# Alexandria Overnight Tour from Cairo

> Take a 2-day Alexandria overnight sightseeing tour from Cairo with an Egyptologist, lunch, transfers, and key Roman and modern sites. Book now.

Source: https://discoverytoursegypt.com/day-tours/cairo/alexandria-overnight-sightseeing-tour-from-cairo/
Operator: Discovery Tours Egypt

By dawn the Corniche smells of sea and diesel, and Alexandria's low skyline slips into view as we drive along the Mediterranean coast. You will move from salty sea air to the cool, echoing chambers of Kom El Shoqafa, stand beside Pompey’s Pillar, and feel the modern hush of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in the morning light, all paced so the day never feels rushed.

We arrange every transfer and the overnight stay so your time in the city is quiet and usable, not a dash. Our Egyptologists lead the walking sequences and explain the Roman and Hellenistic layers on site; unlike same-day coach trips, this keeps a morning in Alexandria for softer light and fewer crowds.

## Key Facts
- Duration: 2 days / 1 night
- Locations: Cairo, Alexandria, Pompey’s Pillar, Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Roman Museum (Alexandria)
- From: $267 per person

## Highlights
- Private transfer from Cairo to Alexandria – approximately 225 km (about a 3-hour drive) in an air-conditioned car.
- Unlike most same-day runs from Cairo, we overnight in Alexandria to visit sites without rushed timings.
- Guided visits to Kom El Shoqafa catacombs and Pompey's Pillar; standard site entrance fees are included.
- We schedule the Roman Amphitheatre visit in the cooler morning to avoid midday heat and crowds.
- Evening promenade at Montaza Gardens with time to walk the late-afternoon corniche before dinner.
- Operated by a licensed Egyptian tour operator; your Egyptologist guide provides maps, reading recommendations, and contextual briefings.

## Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in central Cairo hotels
- Services of a qualified Egyptologist guide for the sightseeing day
- Transport by air-conditioned vehicle between Cairo and Alexandria
- Lunch on the main sightseeing day
- Entrance fees to the listed sites

## Not Included
- Overnight accommodation in Alexandria if you require a specific hotel upgrade
- Drinks unless specified with meals
- Gratuities for guides and drivers
- Personal expenses and optional activities

## Itinerary
### Day 1: Smart & Smooth Cairo Departure
Prompt, friendly pickup from your Cairo or Giza hotel lobby, meeting our driver and our private Discovery Tours Egypt Egyptologist who accompanies you for the next two days. Step into a premium, air-conditioned vehicle, take a chilled bottle of mineral water, and enjoy a smooth, scenic drive across the fertile Nile Delta agricultural road. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator; unlike large group bus tours, this departure is private and flexible to your pace. You return to your hotel at the end of the excursion.
- Private pickup from hotel
- Premium air-conditioned vehicle
- Scenic Nile Delta drive
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes · Meals: No meals at this stop.

### Day 2: Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa
Arrive in Alexandria then head straight into the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, a three-tier Roman necropolis hewn into the bedrock. With Discovery Tours Egypt pre-arranged ticketing you bypass the normal entrance lines and descend the spiral staircase into the burial chambers. Your Egyptologist explains the rare fusion of Pharaonic motifs and Greco-Roman sculpture as you move between the banqueting chamber, shaft and funerary niches. Unlike surface-only stops, this visit focuses on the subterranean complex itself.
- Spiral stair descent
- Pharaonic and Greco-Roman fusion
- Banqueting chamber and shaft
Sites: [Kom el Shoqafa](https://discoverytoursegypt.com/attractions/alexandria/kom-el-shoqafa/)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes · Meals: No meals at this stop.

### Day 3: Pompey's Pillar & the Serapeum Ruins
A short drive brings you to the ancient township of Rhakotis where you stand beneath Pompey’s Pillar, a 27-meter monolith of solid red Aswan granite. Your Egyptologist explains how this solitary column marks the grand remains of the Serapeum Temple, once the city’s spiritual heart, and points out surviving podiums and carved blocks. We keep groups small to minimise queueing and allow more time for questions. After about 45 minutes you return to your pickup point.
- 27-meter red Aswan granite
- Remains of Serapeum Temple
- Guided small-group visit
Sites: [Pompey's Pillar](https://discoverytoursegypt.com/attractions/alexandria/pompey-s-pillar/)
Duration: 45 minutes · Meals: No meals at this stop.

