Visit Alexandria—Egypt’s Mediterranean Jewel
How would you like to wake up to this view? It’s possible in Alexandria.
I’m going to start this post by acknowledging my bias—Alexandria is not only my favorite city in Egypt, but also my favorite city in the whole world.
I love the sea, the fresh seafood, the tenacity of Alexandrians, the faded grandeur (and current grandeur) of the architecture and ancient Graeco-Roman sites, and the bustle of the markets. I have spent more time in Alexandria than any other Egyptian city besides Cairo, and as a quick 3-hour train ride from Cairo, Alex is always on my list of places travelers should visit in Egypt. Let’s get inspired for your future trip to the jewel of the Mediterranean!
I recommend at least one night in Alexandria to enjoy the nightlife and see the city in the evening, but Alex can also be taken in on just a day trip, as long as you leave Cairo on the early morning train (around 6am) and take an evening train (around 6pm) from Alex back to Cairo. If you have more time, you can easily spend up to three nights in Alex and feel like you have enough to take in to make the time worthwhile.
Alexandria has a strange high and low season: it can be dead in the winter and spring (October-April) when temperatures are low for Egypt (but nowhere near the temperatures we have in many parts of the US), it rains more frequently, and the rest of Egypt is bustling. Then, in the summertime (May-September), Alexandria gets hit with throngs of Cairenes and other Egyptians escaping to the sea to avoid brutal heat waves. Both seasons are enjoyable times to visit Alexandria, and even with the extra hustle and bustle, the city still does not compare to the chaos of Cairo, the hassle of Luxor, and the artificiality of Hurghada or Sharm el Sheikh. Just note that hotel prices and availability will be less ideal in the summer, and if you want to avoid crowds, the winter is a much safer bet.
How to get there
Traveling by train is the quickest and most straightforward way to travel to Alexandria, and it is almost as cheap as taking a public bus (costing about USD $8 for a first class, air-conditioned ticket). The trains to Alexandria are fast, reliable, comfortable, and clean. Plus, you get a great view of the Nile Delta countryside as you go.
Check out this video on our YouTube channel to learn everything you need to know about taking the train from Ramses Train Station in downtown Cairo to downtown Alexandria. You can buy train tickets at the train station, or buy them online (but you must purchase them more than 48 hours in advance of the trip).
In case the train is sold out for the time you want (which happens), you can always take a public bus. Just listen for the bus drivers yelling “ISS-SKAN-DREY-UH!” (Alexandria in Arabic) outside the gate of Ramses Train Station, and go up to one of them. Ask how much in Arabic “bee-kam?” and hand over your luggage. A bus from the train station shouldn’t cost more than $5-10 USD one way, there are no tickets, and you pay your fare at the end. Something to note: these buses wait to move until they are full, which during a busy time can take minutes, but at a quieter time could take a half hour or more. A note for solo female travelers: you may be more comfortable taking the train or using a bus company like Go Bus (discussed below).
There are also larger bus companies that go to Alexandria, like Go Bus, and you can buy tickets in advance online or in-person. The bus station is located right next to the Ramses Hilton Hotel in downtown Cairo.
Finally, there is an airport in Alexandria, but flights are expensive, the taxi ride from the airport to the city center is expensive, and the distance between the airport and city center is so long that the entire trip, from airport to airport to city center, takes just as long as simply taking the train. Trust me, I’ve tried it. Never again!
How to get around
One of the beautiful things about Alex is that the city is super navigable—everything is either up or down the corniche that winds along the coast of the Mediterranean. A lot of sites can be reached on foot, but for further destinations, you can either take a microbus, Uber, taxi, or streetcar.
Here is a map of the tram lines in Alexandria, from Ramel Station (the center of downtown).
Microbus
Microbuses are constantly running along the corniche. Simply get on the side of the road that matches the direction you want to travel in, and when a microbus approaches, wave your hand in the direction you want to go. The microbus will stop if there is space inside, and you can hop on and pay your fare (usually between 3-6 Egyptian Pounds) after getting settled. For more information on microbuses, check out this blog post we made about public transit in Cairo (the way microbuses in Alex work is similar). A note: for solo female travelers, taking Uber will most likely be the most comfortable option.
Uber
Uber runs in Alexandria just like it does in Cairo, although the GPS directions are spottier and the drivers seem to be less experienced. Still, Uber is the best way to get a ride right now without needing to worry about bargaining, and with the minimum chance for harassment (especially for solo female travelers). You can even pay by credit card, eliminating the need for cash (and change).
Taxi
Taxis in Alexandria are much older than their Cairo counterparts, and are painted black and yellow instead of the ubiquitous Cairo white. Taxi drivers in Alex seem to never use the meter and can be difficult to bargain with, but they still will get you where you need to go.
