Join us in Alexandria

As you alight from the aircraft, you’ll be met by our fully-vaccinated Cairo-based staff who will assist with immigration formalities – from obtaining your visa through baggage claim and customs.  From the airport, you’ll be chauffeured to the banks of the Nile.  Here in an affluent and prestigious city-center neighborhood next to the American Embassy, you’ll check in to the 5-star Kempinski Nile Hotel and a Nile-view room for the night.

In the company of our Egyptologist, we’ll depart in the morning for a comfortable 2-hour drive to Alexandria by new, modern highway.  Upon arrival and a short orientation to the city, we’ll enjoy a picturesque outdoor seafood lunch with wine or beer overlooking the fishing boats of the busy port.

The Royal Library of Alexandria was one of the greatest libraries of the ancient world, one of its Seven Wonders, from the 3^rd Century BCE until its destruction by fire at the time of Cleopatra.  Following lunch, we’ll be escorted to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a marvelous re-creation for the modern world.  Shaped like a giant discus embedded in the ground, its granite facades are carved with letters, pictograms, characters and hieroglyphs from more than 120 different scripts.  Inside, the library holds up to 8 million books and can accommodate 2,500 readers and researchers under its distinctive roof.  We’ll be guided through this remarkable building by a professional librarian and will also explore the fascinating galleries below ground.  We’ll also see the beautiful landscaped grounds of Montazah Park overlooking the sea before checking-in to the Four Seasons.  We’ll enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening.  Meals B+L+D

After breakfast, we’ll continue with a guided tour of Alexandria, beginning with the ancient catacombs.  Discovered in 1900, this is the largest known Roman burial site in Egypt.  We’ll also visit Pompey’s Pillar, an impressive monolithic column that was erected in honor of Emperor Diocletian.  We’ll delight in an a la carte lunch at Giovanni’s, a revered downtown restaurant, before continuing to the ancient Roman amphitheater and the spectacular Qaitbay Citadel, built in the 15^th century on the exact site of the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria.

We’ll return to the hotel in late afternoon and will enjoy dinner once again.  Meals B+L+D

Following breakfast, we’ll drive back to Cairo and will return to the Kempinski Nile Hotel where we’ll meet our fellow travelers at an open bar reception and light dinner in the Jazz Bar as we begin Grandeur of Egypt.