Alexandria Private Day Tour From Cairo: Ancient Sites With Guide

Catacombs, a fortress on the Mediterranean, and a Roman theatre in one day from Cairo

A private day tour from Cairo to Alexandria takes you through the city's layered history with a local guide and air-conditioned transport. You visit the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, an underground burial site blending Egyptian, Greek, and Roman styles; Pompey's Pillar, a 30-meter Roman column; the Citadel of Qaitbay, a 15th-century fortress on the coast; and the Roman Theatre, one of Egypt's best-preserved Roman structures. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. You can add an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, and lunch at checkout, or book transport and driver only.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa4h
2. Citadel of Qaitbay1h
3. Roman Amphitheatre1h

Full day tour of Alexandria

• Pickup from hotel in Cairo
• Drive 2.5 hours to Alexandria
• Visit Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
• See Pompey's Pillar from outside
• Explore Citadel of Qaitbay
• Visit Bibliotheca Alexandrina and museums
• Tour Roman Amphitheatre
• Drive 2.5 hours back to Cairo

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your Cairo or Giza hotel at 7 a.m., then a two-and-a-half-hour drive north to Alexandria. The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa are your first stop: an underground complex of tombs and chambers carved into bedrock in the 2nd century AD and used for burials through the 4th century. The site is a collision of cultures: statues wear Egyptian bodies with Roman hairstyles, and the architecture mixes all three traditions. A circular staircase descends into the tunnels where you walk among the tombs and artifacts that survived until the site's rediscovery in 1900.

From there, you pass Pompey's Pillar, a 30-meter red granite column standing on a rocky hilltop in central Alexandria. Despite its name, it has nothing to do with the Roman general. It's a triumphal monument built for the Emperor Diocletian in 300 AD. You view it from outside, so there's no entrance fee and no time lost at the gate. Next is the Citadel of Qaitbay, a 15th-century defensive fortress built by Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa'it Bay in 1477 on the eastern edge of Pharos Island, where it overlooks the Mediterranean and the Eastern Harbour. The Roman Theatre rounds out the tour: Egypt's only surviving Roman amphitheatre, a well-preserved structure from the era when such buildings dotted the empire.

You'll also pass the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the modern library built as a tribute to the ancient world's knowledge center, and have the option to visit its open courtyard to see statues of Ptolemy the First and Alexander the Great recovered from underwater. The library is closed Fridays and legal holidays, and entry to the reading section requires a separate ticket. The return drive to Cairo takes another two and a half hours. Throughout the day, you travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with bottled water provided. Your guide (if you've selected that option) is a qualified Egyptologist who speaks English and shares the history as you move between sites.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from Cairo or Giza.
• air-conditioned private vehicle for the full day.
• bottled water throughout.
• a qualified Egyptologist guide (if selected at checkout).
• entrance fees to the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Citadel of Qaitbay, and Roman Theatre (if selected).
• and lunch (if selected).

Options for this experience

4 options

Car with driver onlyGuide in English · 07:00 and 08:00Pickup is included

Car and tour guide onlyGuide in English · 07:00 and 08:00Includes pickup

Car, guide and entrance feesGuide in English · 07:00 and 08:00Includes pickup

Car, guide, tickets and lunchGuide in English · 07:00 and 08:00Pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00 and 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (8 and older) · Child (5 to 7 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Egypt tours Gateway

Is this one for you?Choose the option with guide and entrance fees if you want the history explained as you stand in front of each site: the Catacombs' blend of three cultures, the Citadel's position on the coast, the Theatre's rarity in Egypt. If you prefer to move at your own pace and skip the commentary, book the car and driver alone and pay for tickets as you go.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 7 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What exactly is inside the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa?

The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa are an underground burial complex from the 2nd to 4th centuries AD, carved into bedrock and filled with tombs, statues, and archaeological artifacts. The site blends Egyptian, Greek, and Roman styles. Some statues have Egyptian bodies but wear Roman clothes and hairstyles, reflecting the cultural mix of Alexandria during that period. You descend via a circular staircase into the tunnels where the burials took place.

How long is the drive from Cairo to Alexandria?

The drive from Cairo to Alexandria takes two and a half hours each way on the highway, so you'll spend about five hours in the vehicle total across the full day. Pickup happens at 7 a.m. from your hotel, and the return journey begins after the Roman Theatre visit.

Do I have to pay extra to enter each site?

Entrance fees depend on which option you select at checkout. If you choose the option that includes "Car + Guide + Entrance Fees" or "Car + Guide + Tickets + Lunch," all entry fees are covered. If you book only the car with driver or car with guide, you'll pay for tickets separately at each site. Pompey's Pillar is viewed from outside, so there's no entrance fee there.

Is the Bibliotheca Alexandrina included in the tour?

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a stop on the tour where you can visit the open courtyard to see statues of Ptolemy the First and Alexander the Great. Entry to the reading section requires a separate ticket that you purchase on-site. The library is closed on Fridays and legal holidays.

Can I book this tour with just a driver, or do I need a guide?

You have the flexibility to choose. One option includes only the car and driver, so you can explore at your own pace. Other options add a qualified Egyptologist guide who speaks English and shares in-depth knowledge about each site as you visit. You decide at checkout which option suits your needs.

What's included in the tour price?

All options include hotel pickup and drop-off from Cairo or Giza and transport in an air-conditioned vehicle with bottled water. Depending on the option you select, you can add a qualified Egyptologist guide, entrance fees to all sites, and lunch. The basic car-and-driver option covers transport only.