Pompey's Pillar
A granite column raised for Emperor Diocletian, named after the wrong man
5.0 on TripadvisorPrivate tour Alexandria Private Day Tour from Cairo
One day on the Mediterranean: Pompey's Pillar, the Roman catacombs, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Qaitbay fort, with lunch on the corniche.
- Duration
- About 12 hours, door to door
- Where
- Alexandria, 220 km from Giza by the desert road
- Pick-up
- Hotel in Cairo or Giza
- Language
- English (other languages on request)
From, per person$1156 or more travellers
- Starts any day
- Free quote, no obligation
- Change anything you like
About this tour
Alexandria is a different Egypt from the one you see in Cairo. It was founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great, it sits on the sea, and its sights are Greek, Roman and Mamluk rather than pharaonic. This tour takes the desert road from Giza, about 220 km each way, and spends the middle of the day on the ground in the city.
We built the order around opening times. The Roman sites come first while it is cool, the library is visited at midday, and the Qaitbay fort is kept for the afternoon because it stays open into the evening. You walk from one stop to the next with your own Egyptologist and do not queue with a coach group.
It suits travellers who have already seen the pyramids and want a day by the sea, and it works for first-timers who like Roman history. It is a long day in the car, so it does not suit anyone who dislikes early starts or who gets restless on a long drive each way. Plan it for Sunday to Thursday, because the library is closed to visitors on Fridays.
Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
Roman tombs cut down through three levels of rock
Bibliotheca Alexandrina
The modern library that revives the ancient one, under a tilted glass roof
Citadel of Qaitbay
A Mamluk fort built on the site of the Pharos lighthouse
Lunch on the corniche
A slow meal facing the harbour
How the day runs
- 1
Around 6:30Pick-up and the desert road
Your driver collects you from your hotel in Cairo or Giza. The Cairo to Alexandria desert road runs about 220 km. Your guide uses the drive to set out the day and to tell you why Alexandria exists at all.
- 2
Around 9:30Pompey's Pillar and the Serapeum
The column stands where the Serapeum, the great temple of Serapis, once stood. The granite shaft is about 20 m high and the monument with its base reaches nearly 27 m. It was put up around AD 300 in honour of Diocletian, and it carries Pompey's name only because a Greek inscription was misread centuries later.
- 3
Late morningCatacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
A spiral staircase takes you down into a family tomb cut in the 2nd century AD and used for several hundred years. The main chamber mixes styles: Anubis appears dressed as a Roman soldier, and a Greek myth is carved nearby. The tombs go down through three levels of rock, and the lowest one was flooded until restoration work drained it. The story is that a donkey fell down the shaft in 1900, which led to the discovery.
- 4
MiddayBibliotheca Alexandrina
The library opened in 2002 beside the Eastern Harbour. Its reading room sits under a glass roof tilted toward the sea, and the granite outer wall is carved with letters from many scripts. Your guide walks you through the main hall and helps you choose between the museums inside, since the time is limited.
- 5
Early afternoonLunch on the corniche
Lunch is at a restaurant on or near the seafront. Seafood is the obvious order, and your guide will say what is fresh that day. Tell us in advance about any food allergy or diet.
- 6
AfternoonCitadel of Qaitbay
Sultan Qaitbay built this fort between 1477 and 1479 at the tip of Pharos Island, on the ruins of the lighthouse that counted among the Seven Wonders. Earthquakes had already brought the lighthouse down. You climb through the courtyard and the three-storey main tower and look back at the city across the water.
- 7
Around 16:30Drive back to Cairo
The car leaves for Cairo and you are normally at your hotel in the evening, though the roads can be slow at the end of the day. Keep the evening free.
How much does this tour cost?
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| Single traveller | $185 |
| 2 travellers | $145 |
| 3 to 5 travellers | $125 |
| 6 or more travellers | $115 |
In US dollars, per person, for a private trip. The price in your written quote, made for your dates and group, is the one that counts. International flights are not included.
What’s included
Included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Cairo or Giza
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
- Private Egyptologist guide
- Entrance fees to the sites listