Egypt Part 3: Alexandria’s Ancient & Modern Mediterranean Wonders

After venturing into the heart of a Pyramid, snapping selfies with the Sphinx, and mingling with mummies at the Egyptian Museum, my second day in Egypt—and the first full day of my 11-day guided tour—had already shown me more than I could have dreamt of. But we were just getting started! Our next stop: the ancient port city of Alexandria.

Catch up on all of my Egypt posts here.

Alexandria’s Stanley Bridge

More Intentional Than a Donkey

That morning, our group piled into a minibus for a three-hour drive from Giza to Alexandria, with a brief snack stop along the way. Our first destination in Alexandria was the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, proclaimed one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. (Who knew that was a thing?) This three-story subterranean burial site was used from the second to fourth centuries but was lost to time until a donkey stumbled down its access shaft in 1900. We wandered downward—more carefully than that donkey—and toured the catacombs’ various chambers, some featuring ornate carvings and statues that blend Egyptian, Roman, and Greek styles. Spooooky and histoooorical.

Exploring the catacombs. Light fixture not original to the 2nd century.

A Library of Alexandria

If there are two Alexandria landmarks most people know, they’re the Lighthouse of Alexandria and the Great Library of Alexandria. Famously, both no longer stand, the lighthouse having been destroyed by earthquakes, and the library supposedly having been burnt to the ground. The actual truth is that the library went out not with a bang, but with a whimper. It either survived—or was rebuilt after—a fire accidentally set by Julius Caesar, and its gradual destruction was due to a dwindling of financial and political support.

So, not much to see in Alexandria today, huh? You’d think so, but new landmarks have sprung up since. Today, one of the city’s most popular attractions is a Library of Alexandria! This one was built in 2002 and sits close to where the original library once stood. It’s massive, with space for eight million books, and it’s impressive—but more like a modern university campus would be than an ancient relic.

The modern library

A guide took us on a tour of the library’s grand hall, demonstrated their website that was probably pretty cutting-edge in 2002 (did you know you can use a computer to search for information?!), and then gave us some free time to wander the library grounds on our own. Some of the group gathered at the library’s cafe for coffee, tea, and pastries before we all reconvened and made our way to that night’s hotel.

Seaside, Streetside Strolling

Intrepid Travel couldn’t have chosen a better location for our Alexandria hotel. Our windows looked right onto the Mediterranean Sea, our hotel separated from the ocean only by the city’s main thoroughfare. Yes, that road was noisy and polluted, but it really felt like we were right in the heart of everything.

The view from my hotel room

With some free time before dinner, I met up with a few members of the group to go for a beachside stroll. Crossing that busy road proved difficult, and most of the city’s beaches belong to private establishments, so it wasn’t quite the scenic stroll we’d pictured. But we still caught a stunning sunset (see photo above!) and got a flavor for the vibrant hustle and bustle of Egypt’s second largest city.

Along the Alexandria Corniche

Fish and Chips Dips

Our tour guide, Mohamed, had recommended a restaurant across town for dinner, so most of the group met up and hopped on a double decker bus. Cruising along the coastline, sitting atop the bus’s open air upper deck, we took in the city’s nightlife. It was a longer ride than we’d expected, but it offered some fantastic people-watching opportunities and a real feel for Alexandria.

I failed to take any photos at dinner, but just imagine us zipping down that road on top of a double-decker bus!

Our dinner spot was a seafood restaurant. As someone who doesn’t eat seafood, I figured there would be other options on the menu. Instead, the entire “menu” consisted of a fish tank where patrons could select a live fish to chow down on minutes later. No complaints here, because I can only blame myself for not liking fish, and I’m sure that fresh seafood would have been fantastic if I did. And though there were no other main courses available, the table ordered mezze consisting of pita with a million delicious dips like hummus, baba ghannouj, and moutabel. And like Martin Short’s character on Only Murders in the Building, I could happily survive on dips alone—especially the delicious Middle Eastern dips I enjoyed that night.

Citadel by the Sea

The following day, we concluded our stay in Alexandria with one of my highlights from the trip: a visit to the Citadel of Qaitbay. When I think of Egyptian history, my mind immediately flashes to ancient, ancient history, like the 26th century BC construction of the pyramids or Cleopatra’s 1st century BC reign. Between visiting a Cairo citadel on day one and this day’s tour of Alexandria’s citadel, my time in Egypt was a great reminder that the country has two millennia of fascinating history beyond the pyramids and Cleopatra.

Fortress with a view

Alexandria’s Citadel of Qaitbay was built in the late 15th century AD on the site of the long-gone Lighthouse of Alexandria. For centuries, its strategic location on the Mediterranean made it a crucial defensive fortress for the various groups who controlled Alexandria. In 1952, it was converted to a Maritime Museum, and today it continues to be one of Alexandria’s most popular tourist destinations.

Mohamed gave us a tour of the citadel, then gave us time to explore independently. Wandering the citadel’s passages, basking in the Mediterranean sunshine, and taking in magnificent views of bright blue skies and sea made for one of my favorite experiences in Egypt. It also heightened my excitement for the Sicilian and Maltese coastal fortresses I would visit over the next few weeks. Apparently history, sunshine, and ocean breezes are the perfect recipe for a happy Kirstie.

Soaking up citadel sunshine

Monk-y Business

The citadel tour marked the end of our stay in Alexandria. From there, we made the drive back to Cairo, where we were due for an overnight train to Aswan. But along the way, we stopped at the Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi al-Natrun. While the majority of Egyptians practice Islam, about 5 to 15% identify as Coptic Christians. The Monastery of St. Bishoy is an important Coptic complex that dates back to the 4th century AD and encompasses five churches, peaceful gardens, and monk dwellings. One of these resident monks led us around the complex, speaking a little too quietly for me to absorb the full history, but giving us ample opportunity to marvel at the unique architecture and learn about a religion I know little about.

St. Bishoy

As the sun set over the Egyptian desert, we grabbed a simple dinner at a roadside stop before completing our journey to Cairo’s railway station. In the next chapter of my Egypt chronicles, I’ll recount our group’s rickety overnight train ride to Aswan, followed by a delightful day of boating, temple exploration, and dining with a local Nubian family. Ilaa al-liqaa’!