Alexandria

Areas and districts of Alexandria

• Alexandria Center. The heart of the city and an area close to the airport, the train station and the port, making it the nerve center with many stores, Mediterranean restaurants and the best transport connections. Here you will find the Alexandria Museum and the new Library of Alexandria with an important collection of books, exhibition halls and art galleries.
• Kafr Abdu. An upper-class district, famous for its cafes and tree-lined streets. This is where the working life of Alexandria is concentrated, with offices and embassies, and the religious life with churches and mosques. Also located here are the Kafr Abdou Community Garden (Allenby), the Al-Salam Theater, Stanley Bridge and the tombs of Mustafa Kamel, from the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC.
• The Raml. It gathers a good number of restaurants, shopping centers, offices and mosques. It is a very busy area with good transportation connections. It houses the Mahmoud Said Museum, with works of one of the best artists of the twentieth century in Egypt.
• Al Mamurah. Quiet and residential area, very familiar and with quiet beaches and peaceful gardens. It also has elegant cafes and a wide variety of restaurants. Ideal for enjoying sunsets and cycling along the beach.

What to see in Alexandria

• Kom el Dekka archaeological site. Ruins from the Greco-Roman period that show what the city was like at that time, with its villas and amphitheaters.
• National Museum of Alexandria. It contains more than 1,800 objects that represent the archaeological and patrimonial testimony of the city over the centuries.
• Library of Alexandria. An emblem in the city for the memory of the old library that no longer exists and that, at the time, was the largest in the world. The new library was planned in 1987 and opened in 2022.
• Pompey’s Column. It is a column inside the archaeological park of Alexandria and where once stood the temple of the Serapeum (now disappeared), a sanctuary dedicated to the Greek-Egyptian god Serapis. It is made of red granite from Aswan and is almost 30 meters high.
• Quaitbay Citadel. A defensive fortress built in the 15th century on the island of Faro, in the harbor, on the ruins of the legendary Lighthouse of Alexandria, destroyed by an earthquake in the 14th century.
• Promenade. The beaches of Alexandria are a separate subject and are worth a visit whether you want to enjoy a nice swim in the sea, watch the stunning sunsets or take a bike ride or walk along the promenade.
• Montazah Palace. The former summer residence of the royal family, with extensive gardens and stunning architecture in the Turkish-Florentine style. During World War I it was used as a hospital by the Red Cross.

Where to stay in Alexandria

The best area to stay in Alexandria is the downtown, because the hotel options are very varied in terms of price and quality. (in fact, the most affordable hotels are located here) and because it is the neuralgic point of the city’s life and connection with means of transportation to move around the city. In the district of Kafr Abdu you have high-class hotels and also apartments with sea views. And in El Raml, despite being one of the most luxurious neighborhoods of the city, its hotel offer is very versatile and you can find different prices. Al Mamurah is also a very good option to stay in Alexandria as it has a good amount of natural spaces for recreation and a varied offer ranging from cabins to affordable hotels.

Getting around Alexandria

If you are staying in the city center, the best way to get around Alexandria is on foot, as the walks are very enjoyable in this historic city located in front of the sea. If you need to cover long distances, the best way is to use Uber or Careem, two companies with private cars and affordable rates. There are also cabs with which, as in all Egypt, it is advisable to agree on the price beforehand to avoid misunderstandings. And public transportation works very well, especially the streetcar service with which you can get to know and tour the city through this captivating way of getting around.