Alexandria is Egypt's second-largest city, a Mediterranean port stretching along a broad curving corniche on the country's northern coast. Founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, it was once home to the ancient Great Library and the Lighthouse of Pharos, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Today Alexandria mixes Greco-Roman ruins, Ottoman-era forts, Belle Époque architecture, and a lively seafood and fishing culture along a coastline of sandy bays.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
El Alamein War Museum and Cemeteries
Highlights: El Alamein Military Museum's national exhibition halls (British, German, Italian, Commonwealth) · Commonwealth War Cemetery with more than 7,000 World War II graves · German war memorial and ossuary at Halfaya · Italian memorial tower overlooking the Mediterranean coast · Original battlefield terrain along the Alexandria-Matrouh coastal road
Rosetta (Rashid) Historic Town
Highlights: Ottoman-era merchant houses with red-and-black brick facades and carved mashrabiya screens · Rosetta Stone discovery site marker near the old town · Nile corniche and working fishing harbor · Traditional local markets in the historic town center · Riverside restaurants serving fresh Nile fish
Rashid Fort (Qaitbay Fort of Rashid)
Highlights: 15th-century fort built under Sultan Qaitbay to guard the Rosetta Nile mouth · Fortification walls and gun emplacements with river-mouth views · Far quieter than Alexandria's better-known Qaitbay Fort · Combined visit with Rashid old town's historic houses
Wadi El Natrun Monasteries
Highlights: Deir Anba Bishoy, housing the preserved body of Saint Bishoy · Deir El Suryan's restored medieval frescoes and manuscript library · Four active Coptic Orthodox monasteries founded in the 4th-5th centuries · Working desert monastic community still in daily use
Abu Mena UNESCO Site
Highlights: UNESCO World Heritage ruins of the 4th-century Saint Menas pilgrimage complex · Excavated basilica, baptistery, and ancient pilgrim hostel remains · Modern Coptic monastery maintaining the adjoining historic site · Rare early-Christian archaeological site largely free of crowds
Marina and the North Coast Resorts
Highlights: White-sand Mediterranean beaches along the Marina and Sidi Abdel Rahman coastline · Gated resort developments with beach clubs, marinas, and restaurants · Summer beach-day destination popular with Alexandria and Cairo visitors · Coastal highway drive past the North Coast's developed resort strip
Edku Lake and Fishing Village
Highlights: Working fishing harbor with wooden boats unloading the daily catch · Lake Edku's brackish lagoon habitat for herons, flamingos, and waterbirds · Winter bird-watching along the lake's sandbar-separated shoreline · Easily combined with Rashid or Abu Qir along the same coastal route
Abu Qir - Battle of the Nile Site
Highlights: Site of the 1798 Battle of the Nile between British and French fleets · Abu Qir fort and working fishing harbor on the waterfront · Seafood restaurants known locally for fresh grilled and fried fish · Public beach stop option during summer months
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Organized day tours from Alexandria hotels or the cruise port run to El Alamein, Rosetta, Wadi El Natrun, and Abu Mena from roughly EGP 800-1,800 (about USD 15-35) per person including transport and a guide
- Private
- Private car with driver from roughly EGP 900-1,600 (about USD 17-30) per half day; hotel concierges and local tour operators can arrange this, useful for Abu Mena and Wadi El Natrun where public transport is limited
- Public
- Microbuses and West & Mid Delta or Go Bus coaches serve El Alamein and Rosetta directly; Wadi El Natrun and Abu Mena have no direct public transport and are best reached by taxi, private car, or organized tour
- Rental
- Self-driving is workable for El Alamein and Marina along the coastal highway but is not recommended for Wadi El Natrun or Abu Mena, where local knowledge of unmarked desert roads matters
Multi-day tours from Alexandria
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from AlexandriaWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
El Alamein and Rosetta/Rashid are reachable by public minibus or coach, but Wadi El Natrun and Abu Mena require a private car, taxi, or organized tour since no scheduled public transport serves them directly
Carry photo ID on any day trip, since some sites, including Abu Mena, require identification to enter
Book Wadi El Natrun and Abu Mena tours or private transport in advance, since these desert sites have limited facilities and irregular access hours
The Alexandria-Matrouh coastal highway toward El Alamein and Marina is generally well maintained but can be busy on summer weekends heading to the North Coast resorts
Combine geographically close trips where possible - Rashid town, Rashid Fort, and Edku all lie along the same eastern coastal route and can be visited together