Discovery Tours Egypt
Day TourAlexandria

Alexandria Half-Day Private Tour – Qaitbay Citadel, Roman Theatre & Bibliotheca Alexandrina

5 hours, your own car and Egyptologist, tickets included, pick-up from your Alexandria hotel or cruise port.

At a glance

Departs
Daily

The short answer

A 5-hour private half-day tour of Alexandria with an Egyptologist and your own car: the Citadel of Qaitbay, the Roman Theatre at Kom el-Dikka and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, with entrance tickets included.
  • New
  • Private

Snapshot

Good to know

Destinations
Alexandria · Citadel of Qaitbay · Kom el-Dikka Roman Theatre · Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Includes
Private pick-up and drop-off at your Alexandria hotel or the cruise port · Your own air-conditioned vehicle with a driver · Private Egyptologist guide who speaks English · Entrance tickets for the Citadel of Qaitbay, the Roman Theatre at Kom el-Dikka and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina · Bottled water
Guide languages
English

Best time to go

October to April is mild. In summer the morning start avoids the worst heat.

  • Arranged by Discovery Tours Egypt, an Egyptian tour operator working since 1988 with six offices
  • Travel licence ETAA 718 (Category A); IATA accredited agent

02Overview

A first look

This is a private 5-hour tour of central Alexandria, leaving your hotel or the cruise port at 09:00. Your Egyptologist guide takes you to the Citadel of Qaitbay, the only Roman theater of its kind in Egypt at Kom el-Dikka, and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The stops are close together, so you spend your time looking rather than driving. It is a good choice if you have a short port call, a free morning before a late flight or a wish to see the city's highlights without a full day. You are back at your hotel or the port at about 14:00.

Background

The facts

Alexandria's Eastern Harbor, Kom el-Dikka and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina are all within a short drive of each other in the city center, which makes a half-day tour practical.

Named in this entry

Alexandria·Citadel of Qaitbay·Kom el-Dikka·Villa of the Birds·Bibliotheca Alexandrina·Eastern Harbor

Suited to

Is this for you?

Yes, if

  • Cruise passengers and short-stay visitors who want Alexandria's highlights in a morning.

Maybe not, if

  • Not for those who want Roman tombs and Pompey's Pillar, which are on the full-day tour, or who cannot manage steps.

What lingers

  • 01A private car, driver and English-speaking Egyptologist for your party only
  • 02The Citadel of Qaitbay and its view over the Eastern Harbor
  • 03The Roman Theatre at Kom el-Dikka and the mosaics of the Villa of the Birds
  • 04The reading hall and antiquities museum of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
  • 05Back at your hotel or the port by early afternoon

Honest assessment

Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.

Highlights

  • Short, compact route
  • Private guide and car
  • Easy to fit around a ship or flight

Things to Consider

  • Lunch is not included
  • Does not cover the Catacombs or Pompey's Pillar

Stop by stop

Detailed itinerary

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  5. 5

The fine print

What's included – and what isn't

Included

  • Private pick-up and drop-off at your Alexandria hotel or the cruise port
  • Your own air-conditioned vehicle with a driver
  • Private Egyptologist guide who speaks English
  • Entrance tickets for the Citadel of Qaitbay, the Roman Theatre at Kom el-Dikka and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
  • Bottled water

Not included

  • Gratuities
  • Lunch
  • Personal expenses

Field notes

From our Egyptologists

  1. 01

    Tell us your all-aboard time when booking

  2. 02

    Wear sturdy shoes for the stone steps at the Roman Theatre

Before you go

What to pack & wear

Children & families

This is a private tour, so children's prices are set from the ages you enter in your request. There is no minimum age. The short route and close stops make it one of the easier days for school-age children, though the sites have steps.

Indicative rates only – pricing and departure fluctuate. Please enquire for live rates on your specific dates.

Asked & answered

Frequent questions

  1. 01How is this private tour priced?
    The price is per person and goes down as your group gets bigger, because the car, driver and guide are shared among you. It covers the transfers, the Egyptologist and the three entrance tickets. Children's prices are set from the ages you give in your request. Prices are provisional until our team confirms.
  2. 02Will we be back in time for our ship?
    The tour is planned to end at about 14:00. Give us your ship's all-aboard time when you book, and we will confirm it fits. Your driver watches the clock, and the guide can shorten a stop if needed.
  3. 03Is lunch included?
    No. The tour ends in early afternoon, so lunch is up to you. Your guide can suggest a restaurant near the Corniche or your hotel, and you pay for the meal directly.
  4. 04What should we wear and bring?
    Wear comfortable walking shoes and light clothes, with a light jacket in winter for the sea wind. Bring a hat, sunscreen and a little cash for tips. You do not need your passport.
  5. 05What is the cancellation policy?
    A cancellation made three days or more ahead is paid back in full. One made inside three days but outside 24 hours is paid back by half. A later one, or a missed pick-up, is not refunded. Tell us early about any change.
  6. 06Is this tour private, or will others join us?
    It is private. Only your own party travels in the car, and the Egyptologist guides only you. The maximum party size is 12, and the pace is yours to set.

If plans change

Cancellation and refunds

What you get back if you cancel depends on how far ahead of your trip you tell us and the type of trip you book. Read our current cancellation and refund policy

Continue reading

From the archives

Product ID: EXC-ALX-313284

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