Alexandria

Alexandria (pronounced al-ig-ZAN-dree-uh&#x202f;; Arabic: الإسكندرية &lrm;/ اسكندرية al-Iskandariyya / Eskendereyya&#x202f;) is Egypt's second largest city (5.2 million people in 2018), its largest seaport, and the country's window onto the Mediterranean Sea. The city is a faded shadow of its former glorious cosmopolitan self, but still worth a visit for its many cultural attractions and still-palpable glimpses of its past.

History


Few cities of the world have a history as rich as that of Alexandria; few cities have witnessed so many historic events and legends. Founded by Alexander the Great (Iskander al-Akbar) in 331 BCE, Alexandria became the capital of Greco-Roman Egypt; its status as a beacon of culture is symbolized by Pharos, the legendary lighthouse.

There had long been a fishing village here, called Rhakotis, but Alexander had greater plans for it. Its strategic value was obvious: it had a great natural harbour, a backing lagoon to prevent land attack, a fertile hinterland, and potential control of trade routes up the Nile and overland to the Red Sea and Arabia. But the approach to the harbour was tricky: the coastline and off-shore islands were low and without landmarks, so sailors could easily take the wrong channel and get wrecked on the shoals. To guide them in, Alexander's successors Ptolemy I & II built a lighthouse on the nearby island of Pharos. It stood just over 100 m tall, so only the Great Pyramids were taller. A bronze mirror atop it reflected sunlight by day, and by night the flames of oil-soaked sheep fleeces. It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the name of the island "Pharos" came to apply to all subsequent lighthouses, and spawned modern words such as "phares" in French.

A jetty over 1 km long was built to connect Pharos to the mainland, dividing the bay into an eastern and western harbour. Silt and landfill built up along the jetty so it broadened into a peninsula, the present-day district of Anfushi. The lighthouse was badly damaged by earthquakes in 956, 1303 and 1323, then fell into disuse and disrepair. In 1480 Sultan Qaitbey used the ruined stone to build his fortress here. The rest of it was eaten by coastal erosion, and came to lie on the sea-bed. But a combination of ancient descriptions, modern marine archaeology and satellite imaging give us a detailed picture of it.

Alexandria under Ptolemy I & II prospered not just through trading, but as a knowledge economy. They set out to acquire and understand every manuscript they could. Arriving ships were searched, and any manuscripts seized and copied onto papyrus. In the great Library of Alexandria texts were translated, catalogued and studied. Scholars, philosophers and scientists flocked to work on these texts, and to create new material. Just one example of their creative output was the Septuagint, the first Greek translation of Hebrew holy texts that became the Christian Bible Old Testament.

Trade and knowledge made Alexandria cosmopolitan, with the largest Jewish populations and Hellenistic cultures anywhere. It retained its importance, and was capital of Egypt, while power was shifting elsewhere: the rise and decline of Rome, the rise of Byzantium, and growth of Persia. But the city suffered natural disasters (eg the tsunami of 365 CE) and a series of wars (particularly against Rome), and the library was destroyed. When the Arabs conquered Egypt in 641 CE they founded a new capital to the south in Fustat, now Cairo. Politically, economically and intellectually, Alexandria was no longer the place to be.

Alexandria survived as a trading port; Marco Polo described it around 1300 as one of the world's two busiest ports, along with Quanzhou. However, its strategic location meant that every army on its way to Egypt passed through: Napoleon's troops stormed the city in 1798, but the British conquered it in the Siege of Alexandria in 1801. The Egyptians under Mohammed Ali took control of the city and rebuilt it, but the Orabi Rebellion in 1881 and massacres of Europeans in the city led the British to strike back and hammer the rebels with the three-day Bombardment of Alexandria, reducing much of the city center to rubble.

Once again, Alexandria rose from the ashes. Its cosmopolitan and decadent lifestyle before and during World War II gave birth to its greatest poet, Constantine P. Cavafy, and was chronicled in Laurence Durrell's Alexandria Quartet and a series of works by E.M. Forster including Alexandria: A History and Guide (1922), described by some as the best travel guide ever written.

Yet this world, too, took a shattering blow in the 1950s when Egypt's new fiercely nationalist leader Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized vast swathes of the economy and forbade foreigners from owning or running companies. This forced tens of thousands of foreigners out of the country, including virtually all of Alexandria's once 150,000-strong Greek community. Alexandria thus ceased to be a cosmopolitan city.

Today's Alexandria is a dusty seaside Egyptian town with miles of tatty low-rise and 'burbs holding its population of 5 million, yet its status as Egypt's leading port keeps business humming, and tourists still flock to the beaches in the summertime. And while much of the city is badly in need of major repair, its history is still evident: the French-style parks and the occasional French street sign survive as a legacy of Napoleon, and the few remaining Greek restaurants and cafés still do a good trade.

