Begin with pickup at your Cairo or Giza hotel, and travel to Alexandria in an air-conditioned minivan. Get a briefing on your day’s itinerary along the way, and take in views of the scenery on the drive towards the Mediterranean coast.
Make your first stop at the Alexandria National Museum, where a series of exhibits illustrate Alexandria’s grand past, from Graeco-Roman times to the pharaohs, Byzantine empire, and the arrival of Islam. Continue to the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, three tiers of underground burial chambers that blend Roman, Greek, and Egyptian styles. Painted figures and statues bring the ancient world to life in an underground funereal banquet hall, burial chambers, and passageways sunk into solid rock. Visit Pompey’s Pillar, a monolithic triumphal column that celebrates the Emperor Diocletian in solid red Aswan granite.
Pause for a seafood lunch at a local restaurant, then visit the Library of Alexandria, a modern facility that pays tribute to the city’s ancient library. The elegant building makes room for 20 million books, and the granite exterior is inscribed with characters from 120 different writing systems. After visiting the library make the return trip to Cairo, where this tour concludes with drop-off at your hotel.
