Egypt Discovery
ExcursionAlexandria

Private Rosetta Excursion from Alexandria: Ottoman Houses and Fort Qaitbay

About 7 hours, private car and Egyptologist guide, Ottoman houses, a mill and the fort where the Rosetta Stone was found.

At a glance

Departs
Daily

The short answer

A private seven-hour excursion from Alexandria to Rosetta: Ottoman merchant houses, the Abu Shahin mill, the Azouz bath house and the fort where the Rosetta Stone was found, with an Egyptologist guide and a private car.
  • New
  • Private

Snapshot

Good to know

Destinations
Alexandria · Rosetta · Fort of Qaitbay at Rosetta
Includes
Transfers from and back to your Alexandria hotel or the cruise port · A private air-conditioned car and driver · An English-speaking Egyptologist for your party · Entry to Rosetta's fort and to the restored merchant houses · Bottled water in the car
Guide languages
English

Best time to go

October to April is milder. Summer days can be hot and humid near the river mouth.

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

02Overview

A first look

This is a private day excursion from Alexandria to Rosetta, known in Arabic as Rashid. Your guide collects you at 08:30 from your hotel or the cruise port, and the drive east along the coast takes about an hour and a half. In Rosetta you walk through the old town past Ottoman merchant houses, visit the mill and the bath house, and finish at the fort beside the river. Rosetta is a working town rather than a tourist set, so the day feels quiet and local. You are back in Alexandria by about 15:30.

Background

The facts

Rosetta, called Rashid in Arabic, stands where a branch of the Nile meets the Mediterranean, about 65 kilometres east of Alexandria along the coast.

Named in this entry

Rosetta (Rashid)·Ottoman merchant houses·Nile Delta coast

Suited to

Is this for you?

Yes, if

  • Curious travellers who want a quiet, local day out of Alexandria and an interest in the Rosetta Stone story.

Maybe not, if

  • Not suitable for wheelchair users, or for anyone expecting large visitor facilities.

What lingers

  • 01Restored Ottoman merchant houses with carved wooden window screens
  • 02The Abu Shahin mill and the Azouz bath house
  • 03Fort Julien, also called Qaitbay's fort, the spot where soldiers dug up the Rosetta Stone in 1799
  • 04A pause on the riverbank close to where the Nile meets the sea
  • 05A scenic drive along the coast from Alexandria
  • 06A private Egyptologist guide and your own car

Honest assessment

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

Highlights

  • A quiet, local alternative to the main Alexandria sights
  • The real site where the Rosetta Stone was found
  • Private guide and car

Things to Consider

  • You buy your own lunch
  • Few facilities in the old town

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

  • Transfers from and back to your Alexandria hotel or the cruise port
  • A private air-conditioned car and driver
  • An English-speaking Egyptologist for your party
  • Entry to Rosetta's fort and to the restored merchant houses
  • Bottled water in the car

Not included

  • Tips for your guide and driver
  • Lunch or other meals
  • Anything you buy for yourself
  • A boat trip on the Nile, if you want one

Field notes

From our Egyptologists

  1. 01

    Dress modestly out of respect for the town

  2. 02

    Ask your guide to show how the stone's three scripts were used to read hieroglyphs

Before you go

What to pack & wear

Children & families

Children are welcome and are counted in your party size. The day has about three hours in the car and gentle walking, which suits most older children. 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 Rosetta excursion start?
    In Alexandria. Your guide collects you from your Alexandria hotel or the cruise port at about 08:30 and returns you there in the afternoon.
  2. 02Is the Rosetta Stone in Rosetta?
    No. The stone is in the British Museum in London. This excursion takes you to the fort where it was found in 1799 and to the town that gave it its name.
  3. 03Does the price cover lunch?
    No. You have free time by the river at about 13:30, and your guide can point you to a simple local place to eat. Bring cash for lunch and tips.
  4. 04How long is the drive?
    About an hour and a half each way, so around three hours in the car. Your private car means you can ask for a stop at any time.
  5. 05What should I wear?
    Choose light clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, as Rosetta is a conservative town. Wear comfortable shoes for the uneven old streets.
  6. 06How does cancelling work?
    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-663850

You Might Also Like

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

Giza, Memphis and Saqqara in a Day from Alexandria: Private, Port or Hotel Pick-upAlexandria

Giza, Memphis and Saqqara in a Day from Alexandria: Private, Port or Hotel Pick-up

A long private day by road from Alexandria or its cruise terminal. You see the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx, then Saqqara with its Step Pyramid, and finish at Memphis, the open-air museum on the site of Egypt's first capital. A private Egyptologist guide is with you throughout, and lunch is included. The day lasts about 14 hours, most of it in sightseeing and a good part in the vehicle.

From £122

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