Climate

 * See also: Egypt

Alexandria has a hot desert climate (BWh), but highly influenced by sea breeze, with sunny hot humid summers and mild moderately wet winters. The daytime can be humid in summer, with summer temperatures averaging 31 °C (88 °F), but evenings are usually cooler and breezy, especially by the Corniche. Winters can get cold, with daytime highs down sometimes to 12 °C (53 °F), with occasional rain and sometimes hail. Humidity is high throughout the year. The best time to visit Alexandria is in spring (March–June) and autumn (September–November). It's at its busiest in summer, when Egyptians flock down to escape the searing heat of Cairo.

Orientation
Alexandria is a long thin city, pinched between the swampy delta and the sea. Its east-west artery, the Corniche, rolls on for about 30 km. However the advantage to the visitor is that all transport is funnelled along this corridor, so you shouldn't wait more than a minute for a taxi, buses or microbus going your way. The tram line runs parallel a block or two further inland.

At the western tip lies the Citadel of Qaitbey, built near (and from) the ruined ancient lighthouse or Pharos. The Corniche then sweeps around the eastern harbour, with Anfushi the tongue of land behind it, to the central hotel area around Saad Zaghloul; then passes the east end of the harbour at the jetty opposite the new library. Almost all the sights, and the bulk of the accommodation and restaurants, are along this congested 5-6 km strip or nearby. But on and on eastwards rolls the Corniche through rundown beachfront districts of Rushdy, San Stefano and Mandarah. The blingy hotels of Montazah are a bright spot then the tat, burbs and ribbon-development resume, out to Aboukir.

By plane
Alexandria has domestic flights daily from Cairo, Luxor, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, with Egyptair the main operator. Saudia Airlines fly from Jeddah and the Gulf States, and Turkish Airlines fly from Istanbul. Flights from Italy by Wizz Air have ended as of June 2023. And all of airlines of the country including: Air Cairo Air Arabia Nile Air FlyEgypt and Petroleum air services (PAS).

El Nouzha airport was nearer the city but closed in 2011, supposedly for rebuilding with Borg el Arab just a temporary arrangement. The work was abandoned and there are no plans to re-open El Nouzha.

Cairo is the main portal of entry into Egypt and you travel onwards overland. The Cairo-Alex flight only makes sense as a connection with another flight.

By train
Train is the best way to travel between central Cairo and Alexandria, with 30 services a day. Best of these are the "Specials", running non-stop and taking 2 hr 40 min; almost as good are the "Express" services taking around 3 hours. These trains are clean and comfortable, air-conditioned, and with snacks available. One-way AC1 tickets cost (Oct 2018). The fast trains are sometimes also called Spanish, French or Turbo because of their rolling stock. See "Egypt by train" for how to buy tickets. Online, in advance, direct from the railway company ENR, is best.

Trains from Cairo all depart from Ramses Station. In Alexandria they arrive downtown at, where taxis and microbuses are waiting, or a 15-min stroll north along Nabi Daniel St brings you onto the Corniche. Nabi Daniel is a street market and closed to traffic, so taxis use the parallel Saad Zaghlool St.

But when your "non-stop" train arrives, and everyone piles out, ask around before following. You may have stopped 3 km east at on Abu Qir St at the top of Mushir Ahmad Ismail St. Only get off here if you're heading for an eastern district such as San Stefano. Otherwise sit tight, and in a couple of minutes the train will rumble on and terminate at Misr Station.

Trains to Alexandria also run from Marsa Matruh and the delta towns. These are "ordinary" trains that can't be booked online, so buy your ticket at the station. Some trains run directly from Luxor via Cairo, but these too are slow "ordinary" trains, and you're better taking fast trains and changing in Cairo.

By bus
Several bus companies offer a bus service into Alexandria at a very low price range:. Buses are air-conditioned and come complete with a hostess trolley service. Companies include Golden Arrow, West Delta, Super Jet, Pullman and El Gouna. Operating times vary from one company to another, but there are trips between Cairo and Alexandria virtually every hour from early morning until midnight.

While the buses are perfectly comfortable, the duration of your journey from Cairo to Alexandria (and vice versa) will depend on your pick-up/drop-off point. Most buses start out from the Almaza Bus Station in Heliopolis and stop by Midan Tahrir and Giza before finally setting out to Alexandria; if you join from Heliopolis expect a 4-5 hour trip rather than the average 2-3.

