- Four ancient sites in the city charge EGP 200 for a foreign adult, as of August 2026: the catacombs, Pompey's Pillar, the Roman Theater and Qaitbay.
- The Citadel of Qaitbay was built between 1477 and 1479 over the ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
- Our private Alexandria day tour covers seven stops, from the Kom El Shoqafa catacombs to Stanley Bridge, with entrance fees and lunch included.
- Day trips: the El Alamein War Museum is 107.6 km from your hotel, about 1 h 35 min without traffic; Deir al-Baramus in Wadi El Natrun is 133.7 km, about 1 h 46 min.
- Children under 4 may not enter the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and visitors under 16 may not enter its Main Reading area.
In Alexandria, Egypt's city on the Mediterranean, the sites on our tours are Roman or later rather than pharaonic: Roman-era tombs underground, a Roman theater, a column dedicated to the emperor Diocletian, a 15th-century fortress on the site of the ancient Lighthouse, and a modern library inspired by the ancient one. Below is what to do in the city and on day trips from it, with hours, tickets and the tours that include each.
What is Alexandria known for?
In the ancient world, for its library and its lighthouse. The Library and the Mouseion, a research institute, were founded around 295 BCE and meant as a universal library; the Royal Library may have been destroyed by accident in 48 BCE, during Julius Caesar's civil war. The Lighthouse was one of the Seven Wonders of the World and stood more than 350 feet (110 meters) high. "Alexandria, ancient remains and the new library" is on UNESCO's Tentative List, the list of sites a country plans to nominate for World Heritage status.
In the city
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities runs the ticketed sites below; prices are for a foreign adult, in Egyptian pounds (EGP). The last entry (the latest time a site lets visitors in) is earlier during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. Children under 6 enter Ministry sites free.
| Site | Hours (outside Ramadan) | Foreign adult, as of August 2026 | On our tours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa | 9 a.m.; last entry 4 p.m. | EGP 200 | Yes |
| Pompey's Pillar (Serapeum) | 9 a.m.; last entry 4 p.m. | EGP 200 | Yes |
| Roman Theater (Kom el-Dikka) | 9 a.m.; last entry 4 p.m. | EGP 200 | Yes |
| Citadel of Qaitbay | 9 a.m.; last entry 7 p.m. in summer, 5 p.m. in winter | EGP 200 | Yes |
| Graeco-Roman Museum | Opens 9 a.m.; the Ministry's two listings give different closing times | EGP 400 | No |
| Alexandria National Museum | 9 a.m.; last entry 4 p.m. | EGP 220 | No |
| Royal Jewellery Museum | 9 a.m.; last entry 4 p.m. | EGP 220 | No |
Go down into the catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa
The catacombs are a Roman-era burial ground whose main tomb is an underground, 20 m deep, 3-tier construction reached by a spiral staircase; at the entrance to its chapel, the god Anubis is dressed as a Roman legionary. The paintings and reliefs mix ancient Egyptian and Greek beliefs. They are the first stop of our Alexandria day tour, 3.8 km from your hotel, about 6 min without traffic. The Roman sites page covers the catacombs, the pillar and the theater.
See Pompey's Pillar and the Serapeum
Despite its name, the marble column was dedicated to the Roman emperor Diocletian around 297 CE and stands 88 feet (27 meters) high. Beside it are the remains of the Serapeum, the main temple of the god Serapis, destroyed in 391 AD, and two sphinxes from the Ptolemaic era stand on either side of the column. It is on the city tour.
Sit in the Roman Theater at Kom el-Dikka
Kom el-Dikka is an open-air museum of a Roman and Byzantine quarter from the 2nd to 6th centuries AD. Its Roman Theater is the only example of its kind in Egypt, and the site also keeps the Villa of the Birds, with its floor mosaics, and the remains of Roman baths. The theater was uncovered in 1959. It is on the city tour.
Visit the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
The modern library opened on October 16, 2002, and takes its inspiration from the ancient Library of Alexandria. Besides the Main Library, the complex holds the Antiquities Museum, the Manuscripts Museum, a planetarium and more museums and galleries, and its reading area cascades over seven levels. Children under 4 may not enter; visitors under 16 may visit the public sections but not the Main Reading area; photography is allowed except in parts of level B1 (the exhibitions area). Our sources hold no hours or prices for it. It is on the city tour; the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Qaitbay page covers both.
Walk the Citadel of Qaitbay
The Mamluk sultan Qaitbay built the fortress between 1477 and 1479 over the ruins of the Lighthouse, as the city's defense against attacks from the sea. Inside an outer wall with defense towers stands a massive three-floored square fort. It is on the city tour.
Stroll in the Montaza gardens
Montaza is the large garden where the 16 km long Corniche of Alexandria ends. On the city tour you visit the royal gardens and see the palace from the outside; the gardens are 19 km from Qaitbay, about 25 min without traffic.
Look out to sea from Stanley Bridge
The city tour ends with a short walk at Stanley Bridge, with views of the Mediterranean coastline, 9.9 km from Montaza, about 15 min without traffic.
Choose a museum
The Graeco-Roman Museum, the Alexandria National Museum and the Royal Jewellery Museum are not on our tours; their hours and tickets are in the table above. To plan your own day around them, book a guide only in Alexandria: a licensed guide who speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French or Italian, for the hours you book, with a car and the entrance fees added on request. It is new on this site, and the details are confirmed with your quote.
