Alexandria City Highlights Tour
The Mediterranean's ancient jewel, seen in a single day
About this activity
A full-day tour of Alexandria's essential sights: the Qaitbay Citadel, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Pompey's Pillar and the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa.
Full description
Your guide takes you first to the Qaitbay Citadel on its seafront promontory, then to the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, followed by lunch, a visit to Pompey's Pillar, and finally the multi-level Roman-Egyptian catacombs at Kom El Shoqafa.
What's included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Professional guide
- Bottled water
Not included
- Entry tickets to all sites
- Lunch
- Gratuities
About this activity
Highlights
- ✓Visit the seafront Qaitbay Citadel, built on the site of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria
- ✓See the striking modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- ✓Explore the ancient Pompey's Pillar and the underground Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa
Tour Itinerary & Map
- 1 Pickup from your Alexandria hotel
- 2 Guided visit of the Qaitbay Citadel
- 3 Visit the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- 4 Lunch at a local restaurant
- 5 Visit Pompey's Pillar
- 6 Guided tour of the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa
- 7 Return to your hotel
Places You'll Visit
The Citadel of Qaitbay is a 15th-century coastal fortress in Alexandria, Egypt, built between 1477 and 1479 by Mamluk Sultan al-Ashraf Qaitbay on the site of the ancient Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, destroyed by earthquakes. Its foundations reportedly incorporate stone and granite blocks salvaged from the lighthouse's ruins.
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a modern library and cultural complex in Alexandria, Egypt, opened on 16 October 2002 as a tribute to the ancient Library of Alexandria. Built as a tilted granite disc facing the Mediterranean, it holds shelf space for millions of volumes and houses a planetarium, several museums, and manuscript conservation facilities.
Pompey's Pillar is a Roman triumphal column standing in Alexandria, Egypt, carved from a single block of red Aswan granite and rising roughly 26.85 meters, including its Corinthian capital. Despite the name, it honors Emperor Diocletian, erected around 298–302 AD after he suppressed a revolt; the "Pompey" attribution stems from a medieval misreading, not Pompey the general.
The Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa are a 2nd-century CE underground necropolis in Alexandria, Egypt, discovered by accident in 1900 when a donkey fell through the ground. Cut roughly 35 metres deep across three levels, the tombs blend ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman funerary art and architecture, and are included on Alexandria's UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.
Why Choose This Tour
See four major landmarks in one well-organized day with an experienced guide.
Air-conditioned vehicle with hotel pickup and drop-off, plus bottled water included.
Cover Alexandria's must-see highlights in a single, efficiently planned day.
What to Bring
Trip Essentials
Full day (7 hours)
Alexandria, Egypt
Professional guides & equipment
Secure & flexible options
Frequently Asked Questions
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