Alexandria tour from port or hotel: Choose 4 sites

Four Alexandria landmarks in one morning, chosen by you

A private tour of Alexandria starting from your port or hotel, where you pick four sites from nine options including Qaitbay Fort, the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Roman Amphitheater, and others. A guide fluent in your language leads the route in an air-conditioned minivan, with entrance fees and hotel or port pickup included. The tour runs 6 to 7 hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit four Alexandria sites

• Meet guide at port or hotel
• Choose four sites to visit
• Visit Fort Qaitbay
• Visit Bibliotheca Alexandrina
• Visit Saint Mark Cathedral
• Visit Pompey’s Pillar
• Return to port or hotel

The Experience

You arrive at Alexandria Port or your hotel and your guide meets you with a sign bearing your name. From there, the day is yours to shape: you choose four sites from a list of nine, each one a different layer of the city's history. Qaitbay Fort sits on the eastern harbor where the Lighthouse of Alexandria once stood (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), and it anchored the city's Mediterranean defenses in the 15th century. The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, discovered in 1900 when a donkey fell through the ground, blend Egyptian and Greco-Roman styles across three stories cut into the rock. The Roman Amphitheater is the only one of its kind in Egypt, built on what locals call Kom El Dekka, the hill of the benches.

The other options: Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the original centre of learning rebuilt in 2002; Saint Mark Cathedral, the historical seat of the Coptic Pope since AD 60; Pompey's Pillar, a single piece of red Aswan granite standing 26.85 meters high and weighing 285 tons; the Abu El Abbas Mosque, the city's largest; the Alexandria National Museum, where each room is painted to match its era; and the Royal Jewelry Museum. Let you build a route that matches what you want to see. Your guide handles the entrance fees to all four sites and drives you between them in a private, air-conditioned minivan, with bottled water included. At the end of the afternoon, you're dropped back at your port or hotel.

The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French, or German depending on which option you book at checkout. Because you're traveling privately and choosing your own four stops, the pace stays yours: no waiting for a group to catch up, no sites you didn't want to see.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned minivan.
• expert guide in your chosen language.
• entrance fees to four sites of your choice.
• pickup and drop-off at Alexandria Port or your hotel.
• bottled water throughout the day.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportInfant seats available

Operated by Mirette Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the morning departure if your ship docks early or your hotel checkout is mid-morning. The guide meets you on arrival and you're back by early afternoon. If you speak French, Spanish, or German, book that option at checkout. English and other languages are available too.

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Top questions

What is the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa actually like to walk through?

The Catacombs are three stories deep, carved into the rock, with a central staircase that spirals down a large shaft where bodies were once lowered by rope. The chambers mix Egyptian tomb design with Greco-Roman decoration, and the lowest level has filled with groundwater over time, so most of it is now sand. You walk the upper two levels, which are fully accessible.

Can I really pick any four sites, or are some combinations not possible?

You choose four from the nine listed sites: Qaitbay Fort, the Catacombs, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Roman Amphitheater, Saint Mark Cathedral, Pompey's Pillar, Abu El Abbas Mosque, Alexandria National Museum, and the Royal Jewelry Museum. Your guide will work with your choices and arrange the route to fit them into the 6 to 7 hour tour.

What is Qaitbay Fort and why is it important?

Qaitbay Fort stands on the eastern point of Pharos Island at the entrance to Alexandria's eastern harbor, built in the 15th century on the exact site of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was a key defensive stronghold not only for Egypt but for the entire Mediterranean coast, and formed part of Alexandria's fortification system.

Is the tour accessible if I use a wheelchair or have mobility concerns?

Yes. The tour is wheelchair accessible, with accessible transportation and all areas and surfaces at the sites adapted for wheelchair use. Specialized infant seats are available if you're traveling with a baby, and the minivan is air-conditioned throughout the day.

What's included in the price, and what should I budget for separately?

Entrance fees to all four sites you choose, private transportation, the guide, pickup and drop-off at your port or hotel, the air-conditioned minivan, fuel, and bottled water are all included. Gratuities and lunch are not included, so plan to eat before or after the tour or bring snacks.