What is there to do in Alexandria, Egypt, when its greatest wonders have vanished? Plenty: you hunt the lost city, from a reborn library to a fortress built on a lighthouse’s footing. Most visitors do it as one long day from Cairo; two days let the sea air work.
What Are the Best Things To Do in Alexandria?
The best things to do in Alexandria are the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Citadel of Qaitbay, the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, Pompey’s Pillar and the Serapeum, the Roman theatre at Kom el-Dikka and a seafood lunch on the Corniche. Use this page as your hub: our Alexandria weather guide covers timing, and the sections below cover each stop.
Where Did Ancient Alexandria Go?
Under your feet and under the sea. Earthquakes toppled the Pharos lighthouse in 1303 and 1323, the great library vanished long before, and the tomb of Alexander the Great has never been found. Even the royal quarter of the Ptolemies slid beneath the Eastern Harbour, so Alexandria rewards travelers who read its layers.
- Above ground: Roman ruins sit between modern apartment blocks.
- Underground: tombs and cisterns carved into the rock.
- By the sea: a fortress on the lighthouse’s foundations, and drowned palaces offshore.
Can You Still Visit the Great Library of Alexandria?
In spirit, yes. The ancient library is gone, but the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, opened in 2002, carries its mission forward inside a tilted granite disc that faces the sea.
The outer wall is carved with letters from many world scripts, and inside you will find reading rooms, antiquities and manuscript museums, and a planetarium. Allow at least an hour, and check the official Bibliotheca Alexandrina site for visiting hours, since the library has been closed on Fridays.
Which Fortress Stands on the Lighthouse’s Footing?
The Citadel of Qaitbay, built in 1477–79 by Sultan Qaitbay, stands on the foundations of the Pharos, the lighthouse counted among the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.
Come for the ramparts, the harbor views and the fishermen casting below the walls. The fortress now houses a maritime museum.
Field note: our guides time Qaitbay for late afternoon, when the limestone turns honey-gold and the fishing boats head home. Ready to see the lost city with someone who can read its layers? Explore our curated Alexandria day trip from Cairo.
The Donkey That Discovered a Roman Necropolis
In 1900 a donkey fell into a shaft near Kom el-Shoqafa and revealed one of Egypt’s strangest tombs: second-century Roman burial chambers cut into the rock, where Egyptian gods wear Roman dress.
- Anubis appears in the garb of a Roman soldier, mummifying a body on a lion-shaped couch.
- Egyptian, Greek and Roman styles blend on a single wall.
- The lowest of its three levels was long flooded, so the spiral descent and the rotunda are the main event.
Why Is Pompey’s Pillar Not About Pompey?
Because it honors Emperor Diocletian. The red granite column, roughly 27 m (88 ft) tall, was raised in AD 297, and later visitors simply misnamed it.
It towers over the Serapeum, once the grandest temple of Greek Alexandria and home to a so-called daughter library. Two sphinxes guard the base, and the ruins are quiet even when the Corniche is not.
Kom el-Dikka: The Theatre Found by Accident
Kom el-Dikka is Alexandria in miniature: a marble Roman theatre and villa mosaics uncovered beneath a modern neighborhood in 1960 when builders began digging. Dig anywhere in this city and you find an empire.
How Do Alexandria’s Top Sights Compare?
This table shows how long each stop takes and who enjoys it most.
| Sight | Layer of history | Time needed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bibliotheca Alexandrina | Modern, ancient legacy | 1–2 hours | Book lovers, families |
| Citadel of Qaitbay | 15th-century Mamluk | About 1 hour | Sea views, photography |
| Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa | Second-century Roman | 45–60 minutes | Atmosphere seekers |
| Pompey’s Pillar and Serapeum | Roman, on a Ptolemaic temple | 30–45 minutes | Ruin hunters |
| Kom el-Dikka | Roman and Byzantine | About 45 minutes | Quiet corners |
How Should You Spend One Day in Alexandria?
Start with the Roman south, break for seafood, and finish by the sea. Alexandria is Egypt’s mildest city, with sea breezes in summer and real winter rain, so check the season before you pack.
- Morning: the Catacombs, Pompey’s Pillar and Kom el-Dikka.
- Lunch: Corniche seafood, where you choose your fish off the ice.
- Afternoon: the Bibliotheca, then Qaitbay at golden hour.
- Evening: a Corniche stroll above the spot where the ancient palaces sank.
How Do You Get to Alexandria From Cairo?
By road or rail in roughly 2.5 to 3 hours, which makes it the classic long day trip. Overnighting buys the Corniche at night and a slower second morning. Start your Egypt plan with our guide to sightseeing tours in Cairo, or compare Cairo or Luxor before you commit.
Short on time? Alexandria is the Mediterranean dessert; the Nile is the main course. See the best things to do in Luxor and our Aswan city guide, or browse things to do in Egypt and places to visit in Egypt for the full map. Ready to pair the sea with the river? Combine them in our 7-day Egypt itinerary.
Alexandria Questions Travelers Ask
What is there to do in Alexandria at night?
Walk the Corniche, eat grilled seafood and linger in a seafront café. Many sights close by late afternoon, so evenings belong to the sea.
Can you swim in Alexandria?
Yes, from roughly June to September, but public beaches are crowded and conservative. Many visitors choose hotel or private beach clubs.
Is Alexandria better in winter or summer?
Summer brings sea breezes and beach days; winter brings rain and emptier sites. Spring and autumn balance both, as our best time to visit Egypt guide explains.
Where is Alexander the Great’s tomb?
Nobody knows. Despite generations of searching, the tomb has never been found, and its location remains one of archaeology’s great mysteries.
Hunt the Lost City, Then Eat Well
Alexandria is not a checklist but a hunt: a library reborn, a lighthouse reduced to foundations, a Roman necropolis found by a donkey. Give it a long day or a slow two, and let the Mediterranean do the rest. Book your Alexandria day trip from Cairo with a guide who reads the layers.
