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Travelers who tour Egypt usually begin their visit to the land of the Nile by spending a couple of nights in Cairo, the capital of the country. There are mainly two directions that tourists go to after Cairo. The first direction is towards the South to visit Luxor and Aswan, or take a Nile Cruise ship that sails between the two cities to enjoy the remarkable Pharaonic monuments. The other direction is towards the East to explore the wonders of the Red Sea and enjoy a few days in the resorts of Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, or any other city that hosts marvelous beaches. Many travelers who spend their vacations in Egypt usually miss going towards the North Coast. However, this region of Egypt has some of the most notable attractions to visit, especially in Alexandria, the Jewel of the Mediterranean Sea, the city that served as the capital of Egypt for more than 500 years. Some travelers enjoying their holidays in Egypt would spend a one-day trip to Alexandria to explore the most popular highlights of the city. Others prefer to spend a few nights to really enjoy Alexandria to the max. Today, we will be touring the most important places that tourists should never miss in their visit to Alexandria. The first monument usually included in travel package to Egypt that include a visit to Alexandria is surly the Qaitbey Fort. Sultan Qaitbey, one of the most famous Mamluks that ruled over Egypt, constructed this huge structure that is now one of the famous landmarks of the city in 1477. This marvelous building is the best example of the Mamluks military construction in Egypt. It consists of a huge main building the hosts the most ancient surviving mosque in the city. Due to the fine state of preservation of the fort, travelers who tour Egypt truly enjoy their visit to the fort. The fort also offers wonderful views of the sea and the city of Alexandria. Another popular monument of Alexandria and one of the landmarks of the city as well is Pomp’s Pillar. This tall impressive granite column is more than 20 meters in height. Together with the two statues of the sphinxes, the pillar is the only remaining items of a huge temple that dates back to the 3rd century AD. A visit to Pomp’s Pillar is often included to many travel packages to Egypt. Tourists who travel to Egypt and visit Alexandria would also explore the secrets of the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, the largest and most mysterious ancient tombs of Alexandria. The catacombs consist of two underground floors that host hundreds of tombs. The most wonderful feature of this ancient necropolis is the remarkable mixture between the Roman and the Pharaonic art and architecture that is quit evident in many sections of the necropolis. Tourists who explore Alexandria would often as well visit the Library of Alexandria. The ancient library was established in the 3rd century BC and it was one of the largest libraries and learning centers in the old world. However, the library was burned in the beginning of the 1st century AD. The new Library of Alexandria was officially opened in 2002 after construction works that remained for more than 15 years. The oval shape of the building of the library is a quite famous landmark of Alexandria today. Away from hosting hundreds thousands of books and manuscripts, the library has some remarkable museums as well. This is why many tourists who spend their vacations in Egypt would pay a library a visit. Alexandria offers much more to the tourists who travel to Egypt. Away from the magnificent ambience of the sea in the city, there are so many monuments that should never be missed by travelers who tour Egypt.
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