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Alexandria is in a prime position to expand and develop wonderful tourist opportunities with its dual inheritance as both a Mediterranean city with strong links to Europe and an Arab centre of high renown.
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Alexandria & the White Med - Prepared by the Egyptian Tourist Authority ETA - First Edition: designed by JWT Cairo. Written by Robert Twigger. Edited by John Harris Photographs that appear in this brochure are captured by Hisham Labib, Ashraf el Mahrouky, Samo Rera, and Gardel Bertrand. The information in this brochure has been carefully checked and to the best of our knowledge is accurate. However, details are subject to change, and the Egyptian Tourist Authority cannot be responsible for such changes. For rights or permissions inquires, please contact ETA: infocenter@egypt.travel Copyright Š 2010. All Rights Reserved. Egyptian Tourist Authority. This edition is published by ETA. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Printed in Egypt.
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Contents 4
54| Accommodation in Alexandria
6 | The White Med 18| Alexandria 21| Undersea Alexandria
58|Alexandria Map
22| Pompey’s Pillar
62| The North Coast & El- Alamein
29| Qaitbey 33| Abu Qir Wrecks
64| El-Alamein War Museum
36| Bibliotheca Alexandrina 41| Alexandria National Museum 43| Coptic Cathedral of St. Mark 44| St. Mena Monastery
*
47| Roman Amphitheatre 48| Montazah Gardens 53| List of local tourist information offices
56| Rosetta
66| Commonwealth Memorial 68| German Memorial
81|Marsa Matrouh Map 83| General White Mediterranean Travel Section
24 Hours in Alexandria
88| Your Journey Continues in Egypt
The Cleopatra Trail
P. 8
P. 11
92| Practical Info Shop Till You Drop P. 12
71|El-Alamein Map
Culture Vulture
74| Marsa Matrouh
P. 14
77| Cleopatra’s Bath 78| Rommel’s Cave and Museum 80| Agiiba Beach
This Brochure’s Section Photos P.2&4 Agiiba Beach, Marsa Matrouh P.16 Stanley Bridge, Alexandria p.60 Porto Marina, The North Coast P. 72 Rommel’s Beach, Marsa Matrouh p. 82 Mosaic at Shady Abdel-Salam’s Exhibit at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
* World Heritage Site
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Alexandria & The White Med One of the great hidden secrets of Egypt is Alexandria, the main city of the White Mediterranean, situated between a strip of wonderful blue skies and impeccable beaches. Nearby are the picturesque sea towns of Rosetta and Marsa Matrouh as well as some brand new resorts such as Porto Marina and Almaza Bay. What Alexandria offers most of all is the chance to have a defining experience, one that you will take away and always remember, a story you will want to retell to all your friends and family. Here there is culture, history, sea and the attractions of a great and influential city. For those seeking a holiday with huge variety from visiting the greatest library in the world to exploring the ancient Roman Catacombs to visiting the nearby
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your next great experience
El-Alamein battlefields to snorkeling the beaches of Marsa Matrouh this is the place to go. Alexandria has its own weather perfect in summer with sea breezes, cooler in winter. It has its own people, influenced by the inflows and outflows of all of humanity since the beginning of time. It is Mediterranean to be sure, but it has its own distinct and rather beautiful character. It is friendly, welcoming and full of historical interest. For those committed to seeing everything in Egypt, it is possible to go in three hours by train to Cairo or to drive there in a similar amount of time. Cairo is a useful hub to reach other destinations in Egypt. You can take the sleeper train to Luxor from Cairo or a coach to the Sinai Peninsula. Alternatively, you can fly from Alexandria airport to Luxor, Aswan
Did You Know? The Mediterranean is called in Arabic ‘the White Sea’ as opposed to the ‘Red Sea’ on the other end of the Suez Canal. The Red Sea isn’t Red and the White Sea isn’t White but the names have stuck! Hence, of course, the designation ‘White Mediterranean”.
and Sharm al Sheikh via Cairo. Each can be reached in about an hour by air. Road transfers from other North Coast airports to Alexandria and its airport are easy.
The Natural Alternative There is little agriculture on a mass scale on the northern coast, and there are no major industrial zones or polluting factories and this is reflected in the pristine bird and sea life.
The White Med is known for its pristine water colours
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Journeys
Unforgettable experiences will come through your personal journey which could be an intense 24 hour trip, a longer visit, or something very simple, something unique you do, see or buy.
24 hours in Alexandria
Start with breakfast outside the Hotel Cecil, overlooking the magnificent double harbour of Alexandria. Ride a double decker bus to the Jewelry Museum and make sure you see the ex-king’s diamond studded gardening tools. Keep going to take in the excellent Mahmoud Said Modern Art Museum followed by the Library of Alexandria. Whizz along the Corniche for a top fish lunch at Abu Qir, and have coffee on the way back at the stunning Salamak Hotel in Montazeh Bay. You should now squeeze in a visit to the Catacombs and Pompey’s Pillar, before doing some shopping at the antique buying area of Attareen. Take in traditional music at the Opera house, and dinner at a The Je popular restaurant in Bahari. welry
Museu Mahm mP ou Museu d Said Mod 39 m P40 ern Art
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24 hours in the Ancient World
Breakfast at one of the cafés near Pompey’s Pillar, then visit the Roman Amphitheatre, and Catacombs before heading out to Abu Sir, the ancient 22 Roman site outside Pompey’s PillabrsPP24 m Cataco e h T Alexandria. You can a P44 St. Men also take in St. Mena, the Coptic Monastery which stands some 40km away. Head back to Alexandria for the ruins at Canopus.
El-Agam i The No P26 rth Coa st The Wa r Muse P62 um P64 Agiiba P81
24 hours of sun, sea and desert.
Beach breakfast at a Corniche café overlooking the famous beaches of Alexandria. Then head along to the historic beach of El-Agami before turning inland to visit El-Alamein and see the incredible battlefields and the moving cemeteries of the Allied, German and Italian soldiers. Take in the Museum of the Battle then head towards Marsa Matrouh with its fabulous azure seas. A bit further on you should fit in a swim at Agiiba beach which is said to be the finest on the North Coast.
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Writers and Artists Trail
Alexandria has long been an inspiration to writers and artists. Follow this trail to learn and experience the lives of such eminent men as E.M. Forster, Constantine Cavafy and Lawrence Durrell. One of the great poets of the 20th century, Cavafy was Greek by se P39 fy’s hou descent, Egyptian by adoption. Start Cava at Cavafy’s house on Sharm El-Sheikh Street and amble towards the sea and the ancient harbour, the source of much of their and their fellow artists’ inspiration. Take in the modern art museum, then aim for the Villa Ambron where Durrell lived and wrote during World War II. His masterpiece “The Alexandria Quartet” can be used as a kind of guidebook; you can also use the real guidebook (still being sold in Alexandria and Cairo) written almost a hundred years ago by E.M. Forster, the writer who gave us A Passage to India and Howard’s End.
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The Alexander Trail
The Cleopatra Trail
Cleopatra lived and died on the White Mediterranean, along the way winning the hearts of two of the most powerful men in the world: Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony. The last Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra’s palace was in Alexandria, as was her mausoleum. Her favourite place to visit was Paraetonium, the old name for Marsa Matrouh. Here you may scout the ruins of her villa, behind the old Governor’s palace. A short way along the coast you may bathe in the rock cut baths where she and Mark Anthony used to love to swim.
El-Nabi Dani el Mosque P5 Oracle tem 1 ple P90
The Alexander Trail follows the route of Alexander the Great, starting at Pharos island and ending in the Siwa oasis. Alexander the Great founded the city of Alexandria because the island of Pharos was mentioned by Homer as a place that Alexander’s hero, Hercules, visited. Visit Pharos, now on a spit of land in the middle of Alexandria’s harbour. Take in the supposed sites of Alexander’s tomb at ElNabi Daniel Mosque and Silsileh before taking a trip to Marsa Matrouh, where he prepared himself to cross the desert to Siwa. You may take a car or coach to Siwa and visit the Oracle temple where he sought guidance. Make sure you have a question of your own to ask!
Marsa Matro
uh P74
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Experiences
Shop till you Drop
Shopping is pure pleasure when you devote yourself to it wholeheartedly, and with bargain prices and fabulous opportunities the White Mediterranean provides great shopping experiences. From the great San Stephano shopping mall and the Attareen antiques area to the excellent Bedouin craft shops of Marsa Matrouh, there are shopping experiences Marsa Matrouh P74 available for all.
