Alexandria Luxury Day Trip from Cairo

An Alexandria Day Trip from Cairo trades the desert and pharaonic monuments of most Egypt tours for something different: a Mediterranean port city built by the Greeks, ruled by Rome, and shaped since by every power that controlled the eastern Mediterranean. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, opened in 2002 as a modern successor to the ancient Library of Alexandria, anchors the day, its manuscript collections and exhibitions giving a sense of the city's intellectual history.

From there, the Roman Amphitheater — the only one of its kind still standing in Egypt — and the third-century granite column known as Pompey's Pillar cover the Roman period. The Qaitbay Citadel, a 15th-century fortress built on the exact site of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, sits at the harbor mouth with sweeping Mediterranean views.

A walk along the Corniche and through the gardens of Montazah Palace rounds out the afternoon before a seafood lunch by the water. Given the drive, this is a longer day than an in-Cairo tour, best suited to travelers with a full day free.