In the morning departure to the most important city in Egypt after the capital: Alexandria, the city founded by Alexander the Great, famous in antiquity for its lighthouse and its library. Located 220 km north of Cairo, it is known as the «Pearl of the Mediterranean».
The places of greatest interest in the city will be visited, such as:
Pompey’s Column is located on a mound in the place where the temple to the Greek god Serapis, the Serapeus, of which it was a part, was in ancient times. The name Pompey was a mistake by the Romans who, when they arrived in the city, thought that it was the place where Pompey was buried, who had been assassinated by Cleopatra’s brother. The column is made of Aswan red granite; it is 30 meters high and 9 meters in circumference and is made up of fragments of older Egyptian monuments; On the base there are hieroglyphics with the names of Seti I and a pharaoh of the Saite dynasty.
The Catacombs of Kom el Shukaffa, discovered by chance in the s. XX, are considered one of the largest Roman burial places; They were excavated in the rock in the 2nd century. It is lowered several levels deep by a spiral staircase.
The Qaitbay Citadel is located at the entrance to the bay of Pharos Island, where the Lighthouse once stood, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. In the 15th century, the Mamluk sultan Qaitbay had it built to defend the city from the Turks and it had great strategic importance throughout the Middle Ages.
The Library of Alexandria, built a few meters away from where the Old Library was located, on the boardwalk, and thanks to the collaboration of the Egyptian Government, UNESCO and several countries. It has the shape of a cylinder of cement and glass, cut diagonally and with an inclination towards the sea of 16 degrees, which means that thanks to the glass and aluminum when the sun hits it, it projects its rays towards the sea, in memory of the Lighthouse. from Alexandria.
Montazah Park. By coach there will be a panoramic visit to this 46-hectare park, with its beautiful gardens, roundabouts, pine forests and pavilions; there is the Haramlik palace, the summer residence of King Farouk. Return to Cairo by highway.