Islamic and Coptic Cairo Shore Excursion from Alexandria
- 10–12 hours
- 6 languages
- Instant confirmation
- Mobile ticket
Highlights
Your ship docks at Alexandria, and instead of the pyramids you go for Cairo's other history, the medieval city of mosques, churches, and fortresses. The drive south is about 3 hours, and then your guide leads you through both the Islamic and Coptic sides of old Cairo. You climb to the Citadel of Saladin for the alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali and the view over the city, then descend into Coptic Cairo for the Hanging Church, suspended over a Roman gate, and the ancient lanes around it. Lunch at a local restaurant is included. It is a long day with real driving, timed around your ship so you reboard comfortably. Ideal for cruise guests who have already seen the pyramids, or who simply prefer living cities to ancient ruins.
Inclusions
What's included
- Licensed English-speaking Egyptologist guide
- Lunch
- Alexandria Port pickup and drop-off in private air-conditioned vehicle
- All service charges & taxes
- One bottle of Mineral water to each person
- All entrance fees to Citadel of Saladin, Alabaster Mosque, Hanging Church
What's not
- Gratuities for guide and driver (optional)
- Personal expenses, souvenirs, and anything not listed as included
Itinerary
After the drive from Alexandria, you climb to the Citadel of Saladin, the hilltop fortress begun in 1176 to defend Cairo. At its center stands the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, its alabaster walls and twin Ottoman minarets visible across the city. Your guide walks you into the domed prayer hall and through eight centuries of rulers who held this height. From the terrace, the whole of Cairo spreads below, with the pyramids on the horizon on a clear day. Modest dress is needed to enter the mosque.
You then move to Coptic Cairo, the oldest Christian quarter in Egypt, set inside the walls of the Roman fortress of Babylon. The Hanging Church takes its name from being built over the fortress gatehouse, its nave seeming to float above the passage below, with parts dating to the 7th century. Your guide leads you through the shaded lanes to other ancient churches and the site linked to the Holy Family's stay in Egypt. Calm and walkable, it is a gentle counterpoint to the Citadel before the long drive back.
Cancellation
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Reviews
5.0
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Ratings come from 1 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Pickup
- Pickup is included for everyone.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 15 travellers
- Operated by
- Egypt Day Tours
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
- At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
How it compares in Alexandria
- Its from-price is 44% above the median of the 421 experiences we list in Alexandria.
- It is longer than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 162 of 421.
About Alexandria
Alexandria, Egypt's Mediterranean port, was founded by Alexander the Great and holds Roman ruins, a harbour fort and a modern library by the sea.
Alexander the Great founded the city in 331 BC, and for centuries it was the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt, with a great library and the Pharos, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The lighthouse fell to earthquakes, and the Citadel of Qaitbay, a fifteenth-century fort on its site, now guards the harbour mouth. The Corniche runs for miles along the bay in front of tall, weather-worn apartment blocks.
Top-ranked sights in Alexandria: Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Roman Amphitheatre, Citadel of Qaitbay (Fort Qaitbey).
Special offers in Alexandria
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
26% offFree cancellation