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Food Glorious Food
Eating experiences make up a big part of any journey. Both the strange and familiar foods available in Egypt will make for great meals and great stories to tell. Egyptians love people who love their food so make sure you ask for the recipe at any restaurant where you really like what you have eaten. Often the chef will give you a tour of his kitchen and maybe a small pot of his homemade spices. On the White Mediterranean you should try fish so fresh it will melt on your palate, an utter delight. Try Calamari lightly Rosetta P5 6 fried, Sea Bream and oven roasted Bass. Try the local dishes of stuffed pigeon, the health giving Moloukheia soup, and make sure you try Karkadeh or Hibiscus, a delicious herbal tea proven to lower blood pressure. There are fabulous restaurants in Rosetta, in Alexandria along the Corniche, in Marsa Matrouh; and the beach resorts also offer great dining of traditional and international food.
The Natural World
For those intent on a natural Mediterranean experience, there are opportunities here not to be missed. At the Al-Omeyed nature reserve, not far west of Alexandria you may savour the sight of a rare gazelle or a desert fox. Or, for the birdwatcher, observe through waving reeds at dawn, the graceful Grebes and Bitterns on Lake Mariut, south of Alexandria.
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A Night to Remember
Taking home a memory of a ‘great night out’ is a wonderful p ar t of a ny ho l i d a y . I n Alexandria, a 24 hour city, you may be sure to find all you need for a night to remember. Try the nightclubs for belly dancing once you have circulated through the many restaurants and bars in the waterside areas of Alexandria.
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Culture Vulture
Going to a museum should not be a chore, it should be a delight. Luckily in Alexandria and elsewhere on the White Med. coast there are museums that are not too overcrowded allowing you the freedom to enjoy yourself to the full. Visit the Jewelry Museum in Alexandria and get ideas for a new ring you can have made for you in the silversmith quarter of town. Take in the art museum for a brand new take on modern Egyptian life. Visit the Bibliotheca and marvel at the power of the written word.
The Bib lio The Jew theca P36 elry Mus eum P3 9
History Lesson
History began in Egypt you might say. When the world’s first historian, Herodotus, arrived, the place was already considered an historical goldmine. You can’t avoid history in Egypt so make the most of it and enjoy it to the full. You will have heard, perhaps, of the Rosetta Stone that decoded the Ancient Egyptian language; now search for the spot outside the walls of Fort Qaitbey in Rosetta where it was found. In Alexandria stroll at your leisure around the Roman Amphitheatre and Pompey’s Pillar. Close your eyes in the Catacombs and feel the weight of centuries P22 llar atre P47 6 ’s Pi all around you. On the site of pey phithe setta P5 m o m o P an A in R the old lighthouse look for the Rom aitbey Q Fort original stones.
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Alexandria
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Alexandria “Alexandria is a jewel of manifest brilliance, and a virgin decked with glittering ornaments. She lights up the west with her glory; she combines beauties of the most diverse description, because of her situation between Orient and Occident. There is every wonder displayed for all to see, and there all rare things arrive.” So wrote the leading Arab traveler of all time, Ibn Battuta, in the 14th century, the question is how has it changed? For a start, one thing that can never change is the unique position of Alexandria as gateway to the East and the West. Situated to the left of the Nile Delta, it has received influences from Africa, from the Far East via the Suez Canal and from Europe which is only short journey across the Mediterranean.
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Founded by Alexander the Great in 331BC, Alexandria was not a natural harbour but was made one by joining the island of Pharos with the mainland to make a double bay perfect for sheltering from any storms the Mediterranean could throw at the city. Alexander wanted it to be a ‘megalopolis’, a model city larger than any then known. The streets were 30m wide unheard of in that time, and the walls of the city extended 15km truly a marvel. When Alexander died his successor and childhood friend Ptolemy eventually settled on Alexandria as the capital of the Greek Empire. And from this moment onwards the city became famed throughout the known world.
Beautiful turquoise colours of the White Med
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Birth of the Coptic Church Christianity arrived very early in Egypt with St Mark, the Apostle. Quickly it spread throughout Alexandria, where he landed, and into Egypt though the ruling Roman empire was strongly opposed to this new religion. Many, also, in protest against the overt materialism of the rich Roman elite, took to the deserts south of Alexandria to become monks and mystics. These ‘desert fathers’ eventually formed communities which became the foundation for monastic Christianity the world over.
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Undersea Alexandria
St. Mena Monastery
One cannot escape Cleopatra on the White Mediterranean, and under the waters of the harbour of Alexandria probably lies the palace which is her final resting place. Since 1996, marine treasure hunter Franck Goddio has been surveying the sea bed five metres down in the Eastern harbour of Alexandria. He has found extensive submerged ruins, including granite columns, votive statues, sphinxes, pottery, and an entire stone jetty from the Ancient Royal Quarters of Alexandria. He has found inscriptions suggesting that Cleopatra’s palace was on the island of Antirrhodos which sank
during some huge earthquakes and an accompanying tsunami around 1600 years ago, and now can be seen under the sea in Alexandria. Goddio also extended his search to the bay of Abu Qir, where he found French wrecks mentioned later, but also, closer in, the ruined city of Herakleion, submerged for 1300 years. It is possible to dive this fascinating site along with the other underwater marvels of Alexandria. Tip If you want to go diving on holiday buy your own face mask but rent the rest of the gear from the dive centre.
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Pompey’s Pillar
Staircase leads to the subterranean galleries at Pompey’s Pillar site
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Arguably the most famous l andmark i n t he t ouri st i c t opography of Al exandri a, Pompey’s Pillar soars 25 metres above the limestone ridge on which it stands; beneath it and all around lie partially excavated pits as well as a reasonable garden. Not that Pompey had anything to do with it. The red granite column, made from sturdy Aswan rock, was probably raised in honour of the Roman Emperor Diocletian who threatened, in startling fashion, to slaughter the local population “until their blood reached his horse’s knees”. Legend has it that he desisted in this murderous ambition when this same horse slipped on a paving slab and
bloodied its knee! Amoud al-Sawari St. Kom el-Shoqafa area (Karmouz) 03/ 960 1315 9am-4:30pm 31°10’56.71” N 29°53’49.31” E
’s andria f Alex a One o ed underse er recov s re treasu
Pompey’s Pillar
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Catacombs of Kom eL-Shoqafa No visit to Pompey’s Pillar is complete without going five minutes around the corner to the famed Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa. Donkeys rank with archeologists in making discoveries in Egypt both the Golden Mummies of Bahariya and these Catacombs were found by donkeys falling through holes in the ground. In this case the donkey discovered the largest Roman burial site in Egypt, and a truly strange and very striking one it is, with its own weird atmosphere redolent of a different, more colourful age. Built 35 metres down into solid rock once must tread carefully in descent following a spiral stairway (well lit) past a shaft whose original purpose was a kind of dumb waiter for corpses being lowered to their final resting place. Through a tightish squeeze one emerges into the striking Hall of Caracalla, the Roman Emperor who massacred a large number of Alexandrian youths. Some of them perhaps were laid to rest in the Catacombs, guarded by murals that depict two terrific bearded serpents. Surrounding the central tomb is a broad passage lined with cavities in two rows with room for over 300 mummies.
Al-Nasseriyya St., Kom el-Shoqaf area 03/ 9601316 9am-4:30pm 31°10’45.29” N 29°53’35.26” E
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Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa
Burial Chambers
Tip When viewing a n c i e n t catacombs and tombs carry your own head torch or pen l i ght it m akes loo k i n g a t inscriptions easier and it beats trying to use the light from a mobile phone!
Rotunda
Exedrae
Ambulatory Triclinium that Statue ou at y ts e e of m trance the en combs ta the Ca
Shaft
f kom
o ombs c a t a C oqafa el-sh
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El-Agami El-Agami was the first of the great resorts on the outskirts of Alexandria, and today, despite extensive building, there are still marvelous villas in exquisite gardens tucked away behind high and elegantly tonsured hedges. El-Agami was originally an area of wonderful fig groves, many sadly gone as the high rise buildings encroach, but on a fine day one can still hear the wind in the leaves of the fig trees left standing and imagine oneself in a louche film of 1940s Egypt. Not for nothing is the central shopping strip here called the Champs Elysees.
Tip In El-Agami you will see calamari fishermen catching squid. They then walk the beach with a bucket of the freshest offering it for sale. You can buy this and have a local restaurant cook it up for you.
Tip When ordering fish some of the best local dishes are made from larger single fish like mullet and bass. Go early and chose one big fish for your group and all share in the feast.
Stunning white beaches along the White Med
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Fish restaurants Eating fish is what Alexandria is all about when it comes to culinary e x p e rie n c e s of t he hi ghes t order. There are many excellent restaurants varying from the humble shops down at Abu Qir, further on from Montazah gardens and a possible extension of a visit there, to the more prestigious places nearer the centre of town. All are good if the fish is fresh, and it is very easy to check, as many allow you to chose what fish you want from a raked bed of ice and herbs or even from a tank.
