lot of walking and a steep spiral stair at the catacombs, so it suits children who enjoy being on the move. Please give their ages when you book.

These fares are a guide, as prices and departure move through the year. Do ask us and we will confirm the fare for the days you have in mind.

Asked & answered

Frequent questions

  1. 01Where does the Alexandria excursion start and finish?
    It starts and ends in Alexandria. Your guide and driver collect you from your Alexandria hotel or from the cruise port at about 08:30 and take you back at about 16:30. You do not need to travel from Cairo.
  2. 02Is this excursion private?
    Yes. Only your own party travels with the guide and driver, so you can spend longer at the sites you enjoy and skip the ones you do not. Tell us how many of you are coming when you book.
  3. 03Does the price cover lunch?
    Yes, a fish lunch at a local seafront restaurant is included. Soft drinks and any other drinks with the meal are not, so keep a little cash for those.
  4. 04Can children come on this excursion?
    Yes, children are welcome and are counted in your party size. There is a fair amount of walking and some steps, so it suits children who can manage a day on their feet. Give us their ages when you book.
  5. 05What should I wear in Alexandria?
    Wear comfortable walking shoes and light clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. From November to March the sea breeze can be cool and the weather can turn wet, so bring a light jacket.
  6. 06Can I cancel or change my booking?
    Give us more than 72 hours' notice and you can keep 100% as credit towards a future holiday or have 100% refunded, less bank charges. Between 72 and 24 hours beforehand, keep 100% as credit or have 50% back. Within 24 hours, or if you don't turn up, nothing can be refunded or credited. Should we have to cancel, you won't lose a penny.

If plans change

Cancellation and refunds

What you receive back if you cancel depends on how far ahead of your holiday you let us know and the kind of holiday you book. See our current cancellation and refund terms

Continue reading

From the archives

Product ID: EXC-ALX-303695

You Might Also Like

Cairo and the Pyramids in a Day from Alexandria: Pyramids and Grand Egyptian MuseumAlexandria

Cairo and the Pyramids in a Day from Alexandria: Pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum

A full private day, driven from Alexandria or the cruise terminal to Giza and home again. You see the three Pyramids and the Sphinx, then spend the afternoon in the Grand Egyptian Museum, with an Egyptologist guide and lunch. The drive takes about three hours each way, so the day is about 13 hours from start to finish.

From £132

Alexandria Food Walking Tour with a Local GuideAlexandria

Alexandria Food Walking Tour with a Local Guide

A private evening walk through Alexandria with a local guide who orders for you. You try ful and falafel at a counter that has served them for decades, liver sandwiches from a street stall, grilled fish near the harbour, then rice pudding and coffee in an old café. It takes about four hours on foot, with no vehicle.

From £35

Private Half-Day Alexandria Excursion: Citadel, Roman Theatre and LibraryAlexandria

Private Half-Day Alexandria Excursion: Citadel, Roman Theatre and Library

A private morning in central Alexandria with a guide and your own car. You visit the Citadel of Qaitbay on the Eastern Harbour, the Roman Theatre and mosaics at Kom el-Dikka, and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. It takes about five hours and starts at your hotel or the cruise port, which makes it a good fit for a short port call.

From £47