Travel writing based on first-hand experience
Wondering what to see during 1 day in Alexandria ? We get it. Alexandria is Egypt’s second most important city, one of the country’s essential stops, and the sort of place that arrives with a dramatic backstory before you even step out of the car.
Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, the city carries his name and a truly oversized historical resume. This is the so-called “Pearl of the Egyptian Mediterranean”—a city that today feels chaotic, noisy, crowded, and gloriously alive, even if its ancient grandeur does not immediately leap out at you from between the traffic jams and apartment blocks..
Back in the Hellenistic period, Alexandria was home to the legendary Great Library of Alexandria and the mythical Lighthouse of Alexandria. While neither survives in its original form, the lighthouse was once counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, alongside the Pyramids of Giza, which are the only ancient wonder still standing today.
Alexandria was also the stage for the stormy saga of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and Mark Antony, and later became a cosmopolitan meeting place for writers, artists, and intellectuals in the early 20th century.
So yes, this city has layers.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the must-see sights during 1 day in Alexandria, so you can make the most of your visit without wandering around wondering where the glory went.
Table of Contents
Our Impressions of a 1 Day in Alexandria
When we arrived in Alexandria from Cairo, we will admit it: at first glance, it felt hard to spot the grandeur of its past beneath the traffic, the pollution, and the dense neighborhoods stacked with concrete buildings.
But Alexandria is one of those cities that rewards a bit of context. Once you know where to look—and that is exactly where this guide comes in—you begin to uncover the fragments of a truly extraordinary past.
Here, we’ll show you how to get to Alexandria, how to move around the city, and, most importantly, what to visit in Alexandria in one day if you want a route that actually makes sense.
Travel tip: We recommend booking a tour with hotel transfers from Cairo. We decided to keep things easy and booked a direct day tour to Alexandria with transfers and a Spanish-speaking guide. It included transport, monument entry fees, and lunch, and honestly, it made the whole day far smoother. Our guide was excellent and helped bring the city’s history to life in a way that would have been difficult to recreate on our own.
If you do not want to wrestle with logistics, a guided day trip from Cairo is, in our opinion, the easiest and most efficient way to visit Alexandria in one day.
Where Is Alexandria?
Alexandria is located in northern Egypt, right on the Mediterranean coast.
It lies around 225 kilometers from Cairo, which means the journey usually takes roughly 2 to 2.5 hours, depending on traffic. And this is Egypt, so yes, traffic deserves its own paragraph.
We strongly recommend leaving Cairo early if you are doing this as a day trip, especially if you want to squeeze in the city’s headline sights without spending half your day staring out a bus window.
Travel tip: If you want internet in Egypt without horrifying roaming charges, getting a prepaid eSIM is usually the easiest option.
How to Get to Alexandria from Cairo
Most travelers visit Alexandria from Cairo. If you are planning to go independently, the bus is usually the most convenient and budget-friendly option.
Buses between Cairo and Alexandria typically take between 2.5 and 3.5 hours, and there are several services running regularly throughout the day.
The most popular bus companies for the route are:
We recommend booking tickets online in advance so you are not left improvising at the station.
Getting Around Alexandria, Egypt
Getting around Alexandria is not especially difficult, but it can feel a little chaotic at first. The city is large, busy, and often clogged with traffic, so the easiest way to move between the main sights is usually by taxi or ride-hailing apps. For most travelers, this is the simplest option, especially if you only have one day in Alexandria and do not want to waste time figuring out local transport.
If you are visiting independently, Uber and Careem are usually the most convenient ways to get around, as they save you from negotiating fares. Regular taxis are everywhere too, but it is best to agree on the price before starting the ride if the meter is not being used.
Some attractions, like the Citadel of Qaitbay and Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque, are close enough to combine on foot, but in general Alexandria is not a city where you will want to walk everywhere. Distances between major sites can be longer than they look on the map, and traffic, heat, and pavement quality can make walking less pleasant than expected.
For a smoother visit, we’d recommend grouping nearby attractions together and using short car rides between them. That way, you spend less time wrestling with logistics and more time soaking up Alexandria’s layered, sea-battered charm.
