Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C., is now the second largest city in Egypt. Alexandria is the main port city of Egypt as the Mediterranean Sea provides lots of delicious seafood for the locals while also the city being a major shipping hub for large cargo ships. In our post we continue with our journey in Egypt, with visiting Alexandria on our 4th day in the country.
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Transportation
- Private Car: We woke up very early at The Pyramids Motel in Giza. We needed to try and beat the traffic so we could explore Alexandria. Our Tour Director and friend Hisham greeted us as we got in a van to make the 137 mile drive up North.
With around 15 million people that live in Cairo and Giza, we hit traffic and the drive took about 3.5 hours. The freeway was in good condition and it was a pretty smooth ride in the van as we listened to Egyptian music. It was also nice to be able to take a nap on the drive back to Cairo.
To-Do
- Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa: This burial site dates back to around 200-400 A.D. Human and horse bones were found here in 1900 when a donkey accidentally fell in the access shaft. When we approached the Catacombs, we walked down a spiral stone staircase which went down 3 levels (3rd level is closed off due to being flooded completely with water).
The chambers inside were all made of stone, which are carved with ancient symbols and drawings. Since this was built between 200-400 A.D. the Catacombs have a lot of Roman and Greek influences that mix with the Ancient Egyptian period.
- Pompey’s Pillar: This pillar was built in 297 A.D., commemorating the victory of the Roman Emperor, Diocletian, over an Alexandrian revolt. In front of the pillar we saw a sphinx in front made of granite just like the pillar. We were able to get right up to the 25 meter high pillar.
- Citadel of Qaitbay: This historical site was where one of the Seven Wonders of the World once stood. It used to be the Lighthouse of Alexandria, otherwise known as The Pharos of Alexandria. The lighthouse was built around 280-247 B.C. and was badly damaged by three earthquakes between 956-1323 A.D. The lighthouse was left in ruins, but in 1477 A.D., Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa’it Bay established the Citadel of Qaitbay using some of the stone ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
The Citadel had many weapons as it served the purpose of defending Egypt against it’s enemies, such as the Ottoman Empire. If the cannons and archers did not keep enemy forces away, the tough stone walls and big wooden doors helped secure the Citadel. If enemies somehow did get inside they would be in for a rude awakening as the Alexandrian’s had a surprise! The last line of defense was hot oil, which would be poured on the heads of the enemy when they entered.
In today’s age, the sole purpose of the Citadel is as a popular tourist attraction. We got to experience beautiful views of the Mediterranean Sea and really enjoyed the rich history of this special location.
Food
After so much exploring we started to get a bit hungry. Our Tour Director Hisham knew of a perfect place to cure an empty stomach!
- Fish Market: This seafood restaurant does not just offer amazing seafood but amazing views of the sea from all windows. This was one of the best places we ate at in Egypt and it was inexpensive for the quality of food.
We ordered crab cakes as an appetizer (35 EGP), they were made to perfection!
Sierra ordered Seafood Pasta Alfredo (54 EGP) which had clams and shrimp with shell pasta and a nice Alfredo sauce. Jonah enjoyed a Paella Rice (110 EGP) which came with delicious rice, crab legs, mussels, potatoes, and shrimp. It was so filling that there was no way he could finish it!
We both enjoyed delicious fresh juice with our meals as well! Even though this meal came out to 240 Egyptian Pounds it was the equivalent of about $17 USD (after tip) which makes this place a steal. TripAdvisor rates Fish Market the 2nd best restaurant in Alexandria!
- El Samady: Since we both have a sweet tooth, we wanted something to follow up after our lunch. As soon as we walked out of the door of the Fish Market, we saw El Samady, an Egyptian pastry shop. With local pastries and yummy gelato To chose from, we got some to go for our drive back to Cairo! We ended up sharing 2 different types of pastries and gelato!
A break from the desert sands of Egypt, Alexandria took us to the Mediterranean coast and let us experience just another side of Egypt’s rich history and culture. If you have the time while in Egypt, we definitely recommend making the journey to this beautiful coastal city.
**If exploring Ancient Egypt interests you please check out The Traveling Kings Egypt Tour partnered with Egypt Holiday Tour! You can call yourself an adventurer and immerse yourself with the great people and culture. You can find the link to our page here.
