After breakfast at your hotel, you'll meet your tour guide to begin your Alexandria day tours from Cairo. This city was founded by Alexander the Great and is known as the shining pearl of the Mediterranean and the second-largest city in Egypt. You'll travel to Alexandria by modern car, which takes about 2 hours, and stop for a break on the way.
Your first stop in Alexandria will be at Pompey's Pillar, the only remaining pillar from the Roman temple known as the Serapeum. You'll then visit the Citadel of Qaitbay, built by the Mamluk rulers to fortify the Mediterranean seacoast against the Ottomans. This citadel stands on the same spot where Alexandria's ancient lighthouse once stood, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world that no longer exists. You'll also explore the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, the largest Roman cemetery in Egypt with three layers of tombs and chambers cut out of the rock underground.
Next, you'll be amazed by the Bibliotheca of Alexandria, an important ancient library and the center of learning and scientific research in the ancient world. You'll visit the new Bibliotheca of Alexandria, the most important modern project in Alexandria, built along the sea boulevard.
You'll also see the church of St. Mark, one of the oldest churches in Africa, and take a walk through the old downtown of Alexandria, enjoying the local markets where traditional Egyptian sweets and treats are sold. You'll pass through the oldest market area in Mansheya and see the traditional ladies' markets with very narrow streets and the gold market where people buy wedding and engagement jewelry.
You'll visit the Abbo Elabbas Mosque, the prettiest and biggest mosque in the city, and the old funfair outside it where children play on antique funfair rides and eat candy floss. You'll also see the corniche and the old harbor where traditional fishermen make nets.
Finally, you'll enjoy a seafood lunch in a high-quality local restaurant before being transferred back to Cairo with a break on the way. Breakfast and lunch are included in the tour.