Alexandria Day Tour: Quaitbay Castle & Catacombs Visit

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/24

Duration10h–11h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · AR +1

PickupAt your hotel

Walk through millennia of Alexandria's history, from Greco-Roman tombs to a medieval fortress overlooking the Mediterranean.

A private guided day tour from Cairo to Alexandria with a local guide born in the city, covering the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Quaitbay Castle, the Roman Amphitheater, St. Mark's Church, the Alexandria Library and the Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque. The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off from Cairo, entry fees (depending on your option), lunch at a seafood restaurant, and an air-conditioned vehicle for the two-hour drive each way. Your guide will suggest additional landmarks if time allows and share stories about Alexandria from the era of Alexander the Great through the modern city.

10h–11h

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day Alexandria sightseeing tour

Pick up from Cairo hotel
Drive to Alexandria with coffee break
Visit the Library of Alexandria
Visit the Church of St. Mark and explore markets
Visit the Roman Amphitheater
Visit the Quaitbay Castle
Lunch with Mediterranean sea view
Visit the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
Visit Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque
Visit Stanley Bridge and enjoy ice cream
Return drive to Cairo with break
Drop off at Cairo hotel

The Experience

The driver picks you up at your Cairo hotel and handles the two-hour drive to Alexandria, stopping once so you can stretch, grab coffee or use facilities without losing time. You arrive with a guide who grew up in Alexandria and knows the city's layered history—the Greco-Roman period, the Islamic centuries, the colonial architecture, the modern waterfront. This is not a bus full of strangers; it's a private tour built around your pace and interests.

The day moves through the major sites. The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa sit underground, blending ancient Egyptian burial traditions with Greco-Roman design—a physical record of how two civilizations collided in this port city. The Roman Amphitheater still holds its ancient stone seating and statues. Quaitbay Castle stands on the spot where the ancient lighthouse once guided merchant ships; from the ramparts you see the Mediterranean and the whole sweep of the modern harbor. St. Mark's Church, one of Africa's oldest, reopened recently and holds centuries of Christian history in its icons and statues. The Alexandria Library—one of the world's largest—houses over 8 million books and a museum of Egypt's modern political history. The Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque, prominent in the old quarter, shows the architectural beauty that defines Islamic Alexandria. Your guide will walk you through the ancient markets and narrow streets, pointing out buildings whose design reaches back hundreds of years and explaining the customs and stories of the residents who live there now.

Lunch happens at a seafood restaurant with a view of the Mediterranean—included in most options, though you can skip it if you prefer. Before the drive back to Cairo, there's time at Stanley Bridge, a modern landmark where you can walk, take photos and grab ice cream. The whole day runs ten to eleven hours door-to-door. The vehicle is air-conditioned, and the guide speaks English, Spanish or Arabic depending on what you need.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off from Cairo.
air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
a private guide who speaks English, Spanish or Arabic.
entry fees to the Catacombs, Quaitbay Castle, Roman Amphitheater, St. Mark's Church, Alexandria Library and the Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque (depending on your option).
lunch at a seafood restaurant with Mediterranean views (depending on your option).

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Narmer Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the All Inclusive Luxury VIP option if you want entry fees and lunch handled without deciding at each stop; pick the Alexandria tour with Driver if you'd rather arrange your own meals and entries but still want the transport and guide; the Budget Shared Tour works if you're comfortable joining other travelers and prefer a lower price point.