Mediterranean Coast - Alexandria

Cleopatra doesn’t live here anymore. In fact, the wonders of Alexandria (Al-Iskanda-riya)-the ancient world’s greatest library, the monumental lighthouse, the tomb of Alexander the Great-are all gone. The famed Hellenistic city is literally buried under the new metropolis, whose greatest attraction is its seashore.

Although Alexandria shares the excessive dirt, crowding, noise, and poverty associated with Cairo, a different spirit pervades the city. Whereas summer in Cairo sears the streets and patience alike, in Alexandria it warms Europeans, Gulf Arabs, and Egyptians alike to the concepts of relaxation and celebration. During the day hundreds of thousands splash in the Mediterranean, while at night they stroll along the comiche and fritter away time at nightclubs and restaurants. If Al-Qahira is “The Conqueror,” then Al-Iskandariya is surely the spoils.