Alexandria Independent Adventure

In the morning, travel from Cairo to Alexandria. Visit the Roman theatre of Kom el Dikka, as well as the Montazah Summer Palace. In the evening, opt to head to one of the city's seafood restaurants. Explore Alexandria with an expert CEO. Its vast history, unique Mediterranean location and distinctly European feel set it apart from other Egyptian cities. Visit the sights of Kom el Dikka, the only Roman theatre of its kind in Egypt, and the Montzah Summer Palace, known for its peaceful gardens. Opt to wander the seaside corniche or stop to enjoy a coffee at one of the many European style cafés. In the evening, opt to head to the bar at the famous Cecil Hotel for a sunset drink.

If you are arriving by flight on Day 1 of the tour, your flight needs to arrive no later than 7am. If you cannot arrive on Day 1 before 7am, we recommend booking pre-night accommodation in Cairo.

Included Experiences

• Roman Theatre Visit: Visit the Roman theatre at Kom El Dikka, which is thought to have been a place more for public meetings than for performances. The theatre was discovered in 1967 when work was underway to construct a modern building on its site. It is the only Roman theatre in Egypt.
• Montazah Summer Palace Visit: Visit the Montazah Summer Palace and its tranquil gardens near the Mediterranean Sea. Khedive Abbas Hilmy (1892-1914) built Montazah as his summer palace, to escape the Cairo heat. Located on a rocky bluff overlooking the sea, it's designed in a mix of Moorish and Florentine style. Now used by Egypt's president and off limits to the public, the surrounding gardens are a great place to wander. By the sea, there is an unusual Victorian-style bridge running out to a small island.
• Free Time: Explore this vibrant seaside town.
• Meet and Greet Hotel Welcome Meeting: On Day 1 of the tour, a G Adventures representative will meet you at the hotel to go over the details of the tour, providing a schedule, documentation/vouchers, and pick-up times for all included activities. The representative can also answer any questions about the tour or the general area.

Enjoy a full-day of sightseeing, exploring this beautiful city. Wander the fort and citadel of Qaitbay, learn the history behind Pompey's Pillar and who is buried in the underground catacombs. Travel back to Cairo in the late afternoon where the tour ends on arrival. Set out with your CEO to visit the fort and citadel of Qaitbay. The citadel was built on the spot of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Visit Pompey's Pillar and the catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, built for a single wealthy family. Finally, visit the new Alexandria Library. In the late afternoon, travel back to Cairo where the tour ends on arrival. Opt to end at the airport for onward travel or at a hotel in the city (overnight not included).

Please ask at time of booking if you would like to organize post-tour accommodation in Cairo. The driver can drop you at the airport or at a hotel in the city. If departing from Cairo on this day, please book onward travel no earlier than 10pm.

Included Experiences

• Fort Qaitbay Visit: Enjoy a visit to Fort Qaitbay, once considered one of the most important defensive strongholds along the Mediterranean Sea coast. It was an important part of the fortification system of Alexandria in the 15th century AD. Located at the entrance of the eastern harbour on the eastern point of Pharos Island, it was erected on the exact site of the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In the 14th century there was a destructive earthquake and the whole building was completely destroyed; the fortification you see today was built in its place.
• Pompey's Pillar Visit: The name "Pompey's Pillar" is actually a misnomer, as it has nothing to do with Pompey, having been erected in 293 for Emperor Diocletian, possibly in memory of the rebellion of Domitius Domitianus.
• Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa Visit: These tombs were tunneled into the bedrock in the age of the Antonine Emperors (2nd century AD) for a single wealthy family still practicing the ancient religion of Egypt. They represent the last existing major construction of the old Egyptian religion.
• Alexandria Library Visit: The Ancient Library of Alexandria was probably the largest and certainly the most famous of the libraries of the ancient world. It flourished during Greek rule and functioned as a major centre of scholarship, at least until the time of the Roman conquest of Egypt, and probably for many centuries thereafter. The old library was destroyed in a fire around the 1st century BC. The magnificent new library was opened in 2002 very close to the site of the ancient one.