Things to Do in Alexandria

Things to do in Alexandria can be very fun and entertaining. The goal of this article is to provide every traveler with all the information and details needed to learn about all the delightful activities in Alexandria. This article was written by ETP team which is a collection of skilled tour guides and tour operators who prepared all the details before you. Many travelers of Egypt always ask themselves Is Alexandria worth visiting, What ae the things to do in Alexandria for fun.

Long-time ago before the age of the modern man, a pearl in the shape of a city risen from the Mediterranean sea named Alexandria to showcase the beauty & glory of the Greco-roman empire in the most illuminating manner. Alexandria was constructed in 331 BCE by Alexander the great who choose to leave a mark of the coast of the Mediterranean, and as the point of entry to spread the Hellenistic culture to the rest of Africa and parts of Asia that's why it served as the capital of Egypt during the Ptolemaic (323-30 BC) and Roman period (30 BC-640 AD) for about 1,000 years until the Muslim conquest in 641 AD when Cairo became the official capital till today. There here an endless number of incredible monuments and artifacts to explore in Alexandria that will make every moment spent in it truly magical and memorable. Here are the best things to do in Alexandria:

1. Discover the Ancient Qatibay Citadel

Alexandria holds many wonders, one of which is the phenomenal Islamic citadel of Qaitbay that thrives through the immortal spirit of the legendary Alexandria lighthouse, created-in 1477 AD by sultan Al-Ashraf say al-din Qa'it bay on the same place which held the great lighthouse of Alexandria by using the salvaged rocks from the destroyed lighthouse that was the 3^rd longest surviving wonder of the seven ancient wonders of the world until its demise by earthquakes in 956 AD and again in 1323 AD. Visiting Qaitbay Citadel is one of the most famous things to do in Alexandria that every traveler does while going to Alexandra.

2. Explore the Long Pompey's Pillar

The great pillar of glory Pompey's pillar is known for being the largest monoliths column ever constructed outside of Rome. It is 28m tall and 2.7 m wide built from pure red granite and possesses a greek inscription referring to Emperor Diocletian which is located on its western upper side. It became known as Pompey's pillar because during the middle ages some crusaders were mistakenly convinced that the remains of the Roman general known as Pompey were located at the high top of the pillar.

3. Marvel at Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa

If you looking for mysterious things to do in Alexandria then don't miss witness the catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa. Alexandria is the home of the unique world-famous catacombs of Alexandria which is one of the seven wonders of the Middle ages that mixes the artistic elements of the Hellenistic and the Roman culture with the ancient Egyptian Pharaonic artistic elements in a magical fashion. This necropolis was made in the 2nd century AD and contains a number of mesmerizing greek and roman artifacts and decorations between its three stories levels.

4. Visit the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The modern Alexandria library was constructed as a commemoration of the ancient Alexandria library created in 2002 with the help of UNESCO. It was designed to have an expressive exterior and interior design possessing the world's sixth-largest Francophone library in existing a trilingual library in English, French & Arabic, and a collection of rare books plus art galleries and exhibits.

5. Witness El-Mursi Abul Abbas Mosque

One of the few Islamic and most known destinations in Egypt is El-Mursi Abul Abbas mosque which is located near the citadel of Qaitbay, built in the honor of the 13th century Murcian Andalusi Sufi saint Abul Abbas al-Mursi that also holds his tomb inside the mosque. The mosque has a beautiful design that makes any exploration tour in Alexandria something special.

6. Find Out the Serapeum Temple

The Serapeum of Alexandria is one of the most significant and hidden monuments, an ancient Greek temple constructed by Ptolemy III  Euergetes (246-222 BCE) in the Ptolemaic Kingdom west of the Alexandria library to honor Serapis (Greco-Roman God) who was titled as the protector of Alexandria plus it was known the minor version of the great library. The entire site was unfortunately plundered and the only monument left standing is Pompey's pillar.

7. Promenade At Alexandria Corniche

Alexandria offers the once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness the beauty of the Mediterranean through a walk across the corniche above a sea of memories and a passage made of glory and a vast history where many people from ancient times and places walked on the same sands.

8. Witness the Artifacts Of National Museum

The Alexandria national museum is a piece of art containing about 1800 artifacts from Pharaonic, Greco-roman, Coptic, Islamic nature, constructed in 2003 to prove the ultimate historical exploration adventure. Visiting Alexandria national museum is one of the best things to do in Alexandria. It has three floors filled with artifacts mainly from the Hellenistic and Roman ages in the shape of jewelry, weapons, statues, one of the most famous is a real sculpture believed to be of Alexander the Great, a number of mummies plus modern 19th and 20th-century artifacts.

9. See the Montazah Palace Gardens

A vision of natural beauty is located in the 19th AD Montazah Palace gardens which are 150 acres (61 ha) of beautifully designed gardens. It was used as a summer palace in 1732 AD merging both the ottoman and Florentine architectural styles with an eccentric Victorian–style bridge running out to a small island of pylons. The place is ideal for families at any age, a pleasant escape from the city center offering entertainment, tranquility, beautiful historical constructions, and a heavenly view across the Mediterranean.

10. Book A Ticket to Royal Jewelry Museum

A woman's best friend has always been diamonds, and a living example of that is the royal jewelry museum where the finest treasures are present for exploration. It holds a one of a kind collection of jewels from the Muhammad Ali family dynasty and a number of, statues, decorative arts across 150 years from 1805 to 1952, and rare 19th-century paintings. Watch these shining places light of your life.

11. Walk Through Stanley Bridge

One of the most important pieces of modern art and incredible architecture is the Stanley bridge which was constructed into the sea with a total length of 400 m with 6 spans across Alexandria Cornich offering a panoramic view of the Mediterranean sea.

12. Shopping At Souq District

If you want to do so little shopping then you should head to the soup district where you will find a great open-air marketplace. The area will be filled with markets and small shops where everyone can buy from the fish market and the butcher shop, enjoy the cafés, restaurants, and shops that sell all sorts of artifacts and awesome goods. In the markets, you’ll be able to find a variety of clothes, accessories, bangles, jewelry, and anything else you desire.

13. Discover Graeco-Roman Museum

Created in 1892 as an archaeological museum to hold a number of amazing artifacts dating to the 3rd century BC in the Ptolemaic era plus the sculpture of Apis in black Granite, a sacred bull, a number of mummies, sarcophagus. It has 27 halls and an amazing garden that offer a memorable introduction to Egypt's Greco roman Period.

14. Admire the Ancient Roman Amphitheater

The great ancient theatre of roman times is one of the most important and popular landmarks in the city of Alexandria, created in the 4th century AD as a common feature of the Greco-roman period. It was discovered in 1960 AD with a diameter of about 33m and 13 rows made of European white marble. So if you found it near there check it out.

Enjoy One of the Bespoke Egypt Tours

Alexandria is a heavenly wonderland filled with countless means of entertainment and historical attractions from the Ptolemaic times where you create some precious memories in one of the most incredible destinations on earth. You can enjoy one of our Egypt vacation packages & Nile river cruises to discover the wonders of Egypt in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria, and Hurghada. Look down and find the best suitable tour: