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I Finally Visited Alexandria and These Spots Blew My Mind
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items Planning a trip to Alexandria and overwhelmed by conflicting advice from travel blogs that all say the same five things? I spent two weeks there wandering beyond the tourist traps, and this is what actually made the trip worth it. Whether you're sque...
Sections
8
Ancient Landmarks Worth the Hype
Museums That Don't Feel Like Museums
Street Food That Ruined Restaurant Food for Me
Corniche Walks and Waterfront Spots
Day Trips and Side Adventures From Alexandria
Where to Stay Without Overpaying
Ancient Landmarks Worth the Hype
Some famous sites actually deliver. I walked into Pompey's Pillar expecting a single column in a parking lot and ended up spending two hours exploring the ruins around it.
Get there early before the tour buses roll in around 10am. I had the entire site nearly to myself at 8:30 and could actually read the inscriptions without someone's selfie stick in my face. The underground chambers are what most people skip, and they...
Pompeys Pillar
Bring a light jacket because it's genuinely cold underground. The spiral staircase down gave me vertigo but the Roman-Egyptian hybrid carvings are unlike anything I've seen anywhere else. For anyone who thinks they've ‘done enough tombs’ in Egypt, th...
Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Alexandria
Walk the outer walls for the Mediterranean views, not just the interior rooms. I almost skipped this because it looked small from photos. Wrong. Spent an hour just sitting on the rocks nearby watching fishermen. Go late afternoon when the light hits ...
Citadel of Quadrilaterals - Juke's Towers of Hell Wiki
Toss this into your Pompey's Pillar morning since it's nearby. The marble seating is surprisingly intact and there's a whole excavated residential area most visitors walk right past. I nearly did too until a local guide pointed it out.
Kom el Dikka
Use this as your warm-up before Pompey's Pillar since they're at the same site. Most people photograph the pillar and leave. The Serapeum foundation tunnels underneath are where the real history sits. Flashlight on your phone is plenty.
Room III. Reconstruction of the Serapeum of the Canopus
Museums That Don't Feel Like Museums
I usually last about 45 minutes in a museum before my brain checks out. These kept me engaged way longer than expected, mostly because they're small enough to actually absorb.
Forget what you think a library looks like. The architecture alone is worth the visit. I wandered the manuscript museum downstairs and found a tiny Quran so detailed I stood there for ten minutes. For anyone who reads, this place will make you emotio...
Bibliotheca Alexandria Stock Photos
Three floors organized by era, so you literally walk through time. Grabbed a pamphlet at the entrance and it turned a random Wednesday into a proper history lesson. Small enough that you won't hit museum fatigue.
Alexandria National Museum - Book Your Tickets - Egypt
Swap your pyramid expectations for art deco palace vibes. The building itself was a princess's residence and the jewelry collection inside is absurd. Perfect for anyone traveling with someone who isn't into ancient ruins.
Royal Jewelry
Check if it's reopened before you go because renovations have dragged on for years. When it's open, the mummy portraits and Tanagra figurines are worth rearranging your schedule for. I asked at the Bibliotheca and they knew the current status.
Greco-Roman Museum
Tiny apartment where the poet lived, turned into a shrine of his manuscripts and personal items. Takes maybe 30 minutes but it hit differently after reading a few of his poems the night before. For the literary nerds in your travel group.
Cavafy museum | متحف كڤاڤيس (@cavafy_museum)
Street Food That Ruined Restaurant Food for Me
I budgeted way too much for restaurants. The street food in Alexandria made me cancel two dinner reservations because nothing at a table compared to what I found on the sidewalk.
Get the foul medames with extra lemon and a side of tamiya. I went three mornings in a row and the guy behind the counter just started making my order when he saw me walk in. Breakfast here costs less than a coffee back home.
Benjamin/Mohamed Ahmed - Alexandria
Pick your fish from the display, they grill it while you wait. Showed up starving after the catacombs and demolished an entire sea bass with tahini. For anyone who thinks Egyptian food is just kebab, this will reset your brain.
Balbaa Village, Alexandria Egypt – January 2013
Grab a large bowl and watch them layer rice, lentils, pasta, and crispy onions like they're performing surgery. Sounds weird, tastes incredible. My travel partner was skeptical for exactly one bite before ordering seconds.
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Try the sugarcane juice fresh-pressed while you watch the Mediterranean. I drank three in one sitting during a hot afternoon walk. Costs almost nothing and tastes like someone liquified summer.
Azza Smoothies and jus - Sumbersari ⭐ 5
Slightly fancier than street food but the fried calamari platter earned its reputation. Pair it with the baba ganoush and bread. Perfect if you want to sit down somewhere with AC after walking ruins all day.
Samakmak Seafood on Instagram • Photos and Videos
Corniche Walks and Waterfront Spots
The Alexandria Corniche stretches for miles along the coast. I didn't plan to walk the whole thing but I kept saying ‘just a little further’ until my shoes gave out.
Walk across at sunset. That's it. That's the entire recommendation. The arches frame the water perfectly and I took about 200 photos before accepting that my phone camera couldn't capture what my eyes were seeing.
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Swing by here after the Bibliotheca for a slow walk along the water. Fishermen cast lines right off the sidewalk and the whole vibe is so calm it doesn't feel like a city of five million people. Bring a snack and sit on the wall.
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Pay the small entrance fee and spend a full afternoon here. The gardens slope down to a private-feeling beach and the palace architecture is wildly over-the-top in the best way. For anyone needing a break from ancient sites, this is your reset button...