Other Options for Visiting Alexandria
Even if you visit Alexandria independently, we still think it is worth exploring the city with a specialized guide.
With a knowledgeable local guide—especially one who speaks your language—you will feel much more comfortable navigating Alexandria, and you will get far more out of the historical sites. This is not a city where a quick glance and a vague plaque really cut it.
A guided day trip with transport, monument entry, and lunch can save a lot of time and mental energy, especially if you are visiting from Cairo and only have one day.
5 Must-See Places in Alexandria in One Day
Now that we have covered the practical side of things, let’s get into the fun part: the best places to visit in Alexandria in one day.
1. Citadel of Qaitbay and the Site of the Former Lighthouse of Alexandria
Our one-day Alexandria route begins with the Citadel of Qaitbay, one of the city’s most important landmarks and one of the first places you should see.
Built in 1480 AD by the Mamluk Sultan al-Ashraf Qaitbay, the fortress was one of Egypt’s key defensive strongholds on the Mediterranean coast.
But before the citadel came the star of the ancient skyline: the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Built by the Ptolemaic Kingdom between 280 and 247 BC, it is believed to have stood around 140 meters high. It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and one of the tallest man-made structures of its time.
Unfortunately, the lighthouse was destroyed by a major earthquake. Later, many of its remaining stones were used to build the Citadel of Qaitbay, which now stands on the very same site.
A neat historical twist? Some submerged remains of the ancient lighthouse have been discovered in Alexandria’s harbor. There are plans to seek UNESCO protection for the site and even develop an underwater museum so visitors may one day be able to explore the remains properly. Which, frankly, sounds ridiculously cool.
Our Tips for Visiting the Citadel of Qaitbay
If you go inside, do not expect rooms packed with exhibits—the fortress interiors are fairly bare. But the real reward is the setting: from the terrace, you get fantastic views over the harbor, and within the complex you can also visit a mosque and a small maritime museum.
Do not miss the dramatic exterior views either, especially when the waves crash against the fortress walls.
After your visit, we suggest walking toward the port and settling into one of the seafood restaurants with sea views. Eating fish by the Mediterranean after standing on the site of one of the ancient world’s wonders? A strong move.
2. The New Library of Alexandria
The ancient Great Library of Alexandria was one of the largest and most important libraries of the ancient world.
Founded in the 3rd century BC by Ptolemy I Soter, it reflected the same Hellenistic ambition that shaped the city itself: gathering knowledge, culture, and scholarship on a grand scale. At its height, the library held an enormous collection of texts—mostly papyrus scrolls—and attracted some of the greatest thinkers of the ancient world.
At the entrance to the modern library, you can see a statue and bust of Alexander the Great, the city’s founder.
The original library was destroyed during a siege when Julius Caesar’s army set fire to the city in 48 BC.
But in 2002, Alexandria opened a new library as a tribute to that lost institution. Built near the site of the original, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is now one of the most important modern landmarks in the city—and absolutely one of the key sights to visit in Alexandria in one day.
Tips for Visiting the New Library of Alexandria
The modern library is one of the most impressive public buildings in Egypt. Inside, the vast reading room is the highlight and well worth seeing.
The library contains books in Arabic, French, and English, and it also houses several museums, galleries, and temporary exhibitions.
The exterior is equally striking. Built with Aswan granite, the facade is carved with characters from 120 different human scripts, which makes it one of the most visually distinctive modern buildings in Egypt.
Prices and opening hours: Entry to the library costs 70 EGP for non-Egyptians, and this includes a 30-minute guided tour. The tour is not offered in Spanish. It is best to check the official Bibliotheca Alexandrina website for current opening times before your visit.
3. Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa were, hands down, our favorite stop in Alexandria.
If you only remember one place from this guide, make it this one.
This remarkable necropolis dates back to the 2nd century AD and includes three underground levels. The visit begins with a descent down a narrow spiral staircase into a world of tombs, statues, reliefs, and chambers that blend pharaonic funerary traditions with Greek and Roman influences.
And that hybrid style is exactly what makes the site so fascinating. It feels like Alexandria in stone: mixed, layered, and impossible to reduce to a single civilization.
