• Pompey’s Pillar - The second attraction is Pompey’s Pillar. Despite its name, this 30-meter red Aswan granite column is not connected to Pompey. Crusaders mistakenly thought it marked his burial site, but it was actually erected around 300 AD in honor of Emperor Diocletian. The site was originally the Serapeum, Alexandria’s acropolis, dedicated to the god Serapis.

In 391 AD, Christian patriarch Theophilus led a mob to destroy the Serapeum and other pagan symbols, possibly including the Great Library of Alexandria. Today, only the pillar remains of the once-grand temple. Visitors can explore nearby tunnels and view artifacts such as a life-size black basalt bull and a golden plaque at the Greco-Roman Museum.

• Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa - Start your day by meeting your guide at your hotel. Enjoy a three-hour drive from Cairo to Alexandria. Upon arrival, your guide will introduce you to the city’s rich history. Begin with the necropolis of Kom El Shoqafa, which showcases a blend of Pharaonic, Hellenistic, and Roman influences. Explore the catacombs featuring Roman, Greek, and Egyptian cultural elements, including statues and tombs. A circular staircase, used to transport deceased bodies, leads down into the tombs from the 2nd to the 4th century AD. The site was rediscovered in 1900 when a donkey fell into the access shaft. Three sarcophagi have been found to date.
• Fort Qaitbey - The third stop is the Citadel of Qaitbay, a 15th-century fortress on Alexandria’s Mediterranean coast. Built in 1477 AD by Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa’it Bay, it stands on the eastern side of Pharos Island at the mouth of the Eastern Harbour.

• Professional tour guide
• Entrance fees (optional)
• Lunch at a seafood restaurant overlooking the sea (optional)
• Pick up and drop off with a private air-conditioned vehicle
• Bottle of water on board

• Gratuities

Begin your day with a guide meeting at your hotel and embark on a scenic three-hour drive from Cairo to Alexandria. Upon arrival, explore the Kom El Shoqafa necropolis, an ancient burial site with a unique blend of Pharaonic, Greek, and Roman elements. The catacombs, dating back to the 2nd century AD, feature a circular staircase used for body transport and were rediscovered in 1900.

Next, visit Pompey’s Pillar, a 30-meter red granite column erected around 300 AD in honor of Emperor Diocletian. Despite its name, it has no connection to the Roman Consul Pompey. The pillar stands on the site of the Serapeum, an ancient temple destroyed in 391 AD by a Christian mob led by patriarch Theophilus. Today, only the pillar remains of this grand structure, with nearby tunnels and artifacts on display in the Greco-Roman Museum.

Conclude your tour at the Citadel of Qaitbay, a 15th-century fortress established by Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa’it Bay

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.