Montazah Palace Gardens Tours and Tickets
Use this as your modern-Alexandria pitstop. Coffee shops, ocean views, and actual wifi that works. I sat here for two hours planning the next day's route. Not historic, but practical and pretty.
San Stefano Grand Plaza, Alexandria (updated prices 2027)
Wander the painted buildings near the fish market. Nobody told me about this area and I stumbled into it after Qaitbay. The colors, the laundry hanging between buildings, kids playing soccer in alleys. Felt like the real city, not the tourist version...
Exploring ancient Anfushi tombs in Alexandria
Day Trips and Side Adventures From Alexandria
One day I woke up with no plan and ended up at a WWII cemetery. Alexandria rewards spontaneity if you're willing to grab a taxi and point.
Bring tissues. I'm not even joking. The rows of white headstones stretching toward the desert horizon stopped me cold. Two hours from Alexandria by car and it's one of the most moving places I've ever stood. For history people, this is non-negotiable...
El Alamein War Cemetery
UNESCO site about 45 minutes southwest. Barely anyone visits, which means you'll have ancient church ruins practically to yourself. Wear sturdy shoes because the ground is uneven and sandy.
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Yes, where the Rosetta Stone was found. The Ottoman-era houses with mashrabiya windows are gorgeous and the town has a sleepy charm that Alexandria's center lacks. Pair it with a Nile-mouth boat ride if you can.
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Skip the crowded city beaches and taxi 45 minutes west. The water is cleaner, the sand is whiter, and the crowds thin out dramatically. Pack lunch because food options are limited but the swimming makes up for it.
Borg El Arab Beach Hotel
Detour on your way to or from Cairo. The Coptic monasteries here date back to the 4th century and the monks are genuinely welcoming. I expected a quick stop and stayed three hours talking to a monk about desert theology.
St. Macarius Monastery
Where to Stay Without Overpaying
Hotel prices in Alexandria swing wildly and the expensive ones aren't always better. I tried three different spots and learned that location matters more than star ratings here.
Splurge pick, but only because the location on Saad Zaghloul Square puts you within walking distance of everything. The building has old-world charm and the lobby alone makes you feel like you've time-traveled. Worth it for a night or two.
Steigenberger Cecil Alexandria
Grab a room with a balcony facing the street. The art deco interior is faded but charming, and the central location saved me taxi money every single day. For anyone who values location over luxury, this is your spot.
Le Metropole Hotel Alexandria, Egypt - Paradise Inn Group
Stay here if you want the garden-and-beach combo without downtown noise. I slept with the window open and heard waves. The trade-off is you'll need a taxi into the city center, but mornings by the water made it worth it.
Aifu Resort - El Montazah
Okay yes it's a chain, but the Corniche views from the upper floors are ridiculous. Treat yourself to one night here if your budget allows. The breakfast buffet had more food than some restaurants I visited.
Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano, Egypt
Old-school Egyptian hospitality in a building that's seen better days but still has character. The waterfront location is unbeatable for the price. Perfect if you're the type who'd rather spend money on food and experiences than a hotel room.
Windsor Castle
Practical Stuff Nobody Tells You Before Going
Wish someone had texted me this list before I landed. Would have saved me a sunburn, a scam, and one very confusing taxi ride.
Download both before you land. Metered taxis exist but negotiating fares in Arabic when you're jet-lagged is not fun. I used Careem for almost every ride and the prices were so low I kept thinking the app was broken.
Captains operate on the Uber & Careem Rides Driver App now!
Snag one at the airport kiosk. Data is cheap and having Google Maps working saved me constantly. I tried using hotel wifi for navigation one day and ended up in completely the wrong neighborhood for 40 minutes.
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Wear one under your regular clothes if you're visiting ruins. I got scorched at Pompey's Pillar because I thought sunscreen was enough. The reflected heat off stone is brutal and there's almost no shade at outdoor sites.
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Learn five phrases before you go. ‘Shukran’ and ‘bikam’ got me through 90% of interactions. Locals light up when you try, and my terrible pronunciation became a running joke with a shopkeeper I visited three times.
Lonely Planet Moroccan Arabic Phrasebook
Keep this filled and on you at all times. Dehydration sneaks up fast, especially underground in the catacombs where you forget you're sweating. I watched two tourists nearly faint at Kom El Dikka on a hot afternoon.
Water Filter Bottles by BRITA - buy now
Souvenirs and Shopping That Aren't Tourist Junk
Skipped every shop near the major sites because they all sold the same plastic pyramids. Found the real stuff in neighborhoods where shopkeepers weren't yelling at tour groups.
Dig through stalls of brass lamps, vintage postcards, and old coins. I found a 1940s Egyptian cigarette case for almost nothing. Haggle firmly but fairly. For anyone who collects weird old things, block out a full morning here.
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Try the custom blended oils. The owner mixed a scent based on three words I gave him and it's now my favorite thing I brought home. Way more personal than duty-free perfume and it fits in a carry-on.
Zenobia
Stacks of Arabic and English books piled floor to ceiling. I found a 1960s edition of a Cavafy collection for the equivalent of two dollars. For readers and collectors, this street is dangerous for your luggage weight.
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Bring a ziplock bag and stock up on duqqa spice blend and dried hibiscus. The smell alone is worth the walk. I've been putting that duqqa on everything since I got home and my regular grocery store spices taste boring now.
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Pick up Egyptian cotton towels or scarves directly from a small shop. The quality difference from what you find in chain stores back home is embarrassing. Packed flat, they weigh nothing, and everyone I gave one to as a gift asked where I got it.
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