Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Drive from the port of Alexandria on a 30-minute city tour to the Roman Catacombs.

Legend has it that in 1900 a donkey fell through a hole in the ground and that is how the Catacombs of Kom El Shugafa were discovered. A series of intricate tunnels, this ancient burial ground dates back to the 1st century AD. The catacombs consist of three different levels, and are carved out of solid rock at a depth of about 115 feet. Though the wall carvings present Egyptian motifs, the architects and artists designing the catacombs were schooled in the Greco-Roman style, resulting in an amazingly integrated art quite unlike anything else in the world. The Central Tombs are the areas main attraction, but the site also includes a mourners banquet hall, a large rotunda and a spiral staircase that links the underground to the outside world.

Continue your study of archeological finds at Pompey's Pillar, one of Alexandria's most significant landmarks and the tallest remaining ancient monument. This Roman triumphal column was constructed in honor of the Emperor Diocletain and is approximately 99 feet high. It is beautifully constructed out of polished rose granite. When gazing up at this wondrous pillar, one truly wonders how something of this magnitude could have been erected during ancient times.

A visit to the Alexandria National Museum is a journey back in time. Housed in a beautifully restored, Italian-style palace, the museum opened in 2003 and displays almost 2000 artifacts discovered in Alexandria, spanning from the Pharaonic Era, through Greco-Roman times, to the Modern Era. Papyrus scrolls, ancient perfume bottles and painted mummy cases are tastefully displayed as well as classic Greek statues showing the physical beauty that represent the ideals of that culture. The artifacts guide the visitor right up to the times of Mubarak and illustrate Alexandria's role in the modern history of Egypt. When you walk through this extensive collection you will be seeing treasures that have never been displayed before. Many of the pieces were found in the storage areas of other museums. One of the highlights is a display of artifacts that were recovered from the sea during an underwater excavation around Alexandria in recent years. A number of important pieces were discovered, and the process of underwater archeology is detailed in the exhibit.
A scenic drive back to port is a relaxing time to reflect on your historic day.