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Fort Qaitbey
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Site of the Pharos on Qaitbey Qaitbey is a mini citadel-like place that looks over the Eastern harbour as Ras el-Tin looks over the Western. Built in the 1480s, it occupies the site, and contains stone from, that former wonder of the world: The Pharos, or Lighthouse of Alexandria. One of the original seven wonders of the ancient world (the only surviving one is the Pyramid of Cheops), it stood an incredible 135 metres high and lasted 17 centuries. If Alexandria is known for anything in the world it is for this incredible structure. Myths surround the Pharos. As well as being a normal lighthouse, with a double spiral staircase up and down which plodded donkeys day and night carrying loads of timber to fuel its light, it was also rumoured to house a special reflecting mirror that not only reflected the sun’s rays as a warning flash or even messaging system but also could actually burn through the rigging of an attacking ship. The rumours extended to there being treasure in its base. This was dug up, partially,
after the first Arab invasion in the 7th century, and this hastened the decline of the venerable Pharos. It is thought that Alexander, when he arrived, spoke of the need for a guiding light at the entrance to the harbour. They were not unknown in those days, but none achieved the grandeur of the Pharos, before or since. The cylindrical top tower contained the mighty lantern, visible it is said from 56km away. Eastern Harbour, El-Anfoushi area 03/480 9144 9am-4:30pm 31°12’47.40” N 29°53’05.80” E
e aritim y The M near Qaitbe m Museu
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y
Qaitbe 30
Did you Know? Not only is there a nice naval museum in Fort Qaitbey, there is also a marine biology museum with displays and exhibits about fish and animals found in the area.
Qaitbey’s Entrance
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Taposiris Magna. Roman City Thirty or so kilometres beyond the El-Agami end of Alexandria, you arrive at Abu Sir, the site of the ancient city of Taposiris, founded around the same time as Alexandria. Taposiris is mainly known, however, for having the last surviving lighthouse in a chain that stretched from Alexandria to Libya. This one is one tenth the size of the mighty Pharos, but built in the same style and the same proportions with a square base and octagonal tower, giving archeologists vital clues about that deceased wonder of the world. Outside, on the side where part of the octagon has fallen, you can see the placements for the supports of the winding staircase up which the ever necessary fuel was carried. Borg el-Arab 30°56’44.89” N 29°30’41.83” E
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Abu Qir Wrecks Abu Qir is out past the main part of Alexandria to the east, past the Montazah beach area. It where you can find excellent fish restaurants, as this still has a tradition of such things dating from its time as a former fishing village. But Abu Qir is also known as the site of one of the most famous sea battles in history, the confrontation between Nelson and the forces of Napoleon’s French fleet. Nelson won, and so the British broke the French hold on Egypt, leaving it to Mohamed Ali to take over a few years later. The French lost eleven ships and the British two. Franck Goddio, that
ubiquitous undersea explorer of Alexandria, found the French flagship L’Orient, 8km offshore in 11 metres of water. They also discovered the Serieuse and the Artemise. Abu Qir 31°18’52.80” N 30°02’57.16” E
Some of Mediterranean Sea Food
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The ancient Library of Alexandria
This scene depicts athletic life in Alexandria which brought together different cultures during the first three centuries B.C.
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The most famous thing about Alexandria after the Pharos lighthouse was the ancient library, which was built on the advice of Ptolemy I’s counselor Demetrius, beside the Mouseion, or research institute, in the middle of the city. No trace of it remains as it was burnt down in 293AD. Long before that however it had lost almost all its volumes through theft and decay, predominantly theft. Like all libraries, it seems, the one in Alexandria was subject to criminal intent, though on a vast scale over the years. This somewhat softens the blow of the final destruction of the place. In
its heyday, in the mid 1st century BC, the library held over 528,000 documents. By law any ship passing through had to allow any texts to be copied at the library if they didn’t already have a copy. Christian mobs destroyed both the main library and, later, the smaller ‘daughter’ library in 391 AD. Medieval Europeans later ascribed its destruction, entirely falsely, to the Arab conqueror Amr. In fact it was the Arabs who were the first in medieval times to translate Greek works which then entered Europe via Spain. Tip When walking through ancient Alexandria look at the walls of later period stone buildings, you may spot building blocks that originated in ancient Egyptian works.
Fragment of a mosaic floor found on the site of the old library
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Bibliotheca AlexandriNa Nestling a short distance from the seafront is the new library of Alexandria. No trip along the Corniche of modern Alexandria can be called complete without a visit to the new library, which rivals its predecessor in one way: it is the largest reading space in the world even if it does not house the largest number of volumes in a single space, though one might argue that privilege now belongs to cyberspace. The new library symbolizes the renaissance of Alexandria as a Mediterranean megalopolis; it was approved in 1987 and opened in 2002. The building, with its futuristic disc like structure, is covered in
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Rooftop of the Bibliotheca
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scripts and letters from almost all the languages of the world, a fitting exterior for a place that epitomizes world culture in the form of the written word. The Colossus of Ptolemy II which was recovered from the Eastern harbour watches over the entrance and provides an instant reminder of the connection with the ancient library. There are several permanent exhibitions including the Impressions of Alexandria and the intriguing Antiquities Museum in the basement. On the main entrance level is the Manuscripts Museum with a display of ancient scrolls and antique books. The Planetarium rounds off a truly memorable visit, inside the scifi spherical centre there are incredibly realistic shows such
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as Cosmic Voyage, Human Body and Oasis in Space. Corniche al-Bahr, Shatby 03/483 9999 11am-7pm, Fri 3pm-7pm. www.bibalex.org 31°12’31.05” N 29°54’31.49” E side eum in A mus otheca li the Bib
Did you Know? The Bibliotheca has chairs for 2000 readers, will eventually house 8 million books and covers an area of 36,770 square metres.
Bibliotheca Reading Hall
Royal Jewelry Museum
Cavafy’s House
This marvelously excessive display is housed in a similarly extravagant villa owned by first ruler of modern Egypt Mohamed Ali’s granddaughter Princess Fatima el-Zaharaa. On display are King Farouk’s gold chess set, Mohamed Ali’s diamond encrusted snuff box, a platinum crown set with 2159 brilliantly cut diamonds, and even a set of royal gardening tools inlaid with yet more diamonds. The lower galleries in the mansion display stained glass cameos of courtly love set in idealized 18th century France. Even the bathrooms are exotic, the ladies’ has tiled murals of nymphs bathing while the men’s has scenes of fishermen from the south of France. The museum is to be found in Ahmed Yehiya Street and is well worth visiting.
Not so far from the Opera House and just north of the Roman Amphitheatre you will find the museum dedicated to the poet Constantine Cavafy. It is actually located in his old house on Rue Lepsius (also known as Sharm el-Sheikh Street) and was opened in 1992 to answer the great demand for something commemorating this artistic scion of the city. The house is large by modern standards, with fine high ceilings that must have been cool in summer. The furniture is all of the period though not much of it belonged to the poet apart from the brass bed, icons and modest desk where he worked. Of particular interest is the ‘bindery’ where he produced his own pamphlets of poetry. A selection of his books makes for an interesting insight into the man.
27 Ahmed Yehiya Pasha St., Zizinia 03/586 8348,03/5828348 9am-2pm/5pm-6:30pm winter and 9am-2pm/5pm-8:30pm summer 31°14’26.50” N 29°57’47.57” E
4 Sharm el-Sheikh St., Misr Station 03/4861598 10am-3pm Sun - Thu 10am-5pm. closed Mon. 31°11’51.46” N 29°54’04.30” E
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Mahmoud Said Museum Just down from the Corniche near to the Jewelry Museum, on Mohammed Said Pasha Street, there is a wonderful little surprise for the visitor the Mahmoud Said Museum. Said (1897-1964) was a judge whose real affection was for painting. Though a winner, indeed, the first winner of the state prize for art, he professed an uneasy relationship with the requirement to paint official commemorative pictures such as the gigantic Inaugural Ceremony of the Suez Canal which dominates the entrance wall of the museum. He much preferred portraits of a more intimate nature: intense provocative women depicted in The Siren of Alexandria and Egyptian Peasant woman for example. There are several other excellent artists represented such as the expressionist Seif (19061979) who delighted in depicting casinos, nightlife, horse racing and motor sports. He was genuinely prolific producing over 3000 paintings and a staggering 80,000 sketches. Other artists include Adham Wanly, Myriam Alim, and even the odd abstract by Farouk Hosni. 6 Mohammad Said Pasha St., Gianaclis area 03/582 1688 10am-6pm, closed Mon 31°13’39.68” N 29°58’10.25” E Mahmoud Said Museum
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Tip If you read the ancient geographer Strabo (64BC-25AD) he has several clues about the whereabouts of Alexander’s Tomb which he actually saw.
