Meeting The Alexandria Of Today

Alexandria is the second-largest city in Egypt. A rather warm place which is best to visit in autumn and spring. The winter is very mild there but you will not be given the opportunity to swim, and summer is extremely warm, and it will not allow you to enjoy the walks in the city. Today we will explore all the wonderful things you have to see there and give you a taste of what it feels like to wander on the roads of Alexandria.

The connection with Greece
Alexandria has been the center of civilization for many years. The city took its name from Alexander the Great, the Greek king. At this point, Greece and Egypt were quite connected culturally since they were both centers of great civilizations. Astronomers, scientists, and philosophers were in contact interaction. When Alexander the Great conquered the territory, he reinforced the bonds between the two countries. The Greek element is still vibrant in Alexandreia, and locals have a high opinion of all Greek citizens. 

The Lighthouse of Alexandria
As a cultural center, Alexandreia was known for its library and its lighthouse. The lighthouse is considered to be one of the seven wonders of the world. It was a huge structure that could be visible from a distance of around 100 miles warning ships which direction they would have to follow to enter the port safely. Today the lighthouse is destroyed, but you will have the chance to visit the citadel of Qāʾit Bāy, which is built on the side.

The New Library of Alexandria
Regarding the library, it has been completely destroyed, but a new one has come to take the place of the old one. The New library of Alexandreia is an impressive building and a masterpiece of outstanding architecture. There is also a museum in the library with pieces of art from various Egyptian artists, many of whom are modern. Every day a guide from the museum provides a half-hour tour to the library, explaining everything you want to know about the history of the building and the way the library works. Today it is a completely functional library that all people who are registered can visit. Visitors who have paid for a ticket to see the museum can also enter the library and feel the vibe of the place. Next to the library, there is a small planetarium where visitors can watch a 40-minute show with various subjects depending on the program.

The Corniche
Another must-do here is a walk in the Corniche. This is the name of the beach that goes all the way from one point of the city to the other. You can drink your tea in any of the cafes there enjoying the view of the sea. Another common habit in this area is smoking hookah or ”shisha” as you will hear the locals calling it. In the after-Covid era, shisha is not allowed in Egypt but once the pandemic is gone it will be a trend again. To be honest, still many shops provide shisha to their customers but this is being done illegally.

Eating fish
Alexandria is the best place to eat fish. There you will enjoy the best shrimps and calamari as well as any seafood. At the traditional restaurants, you are expected to pick the fish you want to eat and say whether you want it grilled, fried, etc. Salads and appetizers are usually offered by the restaurant and you do not have to pick from the menu. If you order crabs they will come all cleaned up and ready to eat. They will not give you any extra tools to break the shell since the restaurant will have done all the dirty work for you. Oysters are usually prepared as a soup. The soup includes all sorts of oysters with their shell and coconut milk. Most dishes will be probably have chilly unless you ask them to keep them simple. Regardless of what you order you can be sure that it will be delicious. The dessert you will try here is kunefe. Kunefe is a traditional dessert that is served all over Middles Eat and is very popular to Arabs. It is a syrup-soaked kadafi stuffed with cheese and pistachios on the top. If you eat it right from the oven, I guarantee you will be amazed.