Alexandria is not just a historic city full of monuments. Those who want to have fun will also find something to their liking. Sports, shopping, sitting in a café, or dancing in a nightclub? It's all possible here!
If you're looking for nightlife, Alexandria isn't exactly the place to be. Egypt's capital city is much livelier at night. But that doesn't mean you won't find modern bars! They may not be on every corner, and some of them are more focused on sitting with friends and smoking hookah than on wild dancing. The truth is that everyone can find something to their liking in Alexandria, even if they have to search for a while.
Alexandria is an important historical city. It is also Egypt's second largest city, so it has more to offer than just historical sites. Tourists are attracted by its well-equipped hotels, high-quality services, and friendly attitude of the local population It offers everything you could want on vacation, whether it's water parks and swimming pools, sporting experiences, or even gourmet opportunities. The city lives primarily from tourism, and it shows.
Try something new and modern Marsa Matrouh resort for accommodation near Alexandria.
Where else would you want to learn more about Alexandria than at the National Museum? The majestic building is worth seeing from the outside. Inside, you can learn everything from the era of the pharaohs to the Hellenistic heyday. The museum traces the founding of the city of Alexandria (4th century BC) to the time when the city fell under Arab rule.
The entire history of Alexandria is clearly organized into several levels:
To learn as much as possible about Alexandria, visit Tariq al-Horreya Street, where the museum has been operating since 2002.
These are modern successors the legendary Library of Alexandria, which had partially burned down in the past, was restored to operation only to be completely razed to the ground during the religious upheavals of the 4th century. This architectural and educational marvel was opened in 2002 with the aim of restoring the glory of the ancient library, which was one of the most important centers of learning and knowledge in the ancient world.
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina was designed Norwegian architectural studio Snøhetta and its design is a modern interpretation of ancient glory. The main building is shaped like a tilted disc, symbolizing the sun rising over the Mediterranean Sea. The facade is covered with engravings from various scripts and languages, symbolizing the universality of knowledge and culture.
Today's Bibliotheca Alexandrina is not just a library. It is a complex comprising several research institutes, museums, exhibition halls, a planetarium, and conference centers. The library can hold up to 8 million books and provides access to digital databases and electronic resources. It is also home to many manuscripts and rare books.
Walk along the long coastline by the Corniche road heading west and you will eventually reach Fort Quaitbay. This is a fortress that has protected Alexandria's eastern harbor since 1480. It was built by Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay Originally, the Pharos lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, stood on this site. The lighthouse did not survive the powerful earthquake of 1303. Today, the fortress no longer serves a protective function, but it is a good reminder of the city's past.
From the ramparts of the fortress, you can enjoy magnificent views of the city and the Mediterranean Sea. Inside the fortress, there is a small museum that displays maritime-themed artifacts. In addition, you can explore a number of stone-walled chambers and even aquariums.
Kom el-Dikka is the name of an area, which translates as "Mound of Rubble." Until 1967, people thought it was just another set of ruins, of which there are many in Egypt. However, when the area began to be cleared for new construction, it revealed its secrets. Many ancient ruins were discovered, including Roman amphitheater with 13 tiers of white marble seats (for 800 people), the remains of a Ptolemaic temple, Roman baths, and a villa from the Roman era. Today, the area is a small archaeological park.
If you are not afraid, you can also visit the underground of Alexandria. This is where the Kom El Shoqafa catacombs are located, which are unique in that are carved into the rock in the Carmous area, El-Nasareya Street. This architecture dates back to the 2nd century AD and was discovered around 1900 in an interesting way – when a donkey fell through it.
What is really interesting about the catacombs is the fusion of Egyptian and Greco-Roman styles. The catacombs have several levels, which are separated by spiral staircases. If you go down the stairs, you will come across sarcophagus chambers, the main burial chamber, and at the very bottom, the chapel, which can hold three or four mummies.
The famous Pompey's Column, which was built in 297 our era in honor of Emperor Diocletian, who supplied food to the starving population after the siege. It is a 25-meter-high granite column that towers over the ruins of the Serapeion. This temple was once used to store surplus manuscripts from the Library of Alexandria.
In the east of Alexandria (Al Mandarah Bahri Street, Qism El-Montaza) there are gardens that belonged to King Farouk I He was the last Egyptian ruler. The gardens themselves offer breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea. They are huge and can provide you with relief from the hustle and bustle of the city.
This cemetery contains the bodies of men who died in World War II (1940–1942). The cemetery now contains 7,240 buried men, 815 of whom are unidentified. There is a museum near the cemetery that commemorates this period.
Would you like to dance? Or just sit back with a hookah and a cocktail? Do you love good coffee? Based on your preferences, you can decide which Alexandria bar/pub/restaurant to visit. To make it easier for you, we have sorted the most famous bars and clubs into several categories.
Bars where you can just sit and relax
Dance bars
Cafés