Inside the catacombs, you will pass through underground corridors leading to a pillared vestibule, a Roman triclinium once used as a banquet hall, the main tomb area, and the remarkable Hall of Caracalla.
A funerary relief inside the catacombs of Alexandria—one more reminder that this city hides its best bits underground.
Practical Information for Visiting Kom el Shoqafa
- Price: 40 EGP
- Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Photography: Mobile phone photos are allowed inside
- Important: Cameras must be left in a locker at the entrance
4. Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque
Just a 15-minute walk from the citadel, you will find the beautiful Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque.
This is the most famous and largest mosque to see in Alexandria in one day, and also the most revered. It contains the tomb of the 13th-century saint Abul Abbas al-Mursi, making it one of the city’s most significant religious sites.
Much of the current structure dates to 1775, although the mosque was renovated in the 20th century.
The architecture is elegant, the atmosphere is peaceful, and after the visual weight of citadels and catacombs, this stop adds another side of Alexandria’s identity.
Useful Information for Your Visit
Non-Muslim visitors are allowed to visit Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque and some of Alexandria’s other major mosques, but modest dress is essential.
That means:
- Dress conservatively
- Remove your shoes before entering
- Women should cover their heads
- Men and women may have separate access points inside
As always, respectful clothing goes a long way.
5. Pompey’s Pillar
Another major archaeological stop in Alexandria is Pompey’s Pillar, also known as Diocletian’s Column.
Despite the nickname, the column is not actually linked to Pompey. History loves confusion almost as much as tourists love giant columns.
What matters is this: it is the largest Roman triumphal column built outside ancient Rome or Constantinople, which is a fairly serious claim to fame.
Made from a single piece of Aswan red granite, the column includes a base and a Corinthian capital, and stands as one of the largest ancient monoliths ever constructed.
From a distance, it looks gray. Up close, though, the reddish tone of the granite becomes visible—one of those small details that makes seeing it in person more rewarding than just ticking it off on a list.
A photo of Pompey’s Pillar and the nearby sphinxes, another essential stop for a one-day Alexandria route.
Interesting Facts and Practical Information
- The complete structure is over 27 meters high
- Its circumference measures 9 meters
- It stands in western Alexandria on a raised site with broad views over the bay
Price: 20 EGP, including access to the Diocletian Memorial and Amoud El Sawari
Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Other Interesting Places to See in Alexandria
If you are spending more than one day in Alexandria, add these to your list:
Roman Amphitheater
The Roman Amphitheater is considered the most complete Roman ruin in Egypt. Dating from the 2nd century AD, it is a relatively small amphitheater that was used for music and poetry performances.
Excavations at the site have also revealed other remains, including a bathhouse and a villa with well-preserved mosaics.
Alexandria Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum of Alexandria contains around 1,800 artifacts illustrating the history of both Alexandria and Egypt.
It is housed in a restored Italian-style palace near the city center, on Tariq al-Horreya Street, formerly known as Rue Fuad.
Tips for Visiting Alexandria in One Day
Before you go, here are a few final tips to make your day in Alexandria smoother.
Best Time to Visit
The best seasons to visit Alexandria, in terms of weather and lighter crowds, are:
- Spring: March to early June
- Autumn: September to November
Visit Alexandria Early in Your Egypt Trip
We actually recommend visiting Alexandria before the rest of your major Egypt sightseeing.
Why? Because after a Nile cruise and mind-bending temple visits like Abu Simbel, Luxor, or the Valley of the Kings, Alexandria may feel less spectacular by comparison. It is a city of fragments, atmosphere, and history more than jaw-dropping monumental overload.
So give it the advantage of being seen first.
Dress Modestly
Alexandria may be on the coast, but it is far more conservative than Egypt’s Red Sea resorts, which are extremely used to international tourism.
Dressing modestly is both respectful and practical, especially if you plan to visit mosques or more local neighborhoods.
➡️READ : How To Dress In Egypt | Tourist Guide
Consider Extending Your Trip to Siwa
If you are the adventurous type, do not overlook Egypt’s deserts and oases. Siwa Oasis, in particular, makes afascinating extension to an Alexandria-focused itinerary.
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