Alexandria Day Tour from Cairo

Alexandria does not feel like the rest of Egypt, and that is exactly why it is worth the drive.

Founded by Alexander, run by the Ptolemies, and still facing the Mediterranean rather than the desert, it is a city of sea air, faded colonial facades and the best seafood in the country.

You visit the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the modern answer to the ancient library that burned; the Citadel of Qaitbay, a fifteenth-century fort standing on the foundations of the Pharos lighthouse itself; the catacombs; and the gardens of Montazah Palace.

Ten hours door to door from Cairo or Giza, with a private guide, an air-conditioned car and lunch on the water. Note that the Bibliotheca closes on Fridays, when you photograph it from outside.