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| Alexandria Travel Guide for backpackers |
| Egypt's second city feels as Mediterranean and cosmopolitan as Marseille or Athens; it's got 19th century architecture echoing it's days of being an old colony. Its beaches, restaurants and breezy climate attracts loads of people from Cairo during the summer months. Its arabic name is El-Eskandariya (say that when you've had a few). |
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 DAILY BUDGET in ALEXANDRIA - Including modest accommodation, cheap eats and the various attractions on offer, a daily budget of $25 could see you enjoy the splendours of Alexandria. |
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Roman Theatre - just off Sharia Yussef; since 1959 Polish archaeologists have removed the Turkish fort and slums and have found a substratum of Roman relics beneath a Muslim cemetary. In a hollow just to the east you'll find the elegant Roman Theatre with marble seating for seven to eight hundred people and two patches of mosaic flooring. Well worth a visit if you're into Romans.
Greco-Roman Museum - found near Safia Zaghoul; they've got a mummified crocodile, human mummies and loads of Roman busts. You must find old Julius Caesar, Augustus and Hadrian (the Wall). You can get a breath of fresh air with rock-cut tombs and a giant head of Mark Antony in the garden.
Catacombs - located at Kom es-Shoqafa - these are really spooky and kitsch. You go down a spiral stairway, past the shaft down which bodies were lowered. You squeeze through a fissure into the tall Caracalla with loads of tombs. The main attraction is the Central Tomb downstairs where you've got bearded serpents with Medusa-headed shields.
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Ala-Kefak - on the corner of Safiyah Zaghoul and Ranulek. Good but cheap shwarmas, pies and really good juices; upstairs you can drink beer and watch streetlife.
Taverna Ramleh Station - opposite the tram terminal. It's a "Greek" chain place loved by tourists and backpackers 'cos it's open 24 hours. It does great nosh; it's got a shwarma bar and kebab takeaway downstairs. Other nosh you can get here are Egyptian and Western-style pizzas, seafood and a great salad bar at very reasonable rates.
Cafetaria Asteria - opposite the Elite on 43 Sharia Sofia Zaghoul. They do great sarnies, macaroni, pizzas, ice-cream and hot drinks at low low prices. It's very friendly and open 0900 to midnight.
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Portugal Club - 42, Sharia Abdel Kadri Rageb, it charges about a US$1 to get in but you can get a beer (or several) to wash down their tasty pizzas made with REAL bacon.
Ramada Renaissance Hotel - located here is the Black Gold Club open from 2100 to 0100. Beer is available here but expect to pay a little more for it in an hotel. Tasty snacks and pizzas also available here.
Elite Restaurant - 43 Shariyah Sofia Zaghoul; great place to be in for no-frills drinking. You can also get ouzo here to swill down the calamari and kofta dishes.
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