Where
Alexandria is a port city located in northern Egypt on the coast of the Mediterranean sea.
A Brief History
Before the city was conquered by Alexander the Great and his army in 331 BC, Alexandria was known as "Rhatokis" to the locals and was just a small port village. Alexander expanded the port into a large and booming city, which then quickly became the head of the Ptolemaic Kingdom, and came to be one of the greatest cities of the Hellenistic world. The size and wealth of Alexandria was so vast that the only city in the world to exceed it was Rome (who were in control of Egypt at this time).
In 641 AD, however, the Arabs reclaimed Alexandria and a new capital of Egypt was built: Fustat. This, consequently, damaged the status of Alexandria and it was reduced to nothing more then a small fishing village. A miserable decline from what it used to be.
Nevertheless, in 1798 the Napoleon's French Army captured the city and then the British captured it from the French not long after, who then retained Alexandria until 1953 when Egypt gained their independence. In the early 1800's, Alexandria grew spectacularly under the industrialisation program of the viceroy of Egypt, Mohammed Ali, and to this day the city is now Egypt's leading port, among other things such as the heart of the industrial area and a tourism, transportation and commercial centre.
General Advice To Foreigners
Beware of pickpockets. Although my friends and I didn't personally run in to any trouble with theives, it's apparently well known in Alexandria that pickpockets and muggers target foreigners. Keep valuables hidden and close to you, particularly in any crowded area.
Ahmed Masry, a friend and local, advises that this type of behaviour doesn't just stop at foreigners:
"I've heard some stories [about pickpockets] but never experienced it my self or know anyone who had experienced it. I guess it's a dying skill... however, if you are in a car, microbus or taking an uber, for example, and are sitting next to the window checking your phone, there's a chance that someone might pull it of your hands and run the opposite direction. It has happened to me before, but thankfully the thief's grip wasnt good enough and he ran away. I must say, I couldn't even tell how he looks like, young or teen, fat or skinny, light or dark skin tone, they are really really fast.."
If you identify as a woman, please take note that, although Alexandrians are a lot more liberal on what women wear than locals of smaller towns (such as, Marsa Matruh), showing skin may still give you unwanted stares and attention. I wore a tank top and shorts as it was a particularly hot day, however I would not have done so if it hadn't been for the fact that I was walking around with 5 male friends. I would advise that you cover your chest and shoulders at least with a cool t-shirt teamed with long shorts or baggy trousers.
For more general advice for when visiting Alexandria, visit the "General Advice to Foreigners" section on my article about Marsa Matruh. The advice can be applied to Alexandria, too.
Things to do
1. Visit the Citadel of Qaitbay.
The Citadel of Qaitbay is an impressive 15th-century fortress that was established by Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa'it Bay in 1477 AD. The price of entry is only 60 Egyptian pounds which equates to 3 GBP - that is incredibly cheap!
The only unfortunate thing is that there are no guides available at the citadel to help explain its' history, however there are signs that give small snippets of information around the site.
2. Visit Ali Elhendi coffee shop.
According to the owner of the coffee shop: the old building said to have been built by the French around the 18th century. It is believed to have been the home for one rich family (they didn't say who, but my guess is an Army leader) but is now utilised for small businesses such as cafés (such as his), pharmacies and offices. My favourite part was the ceiling (shown in the photo). The coffee is also good. I'd recommend asking for a traditional Turkish coffee (a strong, black traditional coffee) or if you like sweet coffee ask for french coffee (milk and a lot of sugar).
3. Try the fuul (pronounced "fool").
"Fuul medames", or simply "fuul", is a traditional Egyptian dish of cooked fava beans and can be found in almost all restaurants. The beans are usually mashed and served with olive oil and lemon juice, and served hot with baladai breads. Alexandrian Fuul is definitely my favourite, because Alexandrians are known to "spice up it up" with chillies, and I love anything spicy.
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