The main bus station is but there are a number of bus pick-up/drop-off points inside Alexandria. These are usually either at Gedid station (except El Gouna, which uses Sidi Gaber station) which is a bit far from the city of Alexandria so it shouldn't cost more than a cab ride,  max. Don't take a taxi with anyone that approaches you right outside of the bus. Walk outside the station and catch a taxi there if you must. There is also a bus from Gedid to Sidi Gaber, and from Sidi Gaber most parts of the city are accessible by minibus or tram if you are looking to save money. The bus fare will run you half a pound.

By car
There are two roads between Cairo and Alexandria, both taking 3 hours. The usual cautions for driving in Egypt apply; see Egypt.
 * Agriculture Road has a speed limit of 90 km/hr for private cars and has 4 lanes in each direction. This is the main road, so it can get a little crowded. It also gives access to Damnhour and Tanta.
 * Desert Road has a speed limit of 100 km/hr for private cars and has 4 lanes in each direction. True to the name, this crosses the desert and is less crowded and faster. There are cafes every few km.

By boat
Alex remains a major sea port, but all international passenger services are axed because of this region's turmoil and loss of tourist traffic. It may still be possible to arrange freighter travel, but with so many migrants trying to reach Europe from the Middle East by sea in the 21st century, they will be very wary about taking you. So your best bet may be to call in a favour from a friend with a gin-palace private yacht.

The Med cruise liners seldom visit here nowadays. Nile cruises still call at Alexandria, Cairo and the ancient Egyptian sites up to Luxor and Aswan. But all of these are package tourist itineraries, and not available to book as point-to-point ferries.

Get around
Alexandria is a long, long city but there's good transport along the Corniche. It also extends several km inland past the lagoons, but you've no reason to go that way.

By taxi


Alexandria's yellow and black taxis are a good way to travel in the city, and a cheap one as well. Be careful though: taxis will uniformly refuse to use meters (the rates haven't been adjusted in years) and drivers love to take advantage of non-Alexandrians (both foreign and Egyptian), so it's best to agree on the fare before you get in. No taxi ride between any two points in the city should cost more than. If you are on a day trip to Alexandria, hire a taxi outside the railway station for the day and pay per place. For example, pay around if you plan to see 5 places in 3–4 hr, or  if you plan to see 8-10 places in 5–6 hr.

To get into a taxi, wave at the driver and yell the name of your destination. If the driver agrees they would park at the side of the road as soon as possible. Some taxis will stop to pick you up even if they already have a passenger, but such offers are best refused. Furthermore, always check back once you get out of the taxi, there is no number to call if you lose anything of value, and nearly no chances of having it returned.

Fast Call taxis can be booked by phone at 19559 or 0800-999-9999 (toll free). These are pricier but generally much better than ordinary black and bright yellow cabs.

Careem and Uber operate in Alexandria. You will need a local number, as the driver will call you back for details of the pickup and drop off points.

By tram


Alexandria has a creaky, slow but very cheap tram system that dates back to 1860 and looks the part — it's the oldest one still running in Africa. The route map is remarkably confusing and changes on a regular basis, but one factor stays constant: the network is split into the interurban Ramleh Lines (Tram el-Raml), which use blue-and-cream trams and run across the city a few blocks back from the sea towards the eastern suburbs, and the City Lines (Tram el-Madina), which use bright yellow trams and run west and south of central Alex. The two meet at Raml Station (محطة الرمل Mahattat el-Raml), right at the heart of Alex. In general, the Ramleh Lines are relatively quick despite their age, as they have substantial stretches of dedicated and uninterrupted right-of-way; the City Lines, however, frequently get stuck in traffic.

For both lines, the flat fare is, bought on board. Note that the first car (out of three) in the blue trams is reserved for women only. The lines run until 1AM, every 10-30 min or so.

Probably the most useful service for tourists is yellow tram #25, which runs from Raml Station to Ras el-Tin and Fort Qait Bey. You can also hop on any blue tram west from Sidr Gabr bus/railway station to get to Raml, but not all eastbound trams stop there.

By bus
There are a variety of local bus services which have improved significantly in the past few years, but they are rather confusing for those who haven't lived in Alexandria for a while. Apart from city buses, you will also find "mini-buses", which work on hop-and-go basis. They are easily recognizable 14-person buses, which will stop when you wave and stop where you need to get off. The drivers rarely speak English, so make sure you know the Arabic name of your destination or that you already know where to stop. The routes are usually along the main streets, with drivers following well-known routes. The routes are written in Arabic on the sides of the vehicle, but even if you speak Arabic this may not be helpful; the drivers sometimes change routes without changing their signage. However, if you remain in Alexandria for some time you may learn the somewhat elaborate system of hand signals the locals have devised to indicate the desired destination. A journey will generally cost between.

