The city founded by Alexander the Great could not go unnoticed. A city at the crossroads of cultures, characterized as the intellectual beacon for the Middle East and the birthplace of Christian Theology. A place of endless beauty, a strong traditional element and a history through the ages deeply rooted in it.
A few words about the city
Alexandria is the second largest city in Egypt, after Cairo, with a population of 4,812,186 inhabitants and the main port of the country. It is located in the west of the Nile river delta, built on an elongated isthmus between the Mariout Lake and the Mediterranean Sea, and was founded in 331BC from Alexander the Great (hence its name)! In fact, according to tradition, the Greek strategist carved the city limits with flour and immediately after asked his engineers, within these limits to build Alexandria! In antiquity it was the capital of Egypt for about a millennium, while there was one of the Seven Wonders of antiquity, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, as well as its famous library of the same name! So I will try to introduce you to Alexandria through my own eyes and share with you what I think someone who visits it for the first time should see.
Citadel of Qaitbay
The Citadel of Qaitbay is a defensive fortress of the 15th century, which was built on the exact spot where the Lighthouse of Alexandria was located, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Only from this, one can understand the strategic position it occupies! In fact, this particular point is considered one of the most important defensive fortresses, not only in Egypt, but also along the Mediterranean coast. It began to be built from 1477 to 1479 AD. by Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa'it Bay so that the city could be defended against the Ottomans! Its interior can be visited and the entrance costs 60 Egyptian pounds, which is about 3.20e.
Library of Alexandria
Second stop could be none other than the famous Library of Alexandria. Of course, this is not the ancient library of the city, but a new building which began to be constructed in 2002, in collaboration with UNESCO, as a revival of the old one. The library is very impressive and was designed to converge towards the sea, while a part of it is immersed in a water tank, so as to symbolize the ancient Egyptian sun that emerges from the sea! It consists of thirteen floors and more than eight million books that are constantly growing, while it is functional as anyone can sit for as long as he wants and study! Of course, for tourists, there is an entrance fee, which amounts to 70 Egyptian pounds (IE about 3,70e), while finally there are guided tours that are also in Greek!
Kom el Shoqafa Cataombs
The discovery of this particular attraction is entirely due to a donkey! Yes, you read that right, in 1900 when a farmer was plowing his field with his donkey; it suddenly fell into the Kom el Shoqafa Catacombs! This is a miracle of the then architecture, which was built on three levels, in which samples of Roman, Greek and Egyptian culture were discovered. More specifically, the necropolis consists of a series of Alexandrian tombs, statues and archaeological artifacts, many of which merge elements from the above civilizations. Some statues are Egyptian in style, but carry Roman clothing and hair styles, while other features share a similar style. The most striking of the Greek figures is Medusa, who for the Egyptians was the goddess of punishment. The entrance to the catacombs costs 40 Egyptian pounds, that is, about 2e.
Ancient Roman Amphitheatre
And the amphitheater of Alexandria was discovered by coincidence, just 62 years ago, in 1960. When the Egyptian government was preparing to erect a government building in the Kom El Deka area, one of the workers found a solid column under the dust and sand. Immediately, an excavation team arrived at the site to examine the findings and the result of the investigation left them all speechless! This particular Roman Theater was a very significant discovery in the 20th century, since it was shown to have been built in the 4th AD century and was used until the 7th century passing through the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic eras. In addition to the amphitheater, various statues, buildings and some Roman baths have been found in the archaeological site. Entrance costs 15 Egyptian pounds, which is about 80 cents.
Cavafy House
For every Greek visiting Alexandria, a tour in Cavafy House is a must! Constantine Cavafy was born and lived most of his life in Alexandria and is considered one of the most important poets of the modern era. The house he lived in now serves as a museum with many of his biographies and translated poems. It is interesting that the original furniture of the poet had been sold by heirs and so they reconstructed it with the help of relevant photographs! The entrance costs 15 Egyptian pounds, that is, about 80 cents, while the gentleman who works there is fluent in Greek, so he will help you on the tour!
Pompey's Pillar
Another attraction of the city that originates from the Roman era is the Pompey's Pillar! It is the highest column ever built outside the imperial capitals of Rome and Istanbul. In fact, its total height is 26.8 meters and it is made of an Egyptian granite monolith of Aswan, 20.46 meters high, while weighing 285 tons! With these dimensions, it is among the largest monoliths of antiquity and the largest monoliths of the Earth in general. Beyond the column, in the archaeological site, you will find scattered statues of that time and sphinxes! The entrance costs 20 Egyptian pounds, that is, about one euro.
Montaza Palace
In the northern part of the city, there is a very impressive complex of buildings, which has incredible views of the Mediterranean Sea and is definitely worth visiting. I refer, of course, to the Montaza Palace, part of which was built in 1892 by Khedive Abbas II. The original building included Al Salamlek, now operating as a hotel, while the larger Al-Haramlik Palace (presently operating as a casino) and the royal gardens were added to the palace grounds in 1932, by King Fuad I. The royal gardens are spread over an area of 600,000 m2 and are open to the public for a fee of 15 pounds (about 80 cents).
