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Alexandria
The Northern Coast is dominated by Alexandria, conquered and designed by Alexander the Great. More Mediterranean than Arabic, it was always considered affluent and liberal, and still attracts wealthy Cairenes as a summer retreat. Egypt’s second city is less chaotic than Cairo, and famed for its numerous Hellenistic and Roman relics from the age when it was the cultural capital of Europe.
The newly constructed Bibliotheka Alexandria, costing over US$300m, is the greatest library in the ancient world and a major research centre for scholars. Relics from the third century BC are exhibited in the Graeco-Roman Museum, and there is a recently excavated Roman Amphitheatre. Fort Qait Bey is a 15th-century fort built on the foundations of the Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The modern Mosque of Abu al-Abbas Mursi dominates the main square on Sharia Tatwig, and other places of interest include the Museum of Fine Arts, and Montazah Palace with attractive gardens, often the summer venue of theatre performances.
Swimming and diving are popular, although beaches tend to be overcrowded in summer. Ma’amoura is a more liberal and Westernised beach, and further out of the city Agami and Hannoville are cleaner and less crowded. Diving is possible on Montazah beach.
Beyond Alexandria: The ancient city of Rosetta, 65km (39 miles) away from Alexandria, is famed for being the origin of the Rosetta Stone (now housed in the British Museum) and has attractive Ottoman, ‘Delta Style’ architecture.
El Alamein is a small coastal village 100km (60 miles) west of Alexandria and an easy day trip. Famous as the scene of a decisive Allied victory, which determined the fate of Egypt and Britain’s Empire, there is a War Museum, Cemetery and Memorial to the soldiers who died in battle.
Further west is the coastal resort of Mersa Matrouh, which has a good beach, although it can be overcrowded in summer.
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