Alexandria National Museum Somewhat south of the new library, on the corner of Midan Khartoum, past an interesting section of the old city walls stratified to show their constituent parts, you will find the Alexandria National Museum. It contains some of the extraordinary archeological finds that have turned up in the last fifteen years or so. There is an effigy of Emperor Caracalla (the one who killed all those Alexandrian youths); he is wearing Pharaonic headgear. There is also a mosaic of Medusa which was found beneath the popular Cinema Diana. Upstairs in the museum are Coptic and Islamic artifacts including gold coins of great interest and a nice display of Mamluk weaponry. The bookshop has an impressive art and history section. 110 Horeyya Ave. 03/483 5519 9am-4:30pm 31°12’03.13” N 29°54’47.51” E
One of King Mohamed Ali’s glass jags
nal Natio me ndria ses so Alexa u o h m Museu collections e uniqu
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Greco-Roman Museum Look out from Cavafy’s house for the Greco-Roman Museum, a place the poet would have approved of greatly, since, for him, the history of Alexandria ended in 1493 with the fall of Byzantine rule in Constantinople. Here you will find Egypt’s best collection of antiquities from the Classical period. There are late human and crocodilian mummies from 100-250AD, death masks and busts of Roman Emperors, including Julius Caesar. There is, in the gardens, a rather large and fine head of Mark Anthony (Queen Cleopatra’s lover), as well as some rock cut tombs on display. 5 Al-Mathaf al-Romani St. 03/486 5820 9-4 pm 31°11’57.35” N 24°54’24.34” E
Statue of Augustus Octavius
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Coptic Cathedral of St. Mark Several blocks down from the seafront lies the Coptic Cathedral. It looks Byzantine but in fact is an early 20th century facsimile. Remains of early patriarchs of the Alexandrian Church are interred in a chapel within the building. It seems you can never escape the founder of this city. 19 Keneiset el-Aqbat St., Raml Station 03/ 486 7103 31°11’54.43” N 29°53’58.70” E
Did you Know? The Cathedral was named after the Apostle Mark who was seized while he was giving Mass; his body was then dragged through all the streets of Alexandria behind three wild yoked stallions. What remained of him was kept until 828AD when, in a further assault on ecumenical dignity, his body was smuggled to the Basilica di San Marco in a barrel of salt pork; though his head was left in the Mar Girgis Church in Cairo. In 1997 this strange story continued when one of Mark’s fingers was returned to Pope Shenouda III by Pope John Paul II. One bizarre theory has it that instead it was not Mark that was smuggled out but Alexander the Great’s remains.
Interior of St. Mark’s Cathedral
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ST. mena monastery The Coptic monastery of St. Mena is 40km inland from Abu Sir. It honours St. Mena, an Egyptian born Roman Legionnaire who was martyred in Turkey for refusing to renounce his religion. Buried here, his grave was exhumed in 350 after many miraculous events had been reported around the spot. A church was built that became a pilgrimage stop. Word was spread by passing camel trains and it became famous. Holy water from local springs was exported as far as Gaul and Roman Britain. These however dried up leaving behind just a tiny population of monks to live here, as they still do. The modern monastery was built St. Mena Interior Dome
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World Heritage Site
in 1959 of marble and Aswan granite, the same stone used in many Pharaonic edifices. Fragments of mosaic studded with semi-precious stones, basalt columns and paved areas that still remain in the ancient basilica show how rich and ornate the original church must have been. Deir Mar Mena, Borg el-Arab 03/ 459 3401 30°51’12.66” N 29°39’41.20”E Tip When you ask for St. Mena in Egypt you may have to call it either Mar Mena or Abu Mena which are its common names in Arabic.
St. Mena Monastery
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Roman Amphitheatre
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Roman amphitheatre If you stroll north a few blocks from the main railway station you will find Kom el-Dikka, which literally means the ‘pile of rubble’ and was, for centuries, a slum area with an old cemetery of little interest until 1959 when a team of Poles looking for the ever elusive Tomb of Alexander stumbled upon an 800 seat Roman amphitheatre. Marble seats bear the graffiti of chariot team supporters during races in Byzantine times; there are also two forecourts with mosaic flooring. In earlier Ptolemaic times the area was known as the ‘Park of Pan’, a hilly pleasure garden for use by the aristocrats of Alexandria on particular holidays. Youssef St., off Gomhuriya Sq., Kom el-Dikka 03/390 2904 9am-4:30pm 31°11’39.53” N 29°54’14.49” E Did you Know? Next to the Amphitheatre is the finest example of a Roman villa in Alexandria, it is called the Villa of the Birds after its charming bird mosaics. Mosaic Floor at the Villa of the Birds
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Montazah Palace and Gardens Zooming east along the Corniche waterfront you will find the fantastic beaches and park of Montazah Gardens. There are places to walk surrounded by greenery, the old Salamlek hotel in all its splendour, a great shore line and chalets for the well to do. There is also a former Royal palace here, known as the Haramlik Palace, which was commissioned by King Fouad and designed by Ernesto Verruchi Bey. In World War I E.M.Forster worked here when it was a Red Cross hospital. It is now a presidential residence and guesthouse.
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Montazah St., 03/547 3056-03/5477153 24/7 31°16’54.71” N 30°00’46.44” E
tel
lek Ho
Salam
Montazah Gardens
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Islamic Architecture in Abu el-Abbas El-Morsi Mosque
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Abu el-Abbas el-Morsi Mosque
El-Nabi Daniel Mosque
This is one of the most stunning mosques in Alexandria built very close to the sea near to the Qaitbey Fort. Dominating the square of Abu el-Abbas is the vast white mosque of the same name. The tomb of the Andulusian Sufi Sheikh Abu el-Abbas el-Morsi is dedicated to sailors and fishermen, for whom he has become a patron saint. He died in 1288 and his remains lie under a low dome; the other side of the mosque has a brick entrance of some antiquity.
Located in the central downtown area, near to the Roman Amphitheatre, this mosque was founded in the 15th century, though its present form dates from the early 19th century when it was completely rebuilt during the time of Mohamed Ali (1805-1848). The rebuilding coincided with the interment of the Sufi Sheikh Sidi Lokman. El-Nabi Daniel St., Saad Zaghloul Sq.,
Mosque Compound Sq., Bahari 03/4801251 31°12’21.76” N 29°52’58.23” E
Tip
Women can’t enter Abu Elabbas el-Morsi mosque itself but they can visit the mausoleum and view the mosque’s interior from behind a barrier.
Did you Know? In 1850 Ambrose Schilizzi made up a fine story about seeing Alexander the Great’s crystal sarcophagus and mummy beneath this mosque. This yarn was written up by Mahmoud Bey al –Falaki and has persisted to this day and gathered such momentum that the Antiquities Council did some digging here in the 1990s. Nothing was found that indicated Alexander was buried here.
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Shopping Alexandria, as befits a world class international city, boasts a complete selection of international and local shopping experiences. From the giant City Centre hypermarket and the San Stephano Mall to the tiniest kiosk selling local Bedouin handicrafts, there is no shortage of places to buy what you need. For the antique collector, the Attareen area is definitely worth a visit with its myriad little shops full of old curios and treasures from bygone times.
Entertainment
Alexandria City Centre shopping mall
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Alexandria is replete with places of fine entertainment: hotels, nightclubs, casinos, discos and bars together with several cinemas all showing English language movies in the original language. There are concerts and ballets performed at the Opera House. The Alexandria Centre of Arts has an impressive blue and gold auditorium where world class musicians often appear. There is an international film festival in September. Nightclubs offer belly dancing from the expert practitioner to the comedic exponent of the art. There is folk dancing provided by the Ballet Rida and the new library has a program of music concerts. The Alexandria Centre of the Arts provides regular concerts too.
List of local tourist information offices Alexandria Head office: 03/484 3380 , 03/485 1556 23 East Port Saad Zaghlool Sq. Raml Station Misr Station: 03/392 5985 Misr Station Inside the station building, on platform n°1
Tip Bedouin jewelry from Siwa Oasis often ends up in Alexandria look out for beautiful pieces and great bargains.
Sidi Gaber Station: 03/426 3953 On platform n°4, inside Sidi Gaber Station Alexandria port: Inside the port
Tip Coffee shops and hotel lobbies will have a rack of English language or bilingual ‘what’s on’ magazines and guides. From these you will get a better picture of the current plays and films on offer.
