Alexandria is the second-largest city in Egypt and a major economic center. Extending along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Egyptians call it “Bride of the Mediterranean Sea”. Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC so it’s a Greco-Roman center on the land of Egypt. In this article, we’ll be your guide to the best destinations and attraction of Alexandria, the city of magic and beauty!

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The story starts back in the 3rd century BC. The ancient library of Alexandria built by the order of Ptolemy the second. It contained 700,000 books in science, civilization, and books of the Pharaonic and the Greek periods. That is to say, it was the greatest library in the world at that time that great scientists studied in the library like Archimedes. Returning to the modern era, the library was rebuilt and officially opened on October 2002. Resembling a great sundial, the library’s wall made out of Aswan Granite and it contains writing and inscriptions in 120 languages. The library is the first digital library in the whole world and it contains 8 million books in all fields.

Fort Qaitbey (Citadel of Qaitbey)

Established in 1477 AD in the very west of Alexandria, The Qaitbay Citadel is one of the most important defensive strongholds in the Mediterranean Sea coast. You can pick out some great pillars of the red granite which came from the Pharos lighthouse. Take a tour inside the fort then climb up to the fort’s roof and look out over the Mediterranean Sea. You can enjoy a cool boat trip around the fort after that.

The Sunken ruins of Alexandria:

At the east of Qaitbey Castle and under the water lies a treasure of ancient ruins and monuments of Alexandria. The site houses more than 3,000 architectural artifacts. For example, there are seven statues of The Sphinx, the wreckage of three ships from the 3rd to 7th centuries BC, and parts of the lighthouse ruined by the earthquake. The site starts from the edge of the castle with a length of 150 meters to the east.  Moreover, it is 6 to 8 meters deep.

Montazah Palace Gardens

Montaza Palace is complex of a palace, museum and royal gardens of 150 acres located in the eastern edge of Alexandria. Abbas Helmy II built Montazah as his summer palace in a pseudo-Moorish style, besides the Gothic, Classic, and Islamic styles of architecture. Montazah Garden contains a huge collection of rare trees and plants. The Montazah Complex is one of the most popular picnic spots in Alexandria where you can also enjoy a boat ride and see the gardens from the water. Moreover, you can go waterskiing, diving, snorkeling, or even just chilling out in front of the stunning sea.

Catacombs of Kom el-Shuqqafa

The catacombs site is the largest known Roman burial site in Egypt. It’s also one of the last major construction works dedicated to the religion of ancient Egypt. Catacombs of Kom el-Shuqqafa has a mixture of Roman, Hellenistic, and pharaonic decorative art. Those elements were all common during this period in Alexandria. There’s an interesting story about discovering this necropolis, a donkey accidentally fell into the access shaft.

Kom el-Dikka

Kom el-Dikka or The Roman Amphitheatre is one of Alexandria’s most popular attractions. Constructed in the 4th century AD, the Amphitheaters were special roofed theatres that were built to host poet competitions and music ceremonies during the reign of the Romans in Egypt. The site was discovered in 1967 when foundations were being laid for an apartment building in the area of Kom Al Dikka.

Alexandria National Museum

Constructed in the Italian style, it used to be a villa of a trading businessman. Then home to the United States consulate in Egypt. The museum was first opened to the public in September of 2002. It displays more than 1,800 items from different eras including the Pharaonic, Coptic, and Islamic. The museum also has a selection of jewelry, statuary, weapons, numismatics, and glassware.

Pompey’s Pillar

Pompey’s Pillar is the biggest memorial column in Egypt that is 30m high. The Roman ruler of Egypt erected this memorial column between 284-305 AD in honor of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Several monuments are also located around the column, as it rises out of the ruins of the Temple of Serapeum. This temple is a magnificent structure that stood in ancient times. However, the pillar is the only ancient monument remaining whole and standing in Alexandria today.

Alexandria Beaches:

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Alexandria is known by its variety of beautiful beaches from Al-Ma’amora eastern to Al-Agamy at the west. It contains more than 35 beaches among them touristic beaches, featured beaches, and complimentary beaches. For example, Cleopatra Beach,  Four Seasons Beach Resorts, Bianchi Beach, and Abu Qir Beach are on the top list of Alexandria’s best beaches.