Photo: Michael Botros, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, color-graded
Mediterranean Coast · Destination guide
Egypt's summer coast west of Alexandria – resort towns on a long Mediterranean shore, the El Alamein battlefield and its war cemeteries, and a very quiet winter.
Get your bearings
The North Coast is the Mediterranean strip that runs west from Alexandria along the highway to Marsa Matrouh. El Alamein sits about 106 kilometers out, roughly 300 kilometers northwest of Cairo. Along the shore are the resort towns Egyptians call the Sahel, including Marina El Alamein, the Marassi resort at Sidi Abdel Rahman, and New Alamein, a government-built city opened in 2018. Every summer, Egyptian families move here in large numbers to get out of the inland heat.
El Alamein is also the reason many visitors come in the cooler months. Two major battles of the Second World War were fought here in 1942. Today the area holds the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery and the Alamein Memorial, German and Italian memorials on Tel el-Eisa hill, a Greek cemetery and a military museum. Be honest with yourself about the season: outside summer the resort strip is quiet and parts of it close, so this is a history stop in winter and a beach trip in July and August. For the white-sand city further west, see our Marsa Matrouh guide.
What you're really here to see
Photo: Ian Rose, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons, color-graded01The Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery holds graves from every stage of the Western Desert campaign. The Alamein Memorial beside it, unveiled in 1954, records 11,866 Commonwealth service members who have no known grave. It is a quiet place, and most visitors stay longer than they planned.
1–2 hours · check opening hours
Photo: David Holt, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, color-graded02The El Alamein Military Museum shows tanks and vehicles in its grounds and uniforms and war material inside. On Tel el-Eisa hill, the German memorial is an ossuary built like a medieval fortress, and the Italian memorial holds 5,200 graves. Seeing the memorials of all sides gives the battlefield its full picture.
Half day with the cemetery
Photo: TheEgyptian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, color-graded03New Alamein was inaugurated on March 1, 2018 as a new coastal city, and around it the shore is lined with villa compounds, marinas and beach clubs. This is where the summer season happens, from June to September. Outside those months expect closed shutters and empty sand.
Summer only, for the full experience
Time to allow
How long you need depends on whether you come for the battlefield or the beach.
Leave Alexandria in the morning, see the Commonwealth cemetery and memorial, the museum and the German and Italian memorials, then drive back.
Stay on the coast so you can visit the war sites early, before the heat and the tour buses, and still have an evening by the sea.
A June to September stay in a resort town, with a day at Alamein and time on the sand. Book early, because this is the peak season for Egyptian vacationers.
Continue along the highway to the white-sand beaches of Marsa Matrouh, and on to Siwa Oasis if you have the days.
Where it fits
The North Coast suits history travelers in any season and beach travelers in summer only.
Two battles in 1942 turned the war in North Africa. The cemeteries and museum make El Alamein the place to understand them.
Egyptians take their own summer vacations here. If you want to join them, plan between June and September and book well ahead.
El Alamein is about 106 kilometers from Alexandria, so it pairs naturally with the city's Greco-Roman sights.
From autumn to spring the resort strip is quiet and partly shut. Come for the history, not the sunbathing.
Every way in
Day trips, classic multi-day tours, Nile cruises, hotels and private transfers – every part of an Egypt trip can be arranged from North Coast. Start wherever makes sense.
Hotel pickup, a private Egyptologist, half or full day.
2–15 day private itineraries, hotels and guides included.
Pair North Coast with a 3–4 night river cruise in one trip.
Aswan ↔ Luxor sailings, dahabiyas and classic cruisers.
5★ and boutique stays, hand-picked by our team.
Private meet-and-greet from the airport to your hotel.
Best time to visit
Summer is the resort season. The rest of the year is for the battlefield.
The coast is busy, the sea is at its warmest and the resorts are open. Sea breezes keep it a little cooler than the inland cities.
Peak weeks for Egyptian families. Roads, beaches and restaurants are crowded, so reserve everything early.
Many resort facilities close or cut back. The war cemeteries stay open, with shorter hours in winter, and the cooler weather is easier for walking them.
Opening hours change with the season and during Ramadan. We check them before we plan your day.
The practical part
Most visitors reach the North Coast by road from Alexandria or Cairo.
El Alamein is about 106 kilometers west of Alexandria and 300 kilometers northwest of Cairo, on the Alexandria to Marsa Matrouh highway. We arrange a private driver.
El Alamein International Airport (DBB) serves the coast, but scheduled flights have varied from year to year. Confirm what is running before you plan around it.
We have no hotels listed on the North Coast yet. We can arrange a stay and your transfers on request, matched to your dates and the season.
The war sites and resort towns are spread along the highway, so a car with a driver is the practical choice. We can plan a day that links them.
Common questions
The North Coast is the Mediterranean shoreline west of Alexandria, along the highway to Marsa Matrouh. El Alamein lies about 106 kilometers west of Alexandria, and the resort towns are strung out along the same road.
Yes, if you are interested in the Second World War. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery and memorial, the military museum, and the German and Italian memorials sit within a short drive of one another, and two major battles were fought here in 1942.
Yes. It is about 106 kilometers from Alexandria, which makes a comfortable day with a driver. From Cairo, around 300 kilometers, it is a very long day, so most people stay a night on the coast.
The resort season runs from June to September. Outside those months many resort facilities close or run reduced hours, though the war cemeteries remain open, with shorter winter hours.
El Alamein International Airport (DBB) is on the coast, but scheduled service has varied. Many travelers fly to Cairo or Alexandria and drive. We can advise on the current options for your dates.
The North Coast is the resort strip and the El Alamein battlefield. Marsa Matrouh is a separate city and bay further west, known for its white-sand beaches and the road to Siwa Oasis. Our Marsa Matrouh guide covers it.
Photo: Katonams, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, color-graded
Plan your trip
Tell us your dates, who's coming and how you like to spend a beach day – we'll send a private plan with the right hotel, transfers and day trips within 24 hours. Cairo · Luxor · Aswan · Hurghada · Marsa Alam · Sharm El Sheikh, on the ground since 1988.
