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Home , Damanhur, El Alamein, Rosetta, Sallum, Sidi Abdel Rahman

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Alexandria & the Mediterranean Coast

Why Go? ...... 318 ’s northern coastline runs for 500km along dazzling Around Alexandria ...... 343 Mediterranean shores. Think of it as an Egyptian Riviera, Aboukir ...... 343 drawing swarms of summertime revellers who come to cool (Ar-Rashid) .....343 off in the sea air and splash in the water. Along its western stretches, the translucent shades of turquoise and lapis are Mediterranean Coast ...345 so pure, so vibrant, you’ll hardly believe your eyes. ...... 345 The once-great port city of Alexandria is the region’s ...... 347 hub, with ancient sights, terrifi c seafood restaurants, and a Marsa Matruh ...... 348 distinctly diff erent urban pulse than that of . Further ...... 352 west, historic battlefi elds are reminders of the intense campaigns of WWII’s North African front. During peak sea- son, beach resort towns are as much a cultural experience as anything else, as you join throngs of vacationing families on the seashore. At other times, there’s a good chance you’ll Best Places to Eat have the irresistibly gorgeous waters all to yourself. » Picnic at Agiba Beach (p 349 ) » Zephyrion (p 343 ) » Farag (p 334 ) When to Go » Mohammed Ahmed (p 334 ) Alexandria °C/°F Te m p Rainfall inches/mm Best Places to 50/122 2.4/60 2.0/50 Stay 40/104 1.6/40 » 30/86 Windsor Palace Hotel 1.2/30 (p 331 ) 20/68 0.8/20 » Sofitel Cecil Alexandria 10/50 0.4/10 (p 331 ) 0/32 0 » Almaza Bay (p 350 ) J FDNOSAJJMAM

Jun–mid-Sep Apr–May & Nov–Mar Chilly Best beach sea- mid-Sep–Oct for a beach break, son; Alexandria Beaches are vir- great for hotel and the coast are tually empty, but discounts. packed with Egyp- it’s warm enough tians on holiday. to enjoy them.

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# R Qarun (75km) 11 & Rosetta 3 #\ Wadi # 4 # 10 2 & Natrun # ^ # (p 348 ) El Burg al-Arab Airport 1 # nd in the city fi #– # ä Abu irting with Euro- Mina fl Aboukir (p 345 ) Gulf Alexandria 1 Arab's & SEA Marsa Matruh Marsa nding their voices here. Remember the desert the desert Remember Splash in the stunning Splash in the stunning fi #\ 6 #– # battles of WWII’s North WWII’s of battles at campaign Africa Alamein aqua waters at the beaches at the beaches aqua waters near 7 6 #\ 44 with its restored Ottoman Ottoman restored with its architecture Airport MEDITERRANEAN Sidi Abdel Rahman El Alamein El Alamein 44 4 4

In the 19th the In century ren- a cosmopolitan Alexandria, the famed metropolisof the aissance had Alexandriaaissance pean-style decadence, but it was cutbut it was decadence, pean-style short Today, nationalism. 1950sin the by Nasser’s Alexandria forge a new ready to feels iden- The daring new library of Alexandria is tity. build- most innovative modern probably the ing in the country;be surpassed soon it may underwaterif a cutting-edge museum is planned, to show- as in the bay, built nearby submerged archaeological case Alexandria’s Meanwhile, where theytreasures right lay. of Egypt’s is swooping in on the role the city culture as legions of young artists vulture, and writers are oneAlexandria this is why feels like Maybe in Egypt,of the most liberal cities it’s where headscarvescommon to see women without even spot Egyptianand you may couples walking hand-in-hand. easy to ages, is not always that bears its name today. And for all its that bears its name today. (p 343 ) 1 & 444 #\ period cafe Aboukir of lled streets (Ar-Rashid; p 343 ) 343 p (Ar-Rashid; gullet with your fi ff Ras al- Hikma 7 #] # 444 4 44 444444444 Stu Wander the dusty, the dusty, Wander Desert Western (Libyan) Marsa Matruh fresh seafood along the seafood fresh at shore Rosetta donkey- 5 4 grandeur at a grandeur ) (p 337 0100km 050miles 4444 4444 44 444 444444 444 4444444 # e 19 & 1 & #ø 4 444444 44 Qara Oasis Sidi Barani uential metropolis near into #\ Bibliotheca Bibliotheca fl ) (p 327 Libyan Plateau Alexandria (Al-Iskendariyya) is Alexandria (Al-Iskendariyya) 44

at night (p 325 ) 325 at night (p Siwa Gulf of Sallum that legends are made of: it was are made that legends #] ff

#ø Stroll the streets and the streets Stroll Tour the modern Tour Taste the last drops of of drops the last Taste Sallum #\ souqs (markets) of soulful soulful of (markets) souqs Anfushi incarnation of an ancient of incarnation at the wonder Alexandrina Alexandria’s 19th-century 19th-century Alexandria’s 3 2 Alexandria & the Mediterranean Coast Highlights Coast Mediterranean Alexandria & the 1

4444 4 03 / POP 4.1MILLION #\ #ø #\ # + Amsaad Bardiyah The of city % ALEXANDRIA the stu founded by none other than Alexanderfounded by the queen CleopatraGreat; sassy made this the its har- throne; the entrance to seat of her by the towering Pharosbour was marked of the of the Sevenlighthouse, one Wonders Great Library and its re- was Ancient World; ancientthe ultimate archive of nowned as a spate the city knowledge. Alas, fate dealt remains of the no sign of cruel blows: today day of Cleopatra’s great Alexander; the city up by the ocean;has been mostly swallowed collapsed long ago;the Pharos lighthouse and the literaryLi- treasures of the Great add insult to injury, brary torched. To were rulers moved Muslim consequent Egypt’s ignobly thrust- the capital to nearby Cairo, ing the once in obscurity for centuries.

ALEXANDRIA & THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST ALEXANDRIA 4

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