### Day 4: Mediterranean Corniche Seafood Lunch
You arrive at a premium seafood restaurant perched on the Mediterranean Corniche, steps from Cairo's historic old harbor. Your table faces the water, where traditional fishing boats bob as you sit. You savour the local catch of the day, classic Mediterranean mezze, and chilled local juices while your Egyptologist explains the harbour's role in Cairo's coastal trade. We schedule the lunch midday to avoid peak sun and evening crowds.
- Views over historic old harbor
- Fresh catch of the day
- Classic Mediterranean mezze selection
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes · Meals: Included: premium seafood lunch and local juices.

### Day 5: Citadel of Qaitbay
Drive along the breezy seafront to the harbour entrance, then step inside the 15th-century Citadel of Qaitbay, an imposing Mamluk stone fortress. Your Egyptologist explains how builders reused salvaged blocks from the Pharos Lighthouse, which once stood on this promontory until an earthquake destroyed it. Walk the defensive ramparts and take panoramic, salty-aired views of the open sea. We arrange morning pickups to avoid the midday heat and larger crowds.
- 15th-century Mamluk fortress
- Blocks from Pharos Lighthouse
- Panoramic salty-air sea views
Sites: [Qaitbay Citadel](https://discoverytoursegypt.com/attractions/alexandria/qaitbay-citadel/)
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes · Meals: No meals at this stop.

### Day 6: Mediterranean Corniche Evening
Our driver meets you at the agreed pickup point and transfers you to your handpicked hotel on the Mediterranean Corniche. Drop your bags, freshen up, then spend the afternoon and evening at your leisure: stroll the Corniche at sunset, sip traditional mint tea at a seaside café, or sample local seafood and street snacks. We arrange direct hotel transfers rather than shared coach pick-ups, so you arrive privately and relax into the coast-side atmosphere before returning to your hotel.
- Sunset walk along the Corniche
- Seaside cafés serving mint tea
- Local seafood and street snacks
Duration: Overnight Hotel Stay · Meals: No meals at this stop.

### Day 7: Kom El Dikka
After pickup from your hotel, your Egyptologist and driver bring you to Kom El Dikka for a guided walking tour. You explore Egypt's only Roman Amphitheatre, noting the 13 white-marble terraces that once seated over 600 spectators. Your guide explains the site's late Roman and Byzantine phases, then leads you through the open-air display of sunken monuments rescued from the eastern harbour, with time to photograph the marble fragments and mosaic floors.
- 13 white-marble terraces
- Sunken harbour monuments
- Well-preserved mosaic floors
Sites: [Kom el-Dikka](https://discoverytoursegypt.com/attractions/alexandria/kom-el-dikka-roman-theater/)
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes · Meals: No meals at this stop.

### Day 8: Grand Alexandria National Museum
We collect you from central Cairo hotels, then transfer by air-conditioned vehicle to the Grand Alexandria National Museum. Housed in a restored Italianate palace, the museum separates Alexandria’s history across three floors: Pharaonic, Greco-Roman, and Islamic/Modern. Your Egyptologist explains key objects and the city’s changing role as a Mediterranean trade hub while you follow a curated, chronological layout that makes stylistic and cultural shifts easy to see.
- Three floors of chronological displays
- Italianate palace architecture and rooms
- Guided explanations by your Egyptologist
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes · Meals: No meals at this stop.

### Day 9: Bibliotheca Alexandrina
On arrival your Egyptologist leads you through a separate, pre-arranged entry to bypass the regular queues. You explore the sunlit reading halls designed to evoke the ancient Library of Alexandria, and walk the open courtyards featuring statues of Alexander the Great. Your guide explains the modern building's archaeological displays, including the manuscript museum and the antiquities gallery, and answers questions about the site's relationship to the ancient center of learning.
- Pre-arranged entry access
- Sunlit reading halls visit
- Manuscript and antiquities galleries
Sites: [Bibliotheca Alexandrina](https://discoverytoursegypt.com/attractions/alexandria/bibliotheca-alexandrina-entry-ticket/)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes · Meals: No meals at this stop.