Nozha Airport: 03/420 7023 Inside the airport departure hall
Alexandria Opera House
Marsa Matrouh 046/493 1841 Alexandria Road, the Governorate’s building
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Accommodation in Alexandria Alexandria is blessed with a fantastic selection of hotels, many of them on the waterfront within sight and sound of the sea. There are places that range from budget to super luxury including some historically interesting hotels such as the Salamlek, the Windsor Palace and the Cecil. The Cecil is the hotel that Winston Churchill stayed in when he visited during the war, as did such other luminaries as Somerset Maugham and Agatha Christie. Though the management has naturally changed since then, the sea views remain excellent and an excursion into the lobby may well bring some nostalgia for that past life of imperial grandeur. Bang on the Corniche, the Cecil is more than a hotel, it is a landmark. The Salemlek is a former royal hunting lodge built by Khedive Abbas II next to the presidential residence in Montazah, a fantastic park setting. It still has rooms furnished in an opulent Belle Epoque style as well as the only hotel casino in town. The Windsor Palace is another great institution of Alexandria. It sits grandly on the Corniche in the same location now for over a hundred years. It has wonderful old, now restored, elevators, a grand lobby and rooms decorated in the Edwardian style.
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Cecil Hotel
Connections and travel to and from Alexandria Within Alexandria there are the usual taxis and microbuses of any Egyptian town. The cost of a bus is very low. There are also trams, which offer a fun alternative to buses. Taxis are frequent and most places can be reached for a very reasonable fee that you can agree before traveling. There is a fast train service every hour or so to and from Cairo and this is maybe one of the more relaxing ways to visit Alexandria. You can head down to the Siwa oasis via Marsa Matrouh which is a wonderful excursion and takes only five or six hours by car. To get to Sinai you can drive via Port Said or Suez. Alexandria’s El-Nozha Airport connects to all domestic places of interest such as Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh via a short stop at Cairo International Airport.
Alexandria tram
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Rosetta A day trip to rosetta Rosetta, or Rashid, lies at the current westernmost arm of the Nile delta. It is surrounded by wonderful groves of Orange and Lemon trees, a clean town with old Ottoman mansions along its streets. To the modern visitor, it’s name means most of course in connection with the Rosetta stone, found here and later of such use in translating hieroglyphs in their entirety.
The Fort OF Qaitbey in Rosetta With the same name as the sea fort in Alexandria, this fort was built to guard the Rosetta branch of the Nile against the constant menace of the ‘Frankish’ crusaders. Later, Qaitbey Fort was used by the French. It was here, of course, where the Rosetta stone was discovered. It was entirely restored in the 1980s. Hieroglyphic inscriptions in some of the Fort’s steps
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Delta style Mill house The Abu Shahin House has been returned to its original use as a mill house. Many such mills existed in the 18th and 19th centuries when Rosetta was the leading port until Alexandria overtook it. Look out CYPRUS for the huge wooden grinders and delicate pointed arches.
M e d t eKnow? DidiYou r r a n e a n
E U RO P E AS I A
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EGYPT
Rosetta is connected to the rest of the White Med through the International Coastal Road
Beaches
Sidi Barani
Rosetta
Marsa Matrouh
Alexandria
El Alamein
El Mansura
Bo rg Damanhur El Ara b
Zagazig
Oases Ports Marina
Ti m sa h L a ke
Suez
Giza Memphis
Railway Stations Oyoun Musa
Ain Sukhna
Restaurants and Cafés
Ras Sidr
Taba Heights
PORTO EL SUKHNA
Qa ro u n L a ke Fayo u m Oa s i s
Za’farana
Abu Rudeis
Dahab
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Fa ra fra Oa si s
Ras Gharib
Gu
Mallawi
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Ba h a ri yya Oa si s
Su
Qasr Farafra
Hotels & Resorts Bus Stops Tourist Police
MONS CLAUDIANUS
Safaga
Tram stations
Hospitals
M A K A D I BAY
Post Offices
SA H L H AS H E ES H
SO M A BAY
Abu Shahin Mill House
World Heritage Sites
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Abu minqar
Nile River
Banks & ATMs
ez
Hurghada
Asyut
Airports
Pharaoh’s Island
Nuweiba
Areg
Bawiti
Taba
lf of Aqaba
AMON TEMPLE Gabal El Mawta Cleopatra Gabal Bath El Dakrur
Siwa
El Arish
Sinai SERABIT The Hammam Azouz is one of the ever dwindling number EL KHADIM of bath El Fayoum Beni Suef ST ANTHONY’S CATHERINE’S houses built in the 18th and 19th century but now either STdestroyed or MONASTERY MONASTERY rt ST PAUL’S e neglected. Though not actually in use as a public bath, this hammam MONASTERY MOUNT MOSES es D brilliantly restored has been to display the marble interiorEl Tur and floors ALEXANDER MONS El Minya THE GREAT TEMPLE n PORPHYRITES Sharm el-Sheikh with its delicate fountains and carved decorations. BANI HASAN rn TOMBS TONA EL GABAL RUINS rt t El Gouna W h i te D e s e TEL EL AMARNA De Qat pr t e
wa Oasis
Ba rd aw i l L a ke
Golf Courses
Rafah
Cairo
PYRAMIDS OF GIZA PYRAMIDS OF SAQQARA
a n ar sio s
Ismailia
Tanta
Wadi elNatroun
Hammam Azouz
Qara Oasis
Port Said
TANIS
SUEZ CANAL
Porto Marina
Sidi Abd el Rahman
t h e G re a Sa nd Sea
Damietta
Gu
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A F R I CA
Main Roads
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AL MANSHEYA Al Nasr
Matrouh Rd
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Om Zaghb
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To El Alamein & Marsa Matrouh
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35 El Ho
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AL MAX
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AL ATTARIN 47 Tereat El
27 Bibliotheca Alexandrina
38 Abu el Abbas el Morsi Mosque
49 Al Kbary Station
17 Mahmoud Said Museum
28 Al Shatby Hospital
39 Al Anfushi Beach
50 Western Harbour
07 Al Asafra Hotel
18 Royal Jewelry Museum
29 Mosaique Museum
40 Qaitbey Citadel
51 Al MAx Police Station
19 Gleem Beach
30 Alexandria National Museum
41 Ras el Tin Beach
52 El Dekheila Station
09 Sidi Bishr Beach
20 Roshdi Beach
31 Tourist Information Office
42 Marine General Hospital
53 El-Agami Club Hotel
21 Cleopatra Beach
32 Roman Amphitheater
43 Al Labban Police Station
54 El-Agami Beach
22 Sporting Beach
33 Greco-Roman Museum
44 St. Mark Cathedral
55 Al Bitaash Beach
23 Sporting club and Golf
34 Misr Train Station
45 Mena Police Station
56 El Nozha Airport
02 Dr. Mohamed el Nabawi Hospital
13 Abu Hayef Restaurant
24 Ibrahemya Beach
35 Cecil Hotel
46 Karmuz Police Station
57 Fine Arts Museum
03 Al Mamoura Hospital
14 Al Saraya Beach
25 Shatby Beach
36 Ahly National Bank
47 Pompey’s Pillar
58 Alexandria City Centre
48 Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa
59 Tourist Information Office
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12 Abu Hayef Beach
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26 Tourist Information Office 37 Al Mansheya Police Station Aa ly
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Al A
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01 Al Islah Station
04 Palestine Hotel
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Maritime Julie Ville Hotel
Sa d
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08 Maiami Beach
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16 Four Seasons Hotel
06 Sheraton Hotel
10 Jihan Hospital
KARMUZ
El Aaly
05 Agiiba Restaurant
El
Alexandria Map
El Sad
KOM EL DEKKA
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MIAMI Gamal Abd El Nasser
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Smuha Club
AL MAAMURA
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Mohamed Anwr El Sadat
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GANACLIS
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Mostafa
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9 Khaled Ibn El Waleed Mahmoud El Esawy
Sala
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Shaw
Abo Que
Abo Quer
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Abd El Salam Aref
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Abu Qir
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Sidi Gab
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26 El Tereat udia Mahm
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AL AWAID reat
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Ring Rd.
El
d re He Ab u ila m Ga
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The North Coast & El-Alamein
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The North Coast & El-Alamein The North Coast contains spectacular beach resorts such as Porto Marina, and Hacienda, untouched desert vistas and nature reserves as well as the incredible battlefield site of El-Alamein. El-Alamein lies some 100km from Alexandria. For years it was a little known stop on the railway lines, and in ancient times the site of Greek tombs and Roman villas. But because it occupies the narrowest part of the strip of desert that runs between the impassable Qattara Depression and the sea, it was chosen as the site for one the most significant battles of World War II. Visit the museum and cemeteries for an unforgettable experience.