Streetcar
This is the last option we listed, because it is the slowest and does not make sense to take in order to get from point A to point B, but can be a nostalgic way to take in the city. Simply wait at a streetcar station, hop on the car, pay your fare to the employee on board, and get ready to practically limp to your destination, albeit in historic style.
Where to stay
Le Metropole’s room and balcony are in the first two pictures, and the final two pictures are of the room and balcony at the Windsor Palace Hotel.
For tourists, especially first-timers in Alexandria, there are several options for a place to stay if you want to be within walking distance to most tourist sites and be in the heart of the city’s nostalgia-laden historic center, close to Midan Saad Zaghloul (Saad Zaghloul Square) and Mahatet Raml (Raml Station). All of these hotels are about the same price (at the time of writing between USD $60-120 per night depending on the season) and all offer impeccable views of the sea and clean and comfortable rooms.
In all cases, when given the option, pay the extra money to have a seaside-view room. It’s worth it.
-Le Metropole: (Location) Run by the same company as the Windsor Palace, Le Metropole is the most budget-friendly option of the three hotels here. It has many rooms with a seaside view, has a terrace restaurant/bar overlooking the Mediterranean, and has the lovely cafes Trianon and Delices (both are discussed below and are great for coffees, pastries, and desserts) around the corner on the ground floor. Watch out for lines at the elevator—it’s historic but it’s also tiny, and often times there will be a queue several minutes long just to get up to your room.
-WIndsor Palace: (Location) Run by the same company as Le Metropole, the Windsor Palace is a bit more expensive and has slightly larger rooms, a more opulent lobby, multiple elevators (much less of a wait!), a gorgeous terrace bar and restaurant, and a nightclub on the top floor that is popular on weekend evenings.
-Steigenberger Cecil: (Location) The Steigenberger Cecil is the most beautiful hotel in the old city center of Alexandria, and it sits diagonally from Le Metropole, the winding corniche road the only thing separating it from the sea. The Steigenberger has a similar feel, price point, and amenities to the Windsor Palace.
Alexandria does have other more recognizable hotel brands, like Hilton, Sheraton, and Four Seasons, but these are all further away from the historic heart of the city. The Four Seasons has a gorgeous, meticulously maintained private beach, but otherwise these hotels are fairly unremarkable.
Where to eat
Seafood
The main reason I go to Alexandria is to eat fresh seafood, which the city’s restaurants have in large quantities and for affordable prices. Here are my favorite spots:
-Farag: (Location) This restaurant is family owned and has been my go-to spot for over five years. You order by looking at the day’s catch, telling the cook how you want it prepared (grilled, fried, sautéed), and that’s it. You are given an endless parade of salads to keep you busy while you wait for your fish, shrimp, squid, and crabs, and then once those arrive, the feast begins. Two people can get multiple entrees at this restaurant and only pay about USD $15 each.
Plates like this are the norm at Farag, home of fresh and delicious seafood of all stripes.
—Ibn Hamido (Hamido’s Son): (Location) I visited this restaurant for the first time in the fall of 2020, and I was impressed by both the food and the view. The restaurant is much larger than Farag, a bit more expensive, and lacks the charm, but it makes up for this by having massive windows overlooking the Mediterranean that you can bask in while enjoying your meal.
If this is the view you want while you feast on fresh seafood, go to Ibn Hamido.
Liver
Alexandria also is known for its liver, which is delicious. Alexandrians prepare liver by frying it in very small pieces along with onions and peppers. It is served with a hot chili pepper, fresh lemon, and a stack of French bread. Even if you do not like liver in the United States, give it a try in Alexandria…it will change your mind.
My favorite place to get liver is Awlad Falah (The Farmer’s Children in English). This is a popular spot so you may need to wait for a table, and once your food arrives, try to eat quickly and head out if there are others waiting.
I am always excited when it comes to kebda (liver) in Alexandria!
Coffee
Egypt isn’t necessarily a coffee destination, unless one enjoys the thick style Turkish coffee. However, Alexandria has several good coffeeshops. Here are some of my favorites:
—Trianon: (Location) My favorite spot to sit in all of Alexandria. This little cafe has been in operation for 100 years, and serves decent espresso drinks and coffee along with pastries, desserts, and cafe fare.
Enjoying a cappuccino at Trianon’s outdoor patio is a ritual when visiting Alexandria.
—Delices: (Location) Just next door to Trianon, Delices offers the same atmosphere, food, and beverage options. Try to get a seat on the terrace for maximum people-watching and views of the sea. There will even be vendors walking by selling everything from sunglasses to hand-woven rugs.
—Brazilian Coffee: (Location) This spot has locations in different parts of Alexandria, but our favorite is the one just behind Saad Zaghloul Square. A great place for a simple cup of coffee or a decent espresso drink.
