Timeline
16:04
Start with a coffee at Cilantro. It is the closest spot to the library, just a two-minute walk away. The café is open from 06:00 to 24:00, so it is ready for an early start.
16:34
Head to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The library is open from 09:30 to 17:00 on weekdays. Use this time to explore the exhibition space or the Antiquities Museum before the crowds arrive. Remember to buy tickets from the office on Dr. Abd Al Hamid Dayed St.
17:19
Walk to Chatbi Beach for the sunset. It is a twelve-minute walk from the library in an ENE direction. On 15 January, the sun sets at 17:19 toward the WSW, offering a clear view of the light fading over the water.
17:49
End your evening at Chimney’s for ice cream. Located near Al Shalalat Gardens, it is a ten-minute walk from the beach area. The shop is open until 03:00, making it the perfect cool-down spot after the warm evening air.
Local tip
Check the route for walking directions between the library and Chatbi Beach if you are not familiar with the area. The library entrance is on the small street facing the university.
Check before you go
- The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is closed on Fridays. On other days it closes at 17:00, which is just before sunset on 15 January. Ensure you enter before 17:00.
- Chatbi Beach is an open public space with no specific opening hours.
- Cilantro is open 06:00-24:00 daily.
- Chimney’s is open 09:00-03:00 from Saturday to Thursday, and 12:00-03:00 on Fridays.
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Alexandria (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).