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The Battles There was not one battle but three in El-Alamein. The first occurred when Rommel, the German commander of improvisational genius, who had harried the British back and forth along the African north coast, tried to make a decisive break for Alexandria in July 1942. However the Allies, under General Auchinleck, chose to make a last stand at the narrow isthmus of El-Alamein. The devil of the desert campaigns was long supply lines for fuel and ammunition. Rommel ran out of both and came to a grinding halt at El-Alamein.
Tip When walking the battlefield sites always stick to tracks that are visible. In the remoter areas there are still mines, but not if a vehicle has made a track there already.
The second battle happened two months later in late August. The British, now commanded by the determined General ‘Monty’ Montgomery, dug in and began extensive mining of the area. This would be the final point he decided, the Allies would be pushed no further, whatever the cost. Rommel sensed that the longer he waited the worse the build up against him, so he attacked the Alam Halfa ridge but was repulsed by the stiff resistance of the Allies. Retreating behind massive minefields containing over half a million mines, Rommel and Montgomery waited. And waited. Finally, in November, when enough materiel had been built up to ensure a three to one superiority, Montgomery, attacked in the
third battle of El-Alamein. Having cracked the Nazi enigma code, the British knew that Rommel was sick and convalescing in Italy. They took this as a good moment to attack. Six months later the Germans surrendered in Africa. El-Alamein was their first big defeat, and they never recovered after it.
British Spitfire Aircraft (1939)
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The war Museum The museum was created in 1965 initially from remains found on the battlefield. There are uniforms, maps, flags and weapons all on display. Also an accessible display of the battle which shows how much this was a battle of ridges tiny wrinkles in the desert surface became the target and cause for massive loss of life as each side tried to gain a toehold in this inhospitable place. Tanks and armoured vehicles are on display outside.
Royal Italian Army Artillery Major Field Uniform at the War Museum
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There is a fascinating section in the museum dedicated to the desert war fought between the Nazis and the Allied Long Range Desert Group. Patrolling the desert south of El-Alamein in converted trucks, they were the pioneers of modern special forces desert warfare, indeed they carried the SAS into battle until that force gathered its own transport. The chief enemy of the LRDG was Laszlo Almasy, who haunts the Western Desert of Egypt like no other character in recent history. A Hungarian explorer and founder of the Hungarian boy scout movement, as well as a glider champion, he was the first to visit much of the distant Gilf Kebir down in the south west corner of Egypt. He used this knowledge to spirit two German spies into Cairo during World War II. In the museum they have a repaired LRDG vehicle found in the desert in 1992 in almost perfect condition.
Km 105, Alex. Matrouh Desert Rd., El-Alamein 046/410 0031, 046/410 0021 9 am - 2:30 pm 30°50’27.11” N 28°56’36.03” E
orseField M chine a Code M
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Commonwealth memorial This spread out cemetery honours the 7,367 men from all the Allied countries including, Australia, New Zealand, Greece, France, India and Great Britain to name but a few. It also remembers the 11,945 men whose bodies were never recovered. There is a serenity about the quiet rose gardens that surround the inner chapel of the cemetery which those who visit cannot help but notice. 30°50’20.96” N 28°56’51.35” E Parents o f the fallen pa y tribute
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lth onwea Comm l ia emor War M
Commonwealth War Memorial
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German war Memorial Built on a hill within sight of the sea there is something poignant about the German War Memorial with its massive fortress-like defensive architecture. The German Memorial is all indoors, inside a squat octagonal tower of large lumpish stone with bulging buttresses in which lie the bodies of 4280 Germans slain during the Battle of El-Alamein. 30°53’21.39” N 28°52’28.23” E
German Memorial
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Italian war Memorial
0 an 200 More th scribed in e r a names wall on this
Initially in 1943 the Italians and the Germans were interred together. Then in 1949, ElAlamein veteran Paolo CacciaDominoni was given the task of creating a lasting memorial and graveyard for the Italians who fought and died at El-Alamein. He spent 10 years searching the battlefield and burying the dead while building arguably the only memorial that appears to celebrate the battle as something heroic rather than grimly necessary. Standing about 5km beyond the German memorial there is a grand avenue that sweeps up to a chapel and hall of remembrances. There is also
a small museum. In the chapel there are inscriptions to the identified 4800 Italian soldiers, sailors and airmen who lost their lives here. A second dedication is to the 38,000 who remained missing. Thousands of marble plaques line the walls of the hall remembering the dead. 30°54’15.03” N 28°50’23.87” E
Italian ial Memor
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Italian bunker complex
Graveyard of the Panzers
For those of an adventurous nature, it is worth getting a Bedouin guide and searching out some of the lesser known sights of the Battle of El-Alamein. There is still unexploded ordnance and mines in the desert but with a guide you should be fine as enough people have been to these places to make them safe if you follow the established routes. The Italian hospital and bunker complex is a fascinating site, an elaborate series of earthworks and trenches some 24km from the coast along the El-AlameinBahariya desert road.
This place, 10km into the desert near Tel el Aqaqir, exists as a memorial to the spot where German General Von Thoma of the obliterated 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions surrendered.
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Did You Know? British stage illusionist Jasper Maskelyne was employed by the Allied army to hide the many tanks needed for the Battle of El-Alamein. He disguised the tanks under cardboard and wood ‘truck’ bodies and had a false pipeline built to make the Germans think the attack was coming from a different place.
Porto Marina
LAKE MARIOUT
31 Tourist Information Office
42 Marine General Hospital
53 El-Agami Club Hotel
21 Cleopatra Beach
32 Roman Amphitheater
43 Al Labban Police Station
54 El-Agami Beach
22 Sporting Beach
33 Greco-Roman Museum
44 St. Mark Cathedral
55 Al Bitaash Beach
23 Sporting club and Golf
11
Maritime Julie Ville Hotel
12 Abu Hayef Beach
34 Misr Train Station
45 Mena Police Station
13 Abu Hayef Restaurant
24 Ibrahemya Beach
35 Cecil Hotel
46 Karmuz Police Station
57 Fine Arts Museum
03 Al Mamoura Hospital
14 Al Saraya Beach
25 Shatby Beach
36 Ahly National Bank
47 Pompey’s Pillar
58 Alexandria City Centre
56 El Nozha Airport
El
Sa d
El
Aa ly
01 Al Islah Station 02 Dr. Mohamed el Nabawi Hospital
T
Cai r
20 Roshdi Beach
10 Jihan Hospital
Men a mo nast ery
09 Sidi Bishr Beach
15 San Stephano Beach
Dese
rt Rd.
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Porto Marina
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26 Tourist Information Office 37 Al Mansheya Police Station
x De Ale
48 Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa
59 Tourist Information Office
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Ca Cairo
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Aa ly
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Cairo
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04 Palestine Hotel
To S t.
Map
Alex
Cairo Alex Desert Rd.
Dese
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Porto Marina is more than just a resort, it’s a lifestyle revolution. This unique seaside destination attracts visitors from all over the world in search of sun, fun, luxurious accommodation, hotel serviced apartments, spa treatments, sporting facilities, quality entertainment, internationals restaurants, 330 five star hotel rooms, yacht marina and a commercial mall with 138 brands.
Al Ar ouba
58 26 56 Ring Rd.
Ring
Rd.
Whether you are a regional traveler for spectacular marina on your luxury yacht, an international tourist looking for the most fashionable local hideaway or a family looking to vacation together, The North Coast is the destination of choice. Km105 Alexandria - Marsa Matrouh Road 046/445 2 714/5 30°49’31.61” N 28°59’13.81” E
El Alamein Map
Med
a iterranean Se To Alexandria
To Marsa Matrouh To Marsa Matrouh
To t h & It e Germ alia n w an ar g rave s
Alex Alamein war museum
Porto Marina Resort & Spa
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Commonwealth graveyards
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Marsa Matrouh
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Marsa Matrouh Though there is some evidence that Cypriot traders started a port here first, it took Alexander the Great to found a trading town here as a stopping point between Alexandria and Siwa, home to the fabled Oracle. The spot is especially protected and of great natural beauty, so it is no surprise Helen of Troy is supposed to have sought refuge here, and Cleopatra named it her favourite resort. Matrouh is the closest point of Egypt to Europe less that 400km from Crete and only 370km to Cyprus. The Mediterranean is arguably at its most beautiful at Matrouh- brilliant azure- and one can see why Cleopatra should choose this place as her own favourite. Later her lover Mark Anthony had bitter memories of the place as he lost his fleet in the harbour of the town to his enemy Cornelius Gallus.
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Matrouh is these days a lively town of around 80,000 people. It is first and foremost a summer resort, blessed as it is by calm seas and great beaches.
