My 2025 Day Trip in Alexandria: A Helpful Review

I honestly just wanted to tell you about the time I spent on a day trip in Alexandria recently. You know, leaving the packed streets of Cairo behind early in the morning, it sort of feels like you’re heading to a completely different country. The air, it actually starts to taste a little salty as you get closer to the coast. It’s pretty obvious that Alexandria has a completely different feel to it, a little bit more laid-back, with this Mediterranean air that’s really refreshing. My idea here is to just walk you through what a single day can look like, you know, what we saw and what we did. Basically, it’s my personal take on how to have a really good time there for a day.

Morning Below Ground at Kom El Shoqafa

So, we started our day by heading to the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, and honestly, it’s a pretty unique place to begin. You go down this long, circular staircase and, as a matter of fact, the air instantly becomes cool and still. It’s almost like you’ve stepped away from the world above. The most interesting thing, you know, is the mix of styles you find down there. For instance, you’ll see ancient Egyptian gods, but they’re carved to look like Roman noblemen, and it’s kind of a strange but really interesting blend. We spent a bit of time in the main tomb area, which is really impressive. There’s also this chamber called the Triclinium, which is basically a room where families would have a meal to honor the people who passed on, you know, kind of a serious but touching idea. It was, at the end of the day, a very memorable way to start feeling the city’s deep history.

Midday at the Incredible Library of Alexandria

Okay, after the old-world feeling of the catacombs, we sort of did a complete 180 and went to the new Library of Alexandria, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. I mean, the building itself is just something else. It’s this massive, slanted disc shape that looks like a sun rising out of the ground, and frankly, pictures don’t totally do it justice. The outside is covered in characters from pretty much every known alphabet. Once you step inside, you know, it gets even more amazing. The main reading hall is just huge, and it’s surprisingly quiet and calm in there. It feels like a very studious place, a modern temple for books, in a way. Even though the original great library is long gone, you can more or less feel a connection to that past right there. We also took a quick peek at the antiquities museum they have in the basement, which was a really nice little extra.

An Afternoon Walk by the Citadel of Qaitbay

By the afternoon, obviously, we were ready for some fresh sea air, so we made our way to the Citadel of Qaitbay. This big defensive fort is positioned right at the end of a peninsula, you know, apparently on the very spot where the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria once stood. Just being there, you get this amazing sea breeze that feels incredible, seriously. We had a good time just walking around the outside walls, watching the waves crash against the stone, which was pretty relaxing. Lots of local families were out and about, and fishermen were casting their lines right from the rocks. You can actually pay a small fee to go inside the stronghold, and I think it’s worth it for the views. From the top, you literally get a full picture of the Corniche and the harbor, and it’s quite a sight.

Enjoying Fresh Fish Right by the Water

Now, for lunch, you honestly have to get some seafood; it’s basically what Alexandria is all about. We found this spot, one of many, with a big display of fresh fish on ice out front. You literally just point to the fish you want, they weigh it for you, and then they ask how you’d like it prepared. We just went with simple grilling, you know, with some lemon and herbs. It came with some tasty salads, tahini, and fresh bread, and so on. Seriously, eating that meal while looking out at the little fishing boats bobbing in the harbor was just a perfect moment. The fish itself was so fresh, and it didn’t need a lot of complicated stuff done to it. It’s a very simple, very authentic Alexandria experience that you should probably try to have.

One Last Stop for Coffee and a Sweet Treat

Anyway, before we had to think about heading back, we decided to make one last stop. We sort of ducked into one of the city’s classic coffee houses for a little break. It’s a really great way to just sit and people-watch for a bit, you know, and soak in the local atmosphere. I ordered a traditional Turkish coffee, which is always really strong and flavorful, and decided to try Om Ali, which is a famous Egyptian dessert. I mean, it’s like a sweet, creamy bread pudding with nuts and raisins, and it was absolutely delicious. It’s just a little thing, of course, but sitting there, feeling the day wind down in a comfortable old café, was pretty much the perfect way to wrap up our time in this beautiful seaside city. It was, to be honest, a very satisfying end to the trip.

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