### Day 10: Montaza Palace Gardens
You arrive after an east-coast drive to the Montaza Palace Gardens, a 370-acre royal retreat established at the turn of the 20th century. Your Egyptologist explains the site's history as you take a leisurely, shaded walk beneath Mediterranean pines and date palms. We arrange travel by air-conditioned vehicle from central Cairo; unlike crowded central sites, the gardens provide wide lawns and seaside viewpoints for final photographs of the palace towers overlooking the private bays.
- 370-acre royal gardens and grounds
- Leisurely shaded walk under pines
- Palace towers and private bay views
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes · Meals: No meals at this stop.

### Day 11: Late Lunch and the Scenic Return to Cairo
We pause for a final, relaxing lunch at a charming local restaurant in Alexandria. After the meal you re-board a premium private vehicle; our Discovery Tours Egypt driver navigates the smooth coastal and desert highway south toward Cairo while you recline and enjoy chilled bottled water. Your Egyptologist is available for final questions during the drive. Unlike large coach trips, this transfer is private and paced for comfort.
- Late, leisurely lunch
- Private premium transfer
- Chilled bottled water provided
Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes (Including Lunch & Transit) · Meals: Late lunch at a local restaurant.

### Day 12: Smooth Cairo Hotel Drop-Off
Your day finishes with a hotel lobby drop-off in Cairo or Giza as the city lights come on. After the shore excursion, our driver and Egyptologist escort you in an air-conditioned vehicle to your hotel; you step out feeling refreshed and enriched, with any luggage handled by our driver. We schedule the return to avoid peak traffic where possible, so you arrive in the early evening and can relax for the night.
- Evening hotel lobby arrival
- Air-conditioned private transfer
- Driver handles luggage
Meals: No meals at this stop.

## FAQ
### What is the duration of the Alexandria overnight sightseeing tour?
This is a two-day, one-night excursion from Cairo to Alexandria, allowing for a more relaxed exploration of the city's main sites. You will depart from Cairo on the first morning and return to your Cairo hotel on the second afternoon.

### What is included in the tour price?
The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off from central Cairo hotels, an Egyptologist guide for the sightseeing day, transport by air-conditioned vehicle, lunch on the main sightseeing day, and entrance fees to all listed sites.

### What is not included in the tour price?
Overnight accommodation in Alexandria is not included, allowing you to choose your preferred hotel. Drinks, unless specified with meals, gratuities for guides and drivers, personal expenses, and optional activities are also excluded.

### What kind of vehicle is used for transport to Alexandria?
Transport between Cairo and Alexandria is provided in a modern, air-conditioned vehicle. This ensures a comfortable journey for the approximately 2.5-hour drive each way.

### Will I have an Egyptologist guide throughout the tour?
Yes, you will have a qualified Egyptologist guide for the main sightseeing day in Alexandria. They will provide insights into the history and significance of each site you visit.

### Is lunch provided during the tour?
Lunch is included on the main sightseeing day in Alexandria. This allows you to enjoy a meal without needing to arrange it separately during your exploration.

### What are the main sites visited in Alexandria?
The tour visits key Alexandrian landmarks, including Pompey’s Pillar, the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and the Roman Museum. This provides a comprehensive overview of the city's ancient and modern history.

### How does this tour differ from a day trip to Alexandria?
Unlike single-day excursions, this overnight tour includes a night in Alexandria. This allows for a more leisurely pace, avoiding the rush of a same-day return to Cairo and providing morning time in the city.

### What should I wear for visiting the sites in Alexandria?
We recommend comfortable walking shoes as you will be exploring ancient sites. Modest dress, covering shoulders and knees, is advisable for visiting religious or historical sites out of respect for local customs.

### Is this tour suitable for families with children?
This tour involves walking at several historical sites and travel time between cities. While children are welcome, parents should consider if the pace and historical focus align with their children's interests and stamina.

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Full page (with photos, live pricing, and booking): https://discoverytoursegypt.com/day-tours/cairo/alexandria-overnight-sightseeing-tour-from-cairo/