Souvenir-sellers and camel-men

Be aware of the people selling souvenirs round the pyramids! They'll try to sell you anything 'for a good price'. And the price isn't good at all. They'll even ask to take a look in your wallet. Don't let them!

Also, try to resist the camel-men here, because their only wish is to get you on the camel. Getting down is a totally different story. No matter how much money you want to give them is not enough, and you'll soon be screaming for help!

Close to pyramids

Delta Pyramids is a 4 - star hotel with rooms over looking the pyramids.



All rooms have A/C, mini fridge, satellite TV and a telephone.

There's a panorama restaurant on the top floor from where you can see the pyramids as well.

There's also a swimming pool on the top floor, a restaurant on the ground floor, where you can have your meals, shops...


Address: the end of King Faisal Road

Website: http://www.asiarooms.com/egypt/cairo/delta_pyramids-hotel-room.html

Perfumes

It's a nice shop where you can find out all about how perfumes are made, how to make a difference between male and female perfumes and choose your own perfume.

What to pay: The perfume is sold in special bottles. The price of the perfume depends on the size of the bottle. If you buy 4, you'll get 1 free together with a present of the owner's choice.

Directions: close to the entrance leading to the great sphinx

Trams

a yellow tram

Trams are the oldest (the network was built in 1860) and cheapest, but the slowest means of transport in Alexandria.

There are two kinds of tramways: the yellow ones and the blue ones.

The yellow tramways go in direction to the West (nr 14 goes to Masr Station and nr 15 passes by Abu al-Abbas Mursi mosques, the Qaitbey an Ras at-Tin).

The blue tramways go in direction to the East (nr 1 and 2 go to Montazah, 3 and 7 to Sidi Gaber and nr 5 and 8 to San Stefano).

There's one more thing - the first car is usually women only!

Taxis

traffic jam

Taxis are a main means of public transportation in Alexandria.

They are painted black and yellow.

A fare usually starts from 2 Egyptian pounds, but you’ll have to pay some extra fee if you’re a foreign tourist.

Chariots

When you visit the city of Alexandria you can rent one of the chariots.

Easy access

a bridge

Alexandria is well connected to the capital of Egypt. There are two major highways and a railroad line, so you can cover the distance in three or four hours, or even less.

Fly!

a lighthouse near the Montaza gardens

It is possible to get to Alex by plane with one of the daily flights from Cairo.

Some air lines also operate weekly flights from and to Frankfurt, Athens, and London (via Damascus).

What to take?

Prometheus guarding the Library

Alexandria has a mild weather. Summers are hot and dry, with temperatures between 20 and 36 Celsius. Springs and autumns are mild, temperatures are between 10 and 28 Celsius, but sand storms are most likely to happen. Winters are mild with temperatures between 9 and 20 Celsius. That is why it's best to wear layers of clothing. It's also advisable to carry a bottle of water and wear comfortable shoes.

Beaches

boats

Alexandria is considered a main summer resort in the Middle East.

Beaches become full of umbrellas and families and the city is usually crowded in summer.

There are both public beaches (free and usually crowded) and private beaches (you should pay a small fee).

The Bridge of Love

When you visit the Montaza Gardens, don't forget to go over to the Bridge of Love. 

It's believed that if a couple kiss on this bridge, their love will last forever.

Visiting a mosque

Tourists can visit most of the mosques in Alexandria, but they should dress modestly and women must cover their heads with a headscarf.

As for the mosque of Mursi Abul Abbas, women can only visit one of its side rooms.

Remember to leave your shoes at the entry (you’ll get a piece of paper with a number) and collect them on your way out by making a donation (usually 1 Egyptian pound).

Midan Saad Zaghlul

At the centre of this square stands a statue dedicated to an Alexandrine nationalist leader called Saad Zaghlul. On the other side of this monument stands a statue dedicated to Cleopatra. The park that surrounds the statue is one of the busiest squares in Alexandria.

There once used to be the Caesareum here, a temple begun by Cleopatra for her lover Antony. In this temple, completed by her enemy Octavian, Cleopatra committed suicide in 30 BC. In the 4th century AD it became the Christian cathedral of Alexandria. In 1877 the two giant obelisks that used to stand in front of the temple, known as the Cleopatra's needles, were moved to the Thames embankment in London and to the Central Park in New York.

Midan (=square) Saad Zaghlul was the setting of Lawrence Durrell's Alexandria Quartet.

Close to this square you’ll find many coffee houses, cinemas, restaurants and night spots.

Directions: The heart of Alexandria, Down town area & cornich

The Mosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi

This lace-like mosque is the biggest and probably the most wonderful in Alexandria, if not in the whole Egypt. Just take a few moments to admire its many details!

The mosque was originally built in 1775, and dedicated to the Andalusian saint Ahmed Abu al-Abbas. Thus the name. In 1943 the four domes and a minaret were added.

Inside the mosque there is a colonnade and eight granite columns.

Tourists can visit most of the mosques in Alexandria, but they should dress modestly and women must cover their heads with a headscarf. As for the mosque of Mursi Abul Abbas, women can only visit one of its side rooms. Remember to leave your shoes at the entry (you’ll get a piece of paper with a number) and collect them on your way out by making a donation (usually 1 Egyptian pound).

Address: Anfoushi

The Citadel

In the harbour of Alexandria, on the place where the famous lighthouse used to be, you can visit the Fort of Quaitbey. In fact, the ruins from the old lighthouse were used to construct the current fort in 1480.

Today, this symbol of the city houses the Naval Museum.

Address: eastern of Alexandria-Anfushi area, fort of Qaitbey

Website: http://www.touregypt.net

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The Royal Library of Alexandria was once the largest library in the world. Nobody can say for certain when it was founded, but what’s sure is that it was destroyed by fire during Caesar’s invasion and the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina was inaugurated in 2003 near the site of the old Library.

Address: Shatby

Directions: take tram to drop you in Shatby tram station

Alex

a view through the palm trees

Alexandria is a nice, Mediterranean city, with wide boulevards along the coast, nothing like other Egyptian cities or towns I’ve visited. Even the people there are different, more polite and pleasant.

The city is situated in the north of Egypt, 208km northwest of Cairo, on the Mediterranean coast.

the gate

It was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. and soon became a cultural centre thanks to its great library, once the largest in the world.

The legendary Pharos Lighthouse was among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.