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Alexandria, Egypt

Alexandria, Egypt

"Welcome to Alexandria" announced our Captain as we taxied in front of the airport terminal. I'd just flown into this historic Egyptian seaside city over the sparkling Mediterranean, glimpsing an amazing 60-mile long waterfront full of sandy beaches. I couldn't wait to get off the plane and start exploring.

Holidaymakers have been visiting Egypt's archaeological wonders for hundreds of years. More recently the Red Sea resorts have become alternatives for those more interested in sea-siding than sight-seeing. Now tourism officials in Egypt's northern seaside resort of Alexandria are keen to join the list of their country's attractions. They claim to offer both types of Egyptian holiday – the history of ancient civilisations plus the luxury of a Mediterranean beach holiday.

Further down the Nile Valley, you'll find spectacular pyramids, temples and sphinxes simply sitting in the desert. In Alexandria, however, the ancient sights are less obvious.

Some, like Pompey's Pillar and the Necropolis, are difficult to find among crumbling apartment blocks, noisy markets and rubble-strewn back-streets. Others, like the grandly-named National Institute of Oceanography, aren't worth finding anyway. It claims to be an aquarium but is nothing more than a few stuffed dead fish in glass cases.

Luckily I was introduced to a friendly local historian who took me on a tour of the city's attractions. He explained that Alexandria has an historical pedigree to rival anywhere in the world. It started when Alexander the Great took a rest from conquering the Middle East to build his ideal city at the mouth of the Nile, 2,300 years ago.

The Macedonian king named the city after himself and was eventually buried there. Historians have recently begun excavating what they believe is the entrance to Alexander's tomb. If its fabled gold coffin and treasures are found undisturbed it could turn out to be one of the archaeological attractions of the world. Unfortunately at the moment it lies deep under the harbour, like much of the once great classical city.

Alexandria was once one of the leading cities of the ancient world – second only to Rome in size and importance. It was the scene of the romance between Cleopatra and Marc Antony, the home of the classical world's biggest library and the Pharos, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This lighthouse which stood 500-feet tall at the harbour entrance was demolished in the Middle Ages so the stone could be used to build a fort.



Much later Alexandria was the scene of Nelson's brilliant victory over Napoleon's fleet and it became a vital Allied HQ in the Second World War. Monty's vital victory at El Alamein was planned from the Cecil Hotel on the main square. The battle site and war graves are a 60-mile drive to the west, the Cecil is still a hotel with a grand coffee bar although the place would need a lick of paint before a British Prime Minister chose to stay there again.

The remaining wonders of the city include a Roman Amphitheatre, medieval castle, Grand Mosque and the huge Graeco-Roman Museum apparently arbitrarily stuffed with 40,000 relics dating back 5,000 years.

The King's Summer Palace holds the former Royal family's jewellery collection although the ornately tiled bathrooms are more interesting.

My favourite spot was the Catacombs, a serious of underground tombs discovered when a donkey cart fell through the roof in 1900. Stone steps descend through three eerie stories of rooms hewn from the rock and decorated with Roman and Egyptian sculptures and carvings.

After a day sight-seeing in the heat and humidity we rushed to the sea for a swim but found Alexandria's long beaches are not all they first seem. Most were very dirty, overcrowded and unwelcoming. Despite the blazing mid-day heat, I wouldn't let my family near the filthiest beaches near the harbour and most of the other sandy stretches were bordered by groups of leering men. Arab women stayed well covered up, either swimming in pyjama-type outfits or simply sitting on the scorching beach in their robes and veils.

My family either swam in the hotel pool or we paid to visit a small private beach in the Montazah Palace gardens 15 miles from the town centre. The entrance fee to the gardens was only 75p but it was a different world. The beach was spotless, the sea was warm and clean... and Arab women happily swam in bikinis.

Alexandria doesn't rival the splendours of Luxor or Giza and isn't yet equipped for a normal family package holiday. But we decided it has enough attractions for a weekend break or as part of an excursion from Cairo. It has a friendly charm all of its own... and it is one of the cheapest places I've ever visited.

The hotel food looked bland and expensive so I decided to be brave and attempt to find some local food. After deciding against one seafront restaurant with a menu that included "one kilo of hearts, lungs, testicles and parts" I instead found a take-away falafel in pitta bread with salad that cost just 5p.

The next night we stumbled upon a tiny back street restaurant whose owner was so friendly he might have been the genie from Aladdin's magic lamp. In fact he was delighted by our Britishness because he had 'once worked for BP'. Gaber insisted on bringing us every single dish on the menu, finishing off with a bubbling hookah pipe. The total bill including drinks was £4 for two.

© TheTravelEditor.com

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