Alexandria

Alexandria (pronounced al-ig-ZAN-dree-uh; Arabic: الإسكندرية &lrm;/ اسكندرية al-Iskandariyya / Eskendereyya ) is Egypt's second largest city (5.2 million people in 2018), its largest seaport, and the country's window onto the Mediterranean Sea. The city is a faded shadow of its former glorious cosmopolitan self, but still worth a visit for its many cultural attractions – particularly the new Library of Alexandria – and still-palpable glimpses of its past.

See: 20
Do: 7
Eat: 22
Drink: 10
Buy: 7

11 places match

Buy

Carrefour City Center

If this is "city centre", you'll need camels to reach "edge of town". It's a big mall with huge hypermarket, coffee shops and cinemas. Take a taxi to get here.

Daily 10AM-midnight

Drink

Clay Cafe

Coffee and stuff are only just okay for the price, you come for the laidback atmosphere and the wi-fi.

Daily 11AM-midnight

Eat

La Veranda

Very central downtown, near the Metropole, Cecil and Sofitel hotels. Within, most of the floor space is the cafe-patisserie Jardin Delices. About a quarter is La Veranda restaurant, with good European/East Med cuisine. Serves alcohol. Atmospheric with the old posters, but nowadays not a spy or dilapidated duchess to be found.

Eat

Ole Cafe

A reasonably priced restaurant with Spanish cuisine. Try the Beef Madrid.

Daily 8AM-10PM

Eat

Trianon

Historic, posh cafe and restaurant in the heart of Alexandria dating back to 1905, this is where the creme de la creme of Alexandrian society like singer Om Kolthoum and Cavafy used to hang around. The glory days are long over, but Trianon remains famous for what is said to be the country's best om ali, a rich Egyptian take on bread pudding.

Drink

Trianon 1905

Posh cafe and dessert restaurant, you're paying for the ambiance.

8AM-midnight

Drink Not mapped

Le Boudoir

Cafe and small restaurant of the Institut français. Large and calm outdoor seating area, small indoor seating area. Entry via the security check of the Institut français.

Drink