Full-Day Alexandria Tour from Cairo: Private Guide & Citadel

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/19

Duration11h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

A single day holds five centuries of Alexandria's history, from Roman tombs to a 15th-century fortress on the Mediterranean.

A private full-day tour of Alexandria departing from Cairo includes hotel pickup, an Egyptologist guide, visits to the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Citadel of Qaitbay, Pompey's Pillar, the Roman Amphitheatre and the Great Library of Alexandria, plus transport by air-conditioned minivan. The tour runs about 11 hours with a 3-hour drive each way. You choose your option at checkout: car with driver only, or add a guide, entrance fees, and lunch as needed. The guide speaks English or Spanish. Bottled water and all taxes are included; gratuities are separate.

11h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Alexandria's historic landmarks

Meet guide at hotel in Cairo
Drive to Alexandria (3 hours)
Visit Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
See Pompey’s Pillar
Tour Citadel of Qaitbay
Explore the Great Library of Alexandria
View the Lighthouse of Alexandria site
Visit Roman Amphitheatre
Drive back to Cairo

The Experience

The day starts with hotel pickup in Cairo and a 3-hour drive north to Alexandria. Your Egyptologist guide meets you there and walks you through the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, a necropolis where Roman, Hellenistic and Pharaonic burial styles merge in a single underground complex. From there you move to Pompey's Pillar, a 100-foot red granite column that stands on a rocky hilltop in the middle of the city — despite its name, it has nothing to do with the Roman general and was actually erected around 300 AD as a triumphal monument.

The Citadel of Qaitbay comes next, a 15th-century defensive fortress built in 1477 on the Mediterranean coast at the mouth of the Eastern Harbour. You'll also visit the Great Library of Alexandria, one of the largest and most significant libraries of the ancient world, which housed an estimated 40,000 to 400,000 papyrus scrolls at its height — note that it closes on Fridays. The Roman Amphitheatre rounds out the stops, a circular open-air venue that once hosted gladiator combats and other events. Transport between each site is by air-conditioned minivan, and bottled water is provided throughout the day.

You pick your option at checkout: car with driver alone, or add a qualified Egyptologist guide, entrance fees to the sites, and lunch. The guide speaks English or Spanish. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, and all taxes and service charges are built into the price. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, though the full day and multiple stops mean you'll be on your feet for stretches.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo.
private air-conditioned minivan transport.
bottled water throughout the day.
all taxes and service charges.
an Egyptologist guide in English or Spanish (if selected).
entrance fees to the Catacombs, Citadel, Library and Amphitheatre (if selected).
lunch (if selected).

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Misk Tours

Is this one for you?Book the car with driver if you want to set your own pace and skip the guide commentary; add the guide if you want the history and context explained at each stop. The all-inclusive option with entrance fees and lunch removes the need to budget or decide separately — everything is arranged and paid upfront.