Alexandria is a famous tourist destination of Egypt, which was founded by Alexander, the Great. It is famous worldwide as the Cultural Capital of Europe. Situated in the Northern Coast of Egypt, the chessboard-shaped city of Alexandria was architecturally designed by Denokrates II in 332 BC. The city comprises 5 districts, which are all named according to the 5 Greek alphabets namely Alpha (A), Beta (B), Gamma (G), Delta (D) and Epsilon (E). All the royal temples, palaces, libraries, museums and gardens were in the district of Alpha. The city of Alexandria is significant as it is the center of trade for the Mediterranean and European countries and is thus referred to as the 'Gateway to Egypt'. It is also the hub of most of the tourist activities. Though 2nd largest city of Egypt, it is comparatively less populated than Cairo.
Ancient Monuments
Some of the ancient monuments are the other highlights of the city of Alexandria. A 25 m high Pompeii's Pillar is built all in granite and is encircled by the ruins of Seapium. Then there are the Tombs of Al-Anfushi, which consists of 5 Ptolemic tombs. These tombs were built about third century AD.
The 4 rock-cut tombs of the Tombs of Mustafa Kemal Pasha are also famous worldwide. These tombs date back to second century BC. The inscriptions on these tombs provide insight into the daily routines and religious beliefs of the dead Egyptians. In fact, the colors on these tombs are bright and pretty remarkable.
Lying towards the north of St. Mark's College is Al-Shatby Necropolis. Constructed beside the old Greek houses, Al-Shatby consists of passageway, 2 compartments and a doorway. Its history dates back to the 3rd century BC. The foundation of the Pharos Lighthouse has a citadel called Fort Qait Bey, which was constructed around 15th century AD. Pharos Lighthouse once appeared in the list of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Museums
An architectural masterpiece is the Royal Jewelry Palace, which displays exceptional paintings, splendid statues and precious jewels, which belong to the Dynasty of Muhammad Ali. The palace comprises innumerable halls and rooms and is now part of the ancient Palace of Fatma-al-Zahra'a in Zizinia.
Yet another attraction which is worth visiting is the Museum of Fine Arts. It is the hub of select sculptures, fabulous paintings and other architectural masterpieces. Every 2 years, the museum holds a program called the Alexandria Biennial in order to show the artwork of the Mediterranean countries. Besides Egyptians, other foreign artists also display their collection in this exhibition. The Hydrobiological Institute and Museum is also a center of attraction in Alexandria. Situated near the Fort Qait Bey, the museum displays marine life and exclusive collection of fishes.
An assortment of about forty thousand Roman and Greek relics are housed in the Greco-Roman Museum. It also contains collection of ancient coins, which date back to the 3rd century BC to 7th century BC. However, the museum is known worldwide for its Tanafra Statues.
Beaches
The city of Alexandria boasts of many beautiful beaches. It would be a great to spend time near the blue waters and golden sand. Some of the popular beaches are Montazah, Ma'amura, Mandara, Assafra, Miami, Sidi Bishr, San Stefano, Glymonopolou, Stanley, Rushdy, Sidi Gaber, Sporting, Ibrahimia and Shatby, all which falls along the beach front avenue called Corniche. Abu Kir Suburb is a calm beach, which is well known among people for its seafood restaurants and fishing activities.