Alexandria National Museum
If you have to visit only one museum in the city, this is undoubtedly the Alexandria National Museum. It is one of the most notable museums in the whole of Egypt, which opened its gates in 2003. It is housed in a three-storey restored Renaissance-style palace, which until then served as the home of the American consul. Indoors you will have the opportunity to see through interesting exhibits the history of Alexandria from the Pharaonic period until today. The entrance costs 100 Egyptian pounds, which is about 5.5 euros.
El Qaed Ibrahim Mosque-El Mursi Abu Al Abbas Mosque
As for Muslim places of worship, two deserve your attention. The first mosque to visit is the El Qaed Ibrahim Mosque. It is considered the most popular temple in the city, which was built in 1948 and stands out for its towering minaret.
The second mosque that will impress you is the El Mursi Abu Al Abbas Mosque, which is also one of the oldest in Alexandria. It began to be built in 1307 and is known for its unique domes. Admission to both mosques is free!
Stanley Bridge
Last but not least, I left the Stanley Bridge. It is the first bridge in Egypt to be built over the sea, constructed in the late 1990s over Stanley Bay. Of course, it took its name from the area where it is built and was created as part of the upgrading of the coastal front of Alexandria. Although it is considered New (2001), the architects tried to give the architectural style of the famous and cosmopolitan Egyptian city, which they objectively fully achieved, making the Stanley Bridge a landmark of the region!
How to go
At the moment Thessaloniki is not directly connected by air to Alexandria, so to reach the city you need to make at least one stop. The most flexible option comes from Aegean, which with proper planning you can find tickets starting from 354€ round trip, with stopover in Athens! While with a stopover in Istanbul, there is a Turkish Airlines flight, which starts at 331e, but has a long wait between the two flights.
Where to stay
The district I recommend you choose for accommodation is the Corniche, on the city's huge waterfront. Its hotels are renowned as the best in Alexandria, but most importantly, they offer impressive views of the Mediterranean. So my suggestion is the Miramar Boutique Hotel, a charming boutique hotel that offers everything one might need on such a trip, combined with a great view!
How to move
Alexandria has several ways of transportation for residents and tourists, since there are trams, buses and mini buses. The oldest of them are the trams, which have twenty lines and cover the largest part of the city! Needless to say, at peak times the indomitable prevails, so you should be prepared for this. Another way to get around the city is buses and minibuses, which are everywhere and literally stop in the middle of the road to pick up and drop people off. These are mostly used by locals, so I wouldn't really recommend. Finally, for greater security I would recommend more private transport such as taxis, prefer white and negotiate the price before, uber or tuk tuk, which escape very easily from the unimaginable traffic!
What to eat
Although Egyptian cuisine is not particularly prominent compared to other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, the flavors that can be tasted along the Nile are just as delicious! It is enough to consider that the culinary traditions of Egypt have their roots in the era of the Pharaohs, about 5,000 years ago, and have been influenced by all the conquerors who passed through there! One of the things that you must try before leaving the country is molochia, a green soup that takes that characteristic green color from the chopped malachis leaves cooked with seafood or meat broth! Of particular interest are in addition the fata, which is made with rice, beef, eggs and fried bread, as well as the sassouka, which is a delicious dish, with egg, tomato and garlic, usually eaten for breakfast or for dinner and served in hot utensils, which cook it at that time. Also do not forget to try the national dish of Egypt the Kosari, which is vegan and basically has everything inside, the Kebda, which is beef or chicken liver, which you meet in numerous variations, the Mahsi, which is like stuffed vine leaves, the well-known to all of us falafel, the Baba Ganoush which looks like eggplant salad, of course from sweets the traditional Qunefe and also herbal teas and natural juices. To taste delicious local dishes I recommend Balbaa Village, while for seafood overlooking the Mediterranean Sea the Fish Market!
Useful information
In Alexandria we travel with a passport with a validity of at least 6 months. Upon entering the country, you will need to obtain a visa, which costs 25 euros or 25 dollars and fill out the immigration form so that it is considered at passport control.
In Alexandria the language used is, of course, Arabic and more specifically an Egyptian dialect. The youngest know English, while everyone is willing to help if they know.
The currency of the country is the Egyptian pound (EGP) and its exchange rate at the moment is 1€ = 19.70 pounds.
Many shops in the bazaars accept dollars and euros.
I suggest you convert your money at the airport (!), yes you read that right, as they curiously hold the smallest Commission. Otherwise select a bank in the city and not exchanges!
For your trip to and from Alexandria Airport, I suggest you choose a taxi, with which you will have agreed the price beforehand. From there, there is, moreover, a public bus, which stops about 5 kilometers outside the city.
The Greek Embassy in Alexandria is located at 63, Alexander The Great Str., Shatby and its phones are +202 4878454, 4878455, 4802099.
The best time to go to Alexandria is either autumn or spring, when temperatures ranged to normal levels.
Recommended excursions → Cairo, Luxor, Aswan
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Mouzakidis Pantelis