—Cilantro: (Location) This is an Egyptian chain, and while its coffee and food is about as underwhelming as a Starbucks, the view on the rooftop terrace of the Cilantro next to the Maktabeh (the Library of Alexandria) can’t be beat. The only thing separating you from the sea is a short glass wall, and with the gorgeous library on your other side, no matter where you look you will see natural and human-created beauty.
Drinks
Alexandria used to be a popular watering hole for lush sailors, but the conservatism of modern-day Egypt has changed things. Even so, here are some spots to grab a drink:
Spitfire: (Location) Egypt’s only equivalent of a dive bar, Spitfire looks like it hasn’t been cleaned since it opened, and the walls are a smattering of memorabilia, old photographs, grafitti, and who-knows-what-else. The staff are friendly and efficient, and the patrons are an interesting bunch. The bar can get super smoky, but the beer is cold, the bathrooms are clean, and its always packed.
A sampling of the eclectic wall decor at Spitfire—here we are watched over by passport photos of Egyptians and foreigners alike.
Cap D’or: (Location) Also known as Sheikh Aly, Cap D’or has all the charm of Spitfire with a much quieter (and less smoky) ambiance. I’ve also heard that the food served here is great, although I haven’t tried it yet.
Windsor Palace Rooftop: (Location) For drinking with a gorgeous backdrop, head to the penultimate floor of the Windsor Palace hotel, and grab a table at the terrace overlooking the sea. Much pricier than the first two options though—you are paying for the view and the fancy atmosphere.
What to do
Alexandria did not become a major city until the Graeco-Roman period, thousands of years after the building of the Pyramids at Giza and over one thousand years after the death of Tutankhamun. There are hardly any pharaonic sites when compared to cities like Aswan, Luxor, and Cairo, and yet Alexandria’s historic sties offer a unique glimpse into what Egypt was like during the Graeco-Roman period. In addition, Alex has several modern sights to see that are unparalleled anywhere in Egypt.
Ancient Sites
Left to right, top to bottom: two images of Kom el Shaqafa and two images of Qaitbey Citadel.
—Kom el Shaqafa: (Location) We did a video on our YouTube channel about this amazing ancient Roman catacombs. An absolute must-see.
—Kom el Dikka: (Location) An ancient Roman theatre ruins (the best in all of Egypt) and the site also contains the ruins of a few Roman villas, where you can see the original mosaic tile floors. If you pack lightly, you can stop here on your way to/from the train station, Mahatet Masr (Egypt Station), the main train station close to the historic center of Alex.
—Pompey’s Pillar: (Location) Not as spectacular as the two Graeco-Roman sites above, Pompey’s pillar still is a cool spot to stop to see an ancient column, a couple of sphinxes, and the ruins of the Serapeum, a temple complex where they worshipped the god Serapis, represented by a bull.
—Qaitbey Citadel: (Location) Our second must-see in Alex, the citadel sits on the very edge of the Alexandrian harbor and was built on top of the remains of the Alexandrian Lighthouse, one of the ancient wonders of the world. The Citadel is a great kid-friendly spot: it looks like a castle, every area is totally open to climb around, peek into, and explore, and it has gorgeous views of the sea, the city, and the harbor. Perfect photo op!
Modern Sites
Left to right: The reading room of the Library of Alexandria, and Al-Haramlik Palace at the Montazah Palace grounds.
Montazah: (Location) The Montazah (mun-ta-zuh) complex has the spectacular palace built in 1932. This is, in my opinion, the most gorgeous building in all of Egypt. Unfortunately it is closed to the public, but you can still get close to the outside of the building, take pictures, and stroll through the pleasant public park that houses the palace and the opulent Helnan Palestine hotel.
—Maktabeh (Library of Alexandria): (Location) Also called Bibliotheca Alexandria, The Library of Alexandria (pronounced “mak-ta-buh”) is a modern-day architectural masterpiece. It sits directly across the corniche from the Mediterranean, and the massive reading room will take your breath away. We have a video coming up soon on our YouTube channel where we will go more in-depth about this amazing library…stay tuned!
—Alexandrian National Museum: (Location) We love this museum because, unlike the sprawling museum in downtown Cairo, it just houses artifacts from Alexandria itself and the surrounding areas, and everything is well curated, with clear labels and descriptions for each object. Pay special attention to the objects that were taken from under the sea, the part of Alexandria that was bustling during the Ptolemaic period but then tragically sunk after an earthquake.
—Stanley Bridge: (Location) Not a sight-to-see per se, Stanley Bridge is just a gorgeous bridge to admire when driving down the Corniche to the Montazah Complex.
Does Alexandria sound like a place you want to visit on your Egypt adventure? Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think, and let us know what questions you have about Egypt’s seaside paradise.