The lagoons The secret of the balmy beaches of Marsa Matrouh is the fact that it is sheltered by four lagoons. Three of them are really one large lagoon that faces an opening to the Mediterranean. The fourth lagoon is a lake containing ‘Bate’s island’ a fascinating tiny archeological site a mere 135 metres long and 55 metres wide. You can wade to it from the shore and all around are the scattered remains of inhabitation from late Bronze age times, though Greek and Roman right up until the present day.
Did you know? Alexander the Great tried to shoot a gazelle at Marsa Matrouh but missed and this resulted in the original name of the place. He decreed the town should be called ‘wide of the mark’, which it remained right through Roman times where it was called Paraetonium, which means ‘wide of the mark’ in Latin.
Gharam Beach in Marsa Matrouh
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Cleopatra Beach
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Cleopatra’s bath When Cleopatra and Mark had finished disporting themselves in the pool they could retire to Cleopatra’s Villa. This ruin, between the modern town of Matrouh and the sea, once had a subterranean passage leading to the beach, perhaps allowing midnight swims unobserved! Unfortunately the site was largely battered during the Allied bombardment of Matrouh in World War II. 30°49’31.61” N 28°59’13.81” E
Cleopatra’s Bath
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Rommel’s cave and museum Rommel directed operations from an extensive cave system in the cliffs over looking the harbour. Formerly it was a grain store used by the Romans, for whom Egypt was their principle supplier of wheat. The caves have now been made into a small museum, largely honouring Rommel. Indeed it is his personal effects, donated by his son Manfred, that make this place worth a visit. Rommel’s rather suave full length leather coat, his compass and his marked up maps are all on display. 31°21’56.24” N 27°14’53.69” E
Rommel’s coat is shown in his Museum
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Did you know? The builder of much of the original modern infrastructure of Marsa Matrouh was a French anarchist known only as ‘E’. Under the orders of Camel Corps Commander Andre Dumreicher in the 1900s he built the hospital, post office, prison, school and police station.
Dive the U75 and Volo Cargo ship Matrouh was a centre of the diving industry from ancient Greek times to the early twentieth century that is, sponge diving, favoured by Greek warriors for padding their helmets as well as for the more usual purposes. As many as 2000 divers would gather on the first day of the season to collect the bountiful supply of sponges. Though diving for sponges as an industry has stopped you may still see them if you choose to dive any of the wrecks in and around the lagoon of Matrouh. A U-75 submarine lies on the far side of Matrouh bay, holed and sunk by depth charges in 1941. This was after it had sunk the merchant ship the Volo, which lies about 100m from the beach below Rommel’s cave.
Rommel’s Beach
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Agiiba Beach
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Cleopatra Beach
Mediterranean Sea Gharam Beach Rommel’s Beach
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Beaches
Rosetta
Marsa Matrouh
El Mansura
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De Qat pr t e
Bawiti Ba ha ri yya Oa si s
ALEXANDER THE GREAT TEMPLE
BANI HASAN TOMBS Mallawi
TEL EL AMARNA
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Abu ST CATHERINE’S Rudeis Dahab
Ras Gharib
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El Tur
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Da khl a Oa si s
Va l
Tram stations World Heritage Sites Hospitals
SOMA BAY
Post Offices
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Main Roads
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El Quseir
Qus
KARNAK
AL BAGAWAT NECROPOLIS
N ew
Tourist Police
MA KA D I BAY SA H L H AS H E ES H
WADI HAMMAMAT
Qena
VALLEY OF THE KINGS
A i n Um m D a ba d i b
Bus Stops
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Safaga
DANDARA El Qasr
Hotels & Resorts
Sharm el-Sheikh
Hurghada
ABYDOS
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Banks & ATMs
El Gouna MONS CLAUDIANUS
Nile River Sohag
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Airports Pharaoh’s Island
Nuweiba
MONASTERY
Asyut
Taba
Taba Heights
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ST ANTHONY’S MONASTERY
MONS PORPHYRITES
El Minya
TONA EL GABAL RUINS
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Qasr Farafra
Restaurants and Cafés
Sinai SERABIT EL KHADIM
ST PAUL’S MONASTERY
Abu minqar Gelf
Marina
Oyoun Musa
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Beni Suef
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W h i te D e s e
Ports
Railway Stations
Suez Ras Sidr
PORTO EL SUKHNA
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Oases
Ti m sa h L a ke
Ain Sukhna
Memphis
El Fayoum
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Fa ra f ra Oa si s
Ba rd awi l L a ke
Golf Courses
Rafah
El Arish
Cairo
Giza
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Ismailia
Zagazig
PYRAMIDS OF GIZA PYRAMIDS OF SAQQARA Qa ro u n L a ke Fayo u m Oa si s
Areg
Port Said
TANIS
Tanta
Wadi elNatroun
El Alamein
SUEZ CANAL
Porto Marina
Sidi Abd el Rahman
AMON TEMPLE Gabal El Mawta Cleopatra Gabal Bath El Dakrur
Siwa
Damietta
Alexandria
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Rommel’s Cave Matrouh Port
To Agiiba Beach (20 Km to the West)
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Agiiba means miracle in Arabic, and this secluded spectacular cove reached by a path from the cliff top really is a miracle. But like many miracles it is fairly well known so, in summer, arrive early if you want to stake your place in the sun. There is a café at the top. You can reach it by taxi or bus from Matrouh which is 24km to the east.
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Agiiba Beach
Port Ghalib
Esna TEMPLE OF KHNOUM
Bulaq
TEMPLE OF HORUS
Monasteries
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Marsa Alam
Edfu
Diving Sites
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Kom Ombo
Baris
Sound & Light Shows
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Islamic Sites
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SAAD EL-ALI, THE HIGH DAM
Tourist Information Offices Berenice
Ra s Wireless Ba n a s Internet
PHILAE KALABSHA Tr o p i c o f C a n c e r
Lake Nasser
Shalatin
WADI EL-SUBUA AMADA Tushka
ABU SIMBEL
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General White Mediterranean Travel Section
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Food On the Mediterranean in Egypt you’ll want to be eating fish. It’s fresh and excellent and there is always lots of choice. You pick the fish out yourself in many restaurants and see just how fresh it is. The main choice you make is whether to have your fish fried or grilled. The price will be determined by the weight of the fish. Popular fish include sole, red mullet, bass, grey mullet, crab, shrimp and calamari or squid. All delicious! As well as fish there are the standard Egyptian dishes of kebab, chicken, stuffed pigeon and stuffed vine leaves. Most are served with rice, salad and vegetables if desired. No trip to Egypt is complete without tasting the dish of kushari, a mix of lentils, rice and pasta and sauce that is unique.
Tip When buying street food such as Felafel sandwiches, just look for the stall with the longest and busiest line, that is always bound to be good!
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Egyptian local food
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Accommodation Where to stay on the White Mediterranean will be determined by whether you choose a resort or a town based hotel. Both have advantages. In Alexandria itself there is the largest selection of hotels from the cheap and cheerful to the five star excellence of such places at the Hotel Cecil as well as many newer establishments of equal quality. In Marsa Matrouh there are mature hotels in and around the town as well the resort of Almaza Bay which is only 37km away. For Rosetta and El-Alamein there are existing hotels of good quality. ElAlamein is also superbly served by the relatively new Porto Marina with all its many facilities.
San Stephano Residential Tower in Alexandria
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otel Cecil H
Getting Around For traveling around the White Mediterranean the tourist is well served by both public and private transport options. There are bus services between all the towns, major and minor. To get to battlefield remains, a distant beach or an ancient site, is very easy to arrange at your hotel. They will contact a trusted operator who will drive you by taxi, microbus or 4x4 as is deemed most appropriate. You can also summon taxis on the streets of the bigger towns. Simply state your destination and agree a price then go. In the remoter stretches of the White Med you can even hitch a lift in a passing pick-up if you are really stuck! All modes of transport are very cheap compared to European prices, and apart from public bus services you can always try your hand at bargaining (though hotels will offer a guide price for transport if you desire it).
i dria Tax Alexan
Double-decker bus operates in Alexandria
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Your Journey in Egypt continues…
The White Mediterranean is easy to get to from Luxor, Aswan, Cairo, Sharm el-Sheikh and Siwa. To make a longer, more unforgettable, journey, why not add two or three of these fabulous destinations together?
LUXOR
For a full Luxor experience one should see the Valley of the Kings with Tutankhamun’s Tomb, the Temple of Luxor and other great sites of antiquity. There are numerous first class hotels and great chances to relax in a sailing felucca on the mighty river Nile. One can also travel to Aswan by boat from Luxor. To go to and from Luxor one can fly direct, which takes no more than an hour, as do most internal flights in Egypt. One can also take the first class train to Cairo and then change and take either the daytime or ‘sleeper’ train up to Luxor, a fantastic experience which takes around eight hours. k a Karn le p Tem
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ASWAN
Aswan is the gate to Nubia, a realm of marvelous calm and the favourite destination of the Aga Khan and Francois Mitterrand to name but two famous people who succumbed tine Elephan to its wonderfully n la Is d relaxing charms. There are ancient temples, the incredible high dam, Elephantine Island and ancient monasteries all there to help you create the holiday story of lifetime. You can get to Aswan by boat from Luxor, flying direct from Alexandria, or by vehicle from Luxor or Cairo.
Philae Island
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ss y Fortre Old Cit ali of Sh
SIWA
If you have time, Siwa makes for a great journey into the heart of the Western Desert. Only three or four hours along a good road from Marsa Matrouh, Siwa is an oasis town surrounded by large saline lakes of majestic beauty. Siwa is home to the ancient Oracle temple where Alexander the Great went after conquering Egypt. Other attractions of Siwa include hot springs, Roman ruins, the mud walled town of Shali and a magnificent eco-lodge where Prince Charles and many other luminaries have stayed.
SHARM el-Sheikh
Sharm el-Sheikh is the latest addition to the international destinations of Egypt. Known originally as one of the world’s number one diving spots, it has great wreck and coral diving and is situated on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula. Nearby lies the immense charm of desert and mountain scenery and the ancient attraction of St. Catherine’s Monastery and Mt. Sinai. To get to Sharm el-Sheikh from Alexandria is easy, either by a short flight or by bus or long distance taxi via Cairo.
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Bay Sharks
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CAIRO
Cairo usually features in any Egyptian experience. It is has, after all, the only remaining wonder of the ancient world, the Pyramids, as well as the great Egyptian Museum, the marvels of Islamic Cairo and the Citadel, the Nile, as well as numerous restaurants and nightspots. Cairo can be reached from Alexandria by the Alex desert road or by train. There is a rapid first class service that arrives in under three hours and provides for a meal by the route if required.
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Practical Info Location:
31 05 to 22 N
25 02 to 34 56 E
Population: More than 85 million Large cities: Cairo (18 million), Alexandria (4 million), Aswan and Suez Language: Arabic
Egypt Today Since the end of the nineteenth century, Egypt has been evolving at a very high speed. Its political, economic and cultural life has undergone striking changes. From the inscription of the first hieroglyph to the construction of the new hi-tech Smart Village, Egypt has always been a pioneer on the frontier for emerging information technologies in the Arab world.
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Egypt is one of the oldest countries in the world, its people are conscious of their ancient origin and proud of their heritage. This makes the Egyptian provider of services for the tourist both experienced and able to anticipate what any tourist is likely to want to see. The Egyptian people have suffered under several waves of invasion, but have never been broken. Their talent is in flexibility and thinking up novel solutions to problems. With this is mind and a flexible approach of your own, you will have a marvelous time on holiday.
Entry and Departure Visitors will need a single-visit visa to enter Egypt. The visa is valid for 90 days. If the planned trip involves travel in and out of Egypt over the same period, then the best option is a multiple-visit visa. Obtaining a visa is straightforward. It can be arranged in advance through one of the Egyptian consulates dotted around the world, or purchased on entry at airports. All visitors will need to have a passport which must have at least six months remaining of its validity from the date of entry. Egypt applies strict customs rules about bringing items such as alcohol and cigarettes into the country, so to avoid any misunderstandings it is probably advisable to buy at an airport shop. Under no circumstances should you attempt to leave the country with antiquities.
Health
Electricity
There are no vaccinations needed to visit Egypt. Sunburn and dehydration can be avoided by using plenty of sun cream, wearing light cotton clothing and a hat, and drinking lots of water. The health care facilities in Egypt are generally good and it is advisable to have health insurance.
Egypt’s electricity works on 220v with sockets being of the two-pin European mainland variety. It’s a good idea to pack an adaptor if planning to use personal items like mobile phone chargers.
Communications
Flying to Egypt, is relatively straightforward. The main airline, EgyptAir (www.egyptair.com), runs regular and efficient service to Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan from airports around the world. It also provides inexpensive domestic flights. Some visitors choose to arrive by road or by sea. Cruise ships often make Egypt a key stop on their itineraries. Booking holidays or short trips to Egypt is easily done via links from the Egyptian Tourist Authority’s website (www.egypt. travel), online direct with local agents, or by visiting your nearest travel agent. Also check (www.eha.com) to choose your hotel.
Egypt has embraced internet services and now it is easy to go online at hotels, offices and internet cafes. Egypt has widespread wi fi service available. The telephone system is efficient and visitors should have no problem in finding public phones that take cards. You can buy visitor mobile cards that enable you to use your mobile. You can buy stamps and post your letters at post offices or from your hotel. Post offices are closed on Fridays.
Information and Booking
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Language The official language of Egypt is Arabic and other languages are widely spoken too, especially in tourist areas. Talk like an Egyptian A little bit of Egyptian Arabic will go a long way as you meet locals during your trip. Here are some Arabic words to help you get started. Aywa .....................yes La ..........................no shukran .................thank you Min fadlak .............please afwan.............................you’re welcome salaam aleikum .....hello ahlan wasahlan .....welcome maalesh.................no problem
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Every area of Egypt is different but there are similarities. For example, it is customary to pay after receiving a service not before- be it a drink, a meal or a taxi ride. Also you will find a level of trust absent in more ‘developed’ countries. If you go into a shop and buy a paper and find you haven’t enough money the shop keeper will trust you to return with the right amount later- and let you take the paper with you!
Money, ATMs and Credit Cards The currency of Egypt is the Egyptian pound, which is divided into 100 piasters. Cash is generally easily obtained from ATMs, which can be found in larger towns and cities. Most of the major hotels and stores accept credit cards, such as Visa and Mastercard, along with travellers’ cheques and certain foreign currencies like Euro, Sterling and Dollars. If venturing off the beaten track you will find that generally only the Egyptian pound in cash will be accepted.
Public Holidays Holidays include the Coptic Christmas on January 7, Labour Day on May 1, Revolution Day on July 23, Armed Forces Day on October 6. The Islamic New Year, the Birth of the Prophet and Ramadan, the major religious period of fasting that precedes the Bairam Feast, change every year.
Business Hours Government,administrative offices and banks are generally open from 9am to 2pm each day, except for Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays.
Most shops are open from 10am to 10pm every day except Sunday. Please note that all these times may vary in shopping centres and during Ramadan. Most historic sites and museums are open from 9am to 5pm daily, and often until 6pm in the summer.
Time Egypt is two hours ahead of GMT.
Transport As Egypt is such a vast country, the best way for holidaying visitors who may have a limited
amount of time to explore is to travel from one city to another by air. There are also long distance buses and trains available. Travel within cities is probably best done by taxi or a minibus, although car hire is an option. Hiring a car with a guide by the day is a good idea if you have a tight schedule and want to see all the sights. If planning to go into the desert it is a must to take a guide to avoid becoming disorientated. Cairo also has an underground metro system, which is a good way to travel around the city.
CLIMATE During the summer, from March to November, the climate is hot
and dry in most of the country. December to February can be quite cold in the north. The sky is usually blue and cloudless. The temperature varies considerably in Egypt. It rains more often in Alexandria than in Aswan and Cairo.
POPULATION With more than 85 million inhabitants, Egypt represents one quarter of the population of the Arab world.
you will not encounter any threat of physical violence or criminal intent. Mugging is unheard of, burglary rare.
Clothing Women need to be somewhat more careful when walking alone at night, as in any country, and wearing modest clothing makes obvious sense when away from the more developed resort areas.
Safety Compared to New York and London, walking the streets of even the poorest neighborhoods of Alexandria, Luxor or Cairo
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Important numbers Emergency Numbers in Egypt are very handy and can be contacted anytime. Country code +2
Gallantry of the Egyptian Egyptian people are by nature very friendly and helpful. If you stop with a map on a street corner expect to gather a few helpers. If you need to ask directions people will be very happy to give you them. Here people are generous with time, and are not bothered if you interrupt them with some requests.
Ambulance 123
Flying hospital service 02/377 66393
Egyptair 1717
Fire Brigade 180
Railway Information: Cairo 02/257 53555, Alex 03/392 0010
Telephone Directory 140
Police 122 Tourist Police 126 Traffic Police 128 Cairo Airport Shuttle Bus service 19970
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Cairo Old Airport Information 02/265 5000 Cairo New Airport 02/265 2029
Speaking Clock 150
There’s always something to tell about Egypt.
What’s yours?
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There’s always something to tell about Egypt.
What’s yours?
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