Alexandria is not a city of grand monuments in the way Luxor is. Its pull is layered history, a salty breeze and a habit of sitting out late over coffee. You can see the best of it in one day, but only if you decide the order beforehand.
Underground first: the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa
These tombs date from the Roman period and mix Egyptian, Greek and Roman carving in one place. You go down a spiral stair into rooms cut from the rock. Allow about an hour. The air is cool and a little close, so anyone uneasy in small spaces should tell the guide first.
A column and a missing library
Pompey's Pillar is a tall granite column on a rise, with sphinxes and the foundations of the Serapeum around it. The name is a medieval mistake. The column was raised for a Roman emperor. It takes less than an hour, and it makes a useful pause before the sea.
The fort on the harbour
The Citadel of Qaitbay was built in the fifteenth century on the very spot where the ancient Pharos lighthouse stood. Stones from the fallen tower went into its walls. You climb through rooms and passages to the roof and look back across the Eastern Harbour at the city.
Lunch, then the library
Fish and prawns by the water are the natural lunch. After that, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a good place to cool down. The building is a huge tilted disc, and the main reading hall rises in terraces under a sloping glass roof. There are also museums on the site, and some need separate tickets.
- Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa: about an hour.
- Pompey's Pillar and the Serapeum remains: about 45 minutes.
- Qaitbay fort: about an hour and a quarter.
- Lunch by the sea: about an hour.
- Library and museums: about an hour and a half.
Doing it without a car
It can be done with taxis and a good map, but the sights are spread across the city and the Corniche can be slow at midday. A private tour keeps a guide at your side, handles tickets and gets you from the fort to the library without stops for directions.
What to expect at each stop
Do not expect polished displays everywhere. Some of Alexandria's best sights are plain and a little rough at the edges, and part of the appeal is the lived-in feel of the city around them. Streets near the Catacombs are busy, the pillar sits among traffic and the fort has fishermen at its foot. Go with the aim of understanding how many different peoples have lived here, from Greeks and Romans to Mamluks and modern Alexandrians.
One day will not show you the quieter corners: the old cafés on the side streets, the Italianate buildings of the centre, or the long summer evenings on the Corniche. If you can stay a night, use the evening for a harbour walk and a late dinner. If you cannot, ask your guide to point out one or two spots on the drive, and leave time at the end for a coffee before heading back to your hotel or the port.
Alexandria is relaxed compared with some Egyptian cities, but modest dress is still polite. Light trousers or a long skirt and a shirt with sleeves are ideal. Cover your shoulders if you enter a mosque, and remove your shoes. Ask before photographing people, particularly women and children. Locals are curious and friendly, and you may be invited to join in a conversation or a cup of tea.
The full-day private tour follows this order from your hotel or the cruise port. Open the trip page for what is included and how to book.
Plan with us
One day in Alexandria: a route that works on foot and by car
Plan a day in Alexandria: Catacombs, Pompey's Pillar, Qaitbay fort and the library, in a sensible order with time for a long fish lunch by the sea.