A Quick Guide To ... Alexandria

Step beyond Cairo and Luxor and follow Egypt's Mediterranean coast to a city shaped by sea and scholarship. Alexandria is where a modern library faces a medieval citadel, and daily life flows along the Corniche as naturally as the tide. This is your guide to experiencing it authentically. More than a list of sights, this book shows you how to balance shoreline icons with the streets just inland-and how to plan days that follow light, wind, and appetite.
Swim when conditions invite, walk when the breeze rises, eat what's fresh, and verify the few things that change. Inside, you'll uncover the real Alexandria:  Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Go beyond the plaza to use the reading room, museums, and events-plus the simple checks to make on the day for hours and exhibitions. Qaitbay Citadel: Stand on the Lighthouse's footprint, read the fortress in its working harbor setting, and time the parapet views for winter winds and summer light.
Corniche to Montaza: Walk the city's living room and its gentler gardens and coves, with the best arcs, safe pickup points, and seasonal swim guidance. Greco-Roman Alexandria: Link Kom el Dikka, Pompey's Pillar, and the Catacombs into one clear, compact loop-with context, access notes, and what to look for underground. Seafood & Street Flavor: Master fish-by-weight ordering, sayadiya rice, and "Iskandarani" staples-along with dining customs, tipping, and halal context that remove guesswork.
Day Excursions That Matter: Reflect at El Alamein's cemeteries and museum, walk Rosetta's Ottoman lanes and fort, and visit the living monasteries of Wadi El Natrun-with on-the-day confirmations that keep plans smooth.  With flexible itineraries for every season, practical tips for trams, ride-hailing, and beaches, cultural etiquette (including Ramadan's rhythm), health and safety guidance with essential short-codes, and the digital tools that actually help on the ground, A Quick Guide to Alexandria is your essential companion to Egypt's Mediterranean city.