Modern Alex

 * The Corniche stretches forever. The core is a 15 km promenade along the bay dotted with restaurants, markets and historic sights.

Do



 * Sunbathe at the Maa'moura Beach or Montazah Beach. During summer the beaches are packed with Egyptian tourists, parasols and plastic chairs and it will cost (2008) to get in. At this time the sand and water may have some throwaway plastic floating around. Some areas charge  and it will get you more space.
 * Also in Montazah, Montazah Water Sports, provide various water sports, from waterskiing to wake-boarding, even Banana Boat and Donuts.
 * Hire a boat and go cruising at Ras el-Tin.
 * Have a long walk by the beautiful Corniche by the Mediterranean Sea.
 * Have a long walk by the beautiful Corniche by the Mediterranean Sea.

Cinemas




Sports

 * Football: Alexandria has two soccer teams in the Premier League, Egypt's top tier. Smouha SC and Al Ittihad are both based at Alexandria Stadium (capacity 20,000), 500 m east of the railway station. Haras El Hodoud are in the Second Division, playing in the western suburb of El Max. Pharco in the Premier League play at Borg el Arab (aka El-Geish) Stadium 25 km west towards the airport.
 * Scuba dive with Alexandra Dive, based on the Corniche. It's historic wreck-diving, year-round, interesting but distinctly cold and gloomy compared to the Red Sea. The standard one-day, two-dive trip takes you to the "Palace of Cleopatra" immersed off Antirodos Island, and around the old harbour and lighthouse remnants off Pharos point. They also venture out to wrecks from ancient Greece, the Napoleonic era, and the Great War. They offer training courses, but beginners will do much better to train in the Red Sea. (They run trips there but you're probably going anyway.) All these trips depend not only on weather, but on having viable diver numbers.
 * Go swimming in the Country Club or Lagoon Resort, in front of Carrefour.
 * Scuba dive with Alexandra Dive, based on the Corniche. It's historic wreck-diving, year-round, interesting but distinctly cold and gloomy compared to the Red Sea. The standard one-day, two-dive trip takes you to the "Palace of Cleopatra" immersed off Antirodos Island, and around the old harbour and lighthouse remnants off Pharos point. They also venture out to wrecks from ancient Greece, the Napoleonic era, and the Great War. They offer training courses, but beginners will do much better to train in the Red Sea. (They run trips there but you're probably going anyway.) All these trips depend not only on weather, but on having viable diver numbers.
 * Go swimming in the Country Club or Lagoon Resort, in front of Carrefour.

Work
Alexandria has a tiny industrial section, mainly centered around the natural gas industry. A few expatriates work in this section. This section is increasing now as many new factories are built in Borg el Arab.

Other than that, there are some but not many international schools that employ expatriate teachers. Generally they pay less than the much more lucrative educational section in Cairo.

Alexandria has got quite a large number of language schools. You can find girls-only, boys-only and mixed schools. Also international certificates -like the IGCSE or the American SAT I and SAT II- could be completed in most of these schools. Moreover, study is available in English, French and also German.

Buy
Standard shop hours are daily until 10PM or later, but in summer they take a siesta from noon to 4PM. Ramadan hours also vary.

Typically, vendors of a particular product cluster along a street.


 * Nabi Daniel, the street between the railway station and Corniche, has many booksellers with titles in several languages. Prices negotiable. Further inland has vendors of electrical components (e.g. plug adapters) that may be useful to a traveller. "Nabi" means prophet so the street refers to the Biblical figure.

Eat

 * Seafood restaurants line the waterfront.
 * Alexandrian ice cream is similar to the typical soft-serve ice cream, but it is described as being a little bit 'stretchy'. It is available in numerous flavors, and according to the locals, this type of ice cream is only made in Alexandria and Greece. Try it at Bahary near Qait Bey, where popular shops include Makram, El-Sheikh Wafik, Azza and El Se'eedy.
 * Corn on the cob (dorra mashwey) is sold by street vendors along the Corniche.
 * Koshary, the Egyptian national dish, is a mixture of noodles, rice, lentil and more noodles topped with a tomato sauce. Koshary topped with kibda Iskandarani — Alexandria-style liver with peppers — is a local tradition.

Mid-range
Mid-priced by Egyptian standards, Western fast-food chains like Pizza Hut, McDonald's and KFC can all be found in the city's larger malls, but there are more interesting options as well.

Splurge

 * Many of Alexandria's high-end restaurants are within its hotels.


 * Byblos is the swish Middle Eastern restaurant within Four Seasons Hotel, open daily 2 PM to midnight. Stefano's their Italian restaurant is closed in 2021.
 * Byblos is the swish Middle Eastern restaurant within Four Seasons Hotel, open daily 2 PM to midnight. Stefano's their Italian restaurant is closed in 2021.

Cafes

 * Traditional coffee shops or ahwa serve coffee, tea and shisha water pipes. Play a little backgammon or dominoes and watch the world pass by. They remain a male bastion.
 * Brazilian Coffee Stores are a chain with several city outlets. Western chains such as Starbucks or Costa have only a handful of outlets. The chain's best known branch is the one in Saad Zaghloul Street:

Bars
Time was, way back, when a maze of bars and nightclubs filled the city. They're now mostly confined to the hotels, with few free-standing bars. Still, enough remain for visitors to get squiffy recalling their days on General Auchinleck's staff, eyes swivelling independently upwards to recreate the effect of an old ceiling fan.
 * Drinkie's is a chain of liquor stores with a dozen city branches. The most central branch on Saad Zaghloul Square is open daily noon-2AM.
 * Drinkie's is a chain of liquor stores with a dozen city branches. The most central branch on Saad Zaghloul Square is open daily noon-2AM.
 * Drinkie's is a chain of liquor stores with a dozen city branches. The most central branch on Saad Zaghloul Square is open daily noon-2AM.
 * Drinkie's is a chain of liquor stores with a dozen city branches. The most central branch on Saad Zaghloul Square is open daily noon-2AM.


 * San Giovanni Club within that hotel has live music, singers and oriental dancers until late.

Sleep
Accommodation in Alexandria has quite a different feel due to the old buildings with sometimes nice colonial style lobbies. There is a good selection of hotels in all price ranges.

Apartments
For stays of a month or more, consider renting. Apartments are easy to come by, in a range of prices ( per week) and states of repair. Landlords/ladies tend to live in the same blocks and will be willing to haggle the rates. It's definitely worth visiting an apartment before placing any money down, preferably in late afternoon so you see how well the lighting works and the worst of any insect problems. (It's very unlikely to find any accommodation near the coast that's completely roach-free!)

Budget
It is mostly not necessary to reserve ahead online, this is in general more expensive. Just check around where many hotels are—there are at least 7 or so near Triomphe Hotel, where you can walk in and ask for a price. One will definitely have the required budget and standard.


 * Welcome House are basic apartments within the same block as Normandy Hotel.
 * Welcome House are basic apartments within the same block as Normandy Hotel.
 * Welcome House are basic apartments within the same block as Normandy Hotel.
 * Welcome House are basic apartments within the same block as Normandy Hotel.
 * Welcome House are basic apartments within the same block as Normandy Hotel.

Splurge

 * Most of Alexandria's top-end hotels are along the coast to the east, several km from the historic city centre.



Stay safe
Although crime is rarely violent, beware of pickpockets and don't flash your valuables or wear a bum bag or fanny pack. Street kids, taxi drivers, and others may harass tourists. They will usually desist after a stern "La!" or two. Or you can say "la shukran!" (no thanks) or "emshi" (go!).

Alexandria is a conservative city, so women should cover their shoulders, midriffs, cleavage and legs. Even still, women can expect to be heckled or harassed in the street, especially if walking alone. The best response is to ignore the offender and pretend you don't hear anything. Cover your head when entering places of worship.

Emergency

 * Emergency number: 123
 * Police number: 122
 * Fire HQ number: 180
 * Military Police hotline: 16039 or 19039

Cope
Many consulates have closed and centralized in Cairo: this includes the American, Italian, Irish, Chinese and Greek.


 * 🇫🇷 France
 * UK

Connect
Alexandria and the airport have 4G from all Egyptian carriers. As of Oct 2021, 5G has not yet rolled out in Egypt.

Go next

 * Abu Mena is a Christian pilgrimage site 45 km south of Alexandria, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
 * El Alamein is a small town on the coast 120 km west of Alexandria. In 1942 the Axis forces under Rommel had swept this far across Libya towards Cairo and Suez. They were halted in June 1942 by Allied forces under Auchinleck, and sent retreating by Montgomery in November. The town has memorials, museums and war graves commemorating all nations. It's usually done as a day trip from Alexandria.
 * Marina El Alamein is the upmarket beach resort 20 km before El Alamein main town.
 * Marsa Matruh is start of the desert road to Siwa Oasis, but check if the highway is open. The oasis towns are usually reached via Cairo.
 * Cairo can be done as a day-trip, but needs longer, and you'll probably pass through on your way to Luxor, Aswan or the Red Sea resorts.