- Cairo hotel to the catacombs in Alexandria: 216.1 km, about 2 h 26 min without traffic; 221.5 km back, about 2 h 25 min.
- Our Alexandria day from Cairo, listed at about 11 hours, includes an Egyptologist guide, the entrance fees and lunch.
- Our Alexandria city day visits seven places, from the catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa to Qaitbay and the Montaza gardens.
- Last entry is 4 pm at the catacombs and Pompey's Pillar, and 7 pm at Qaitbay in summer.
- In August, Alexandria's average high is 30.4°C, against 34.5°C in Cairo.
Yes, by road, and the drive takes much of the day. Our Alexandria in a day from Cairo tour, listed at about 11 hours, leaves your Cairo or Giza hotel early on the desert road: the catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa are 216.1 km away, about 2 h 26 min without traffic, and the drive back from the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is 221.5 km, about 2 h 25 min. With a night or more in Alexandria, the five tours that start there open up, the Alexandria city day among them.
Can you do a day trip to Alexandria from Cairo?
The road makes it possible; the hours make it tight. The legs, from our day from Cairo and from the two tours that drive the same road the other way, from Alexandria to Cairo:
| Leg | Without traffic |
|---|---|
| Cairo hotel to the catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa | 216.1 km, about 2 h 26 min |
| Bibliotheca Alexandrina back to a Cairo hotel | 221.5 km, about 2 h 25 min |
| Alexandria hotel to the Giza pyramids | 214.5 km, about 2 h 26 min |
| Giza pyramids to an Alexandria hotel | 213.1 km, about 2 h 25 min |
| Alexandria hotel to the Grand Egyptian Museum | 211.3 km, about 2 h 23 min |
| Grand Egyptian Museum to an Alexandria hotel | 208.1 km, about 2 h 20 min |
Those are the shortest the drives can take; traffic adds to them. Alexandria's Roman sites also stop admitting visitors early: the catacombs, Pompey's Pillar and the Roman Theater at Kom el-Dikka all have a last entry of 4 pm. The day from Cairo starts early and visits them first, then Qaitbay, lunch and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. It is a newer tour: its program follows how the market runs the day and is confirmed with your quote.
Is Alexandria worth a day trip from Cairo?
It is worth it for a different Egypt: Greek and Roman Alexandria and the Mediterranean, rather than pharaonic temples. Our city day shows what one day there holds:
| Stop | What it is, as our tour describes it |
|---|---|
| Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa | Underground tombs from the 2nd century AD that mix Egyptian, Greek and Roman styles |
| Roman Theater | Roman-period theatre with marble seating and mosaic floors |
| Bibliotheca Alexandrina | Modern library built as a revival of the ancient Library of Alexandria |
| Pompey's Pillar | Roman column among the ruins of the Serapeum temple complex |
| Citadel of Qaitbay | 15th-century fortress on the coast, built on the site of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria |
| Montaza Palace Gardens | Royal park on the Mediterranean; the palace is seen from the outside |
| Stanley Bridge | A short walk with views of the coastline |
The day from Cairo covers the catacombs, Pompey's Pillar, the Roman Theater, Qaitbay and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina; the Montaza gardens and Stanley Bridge are on the city day only. If your time in Egypt is short and you have not yet seen the pyramids or a museum in Cairo, those come first. If you have, Alexandria adds a period our Cairo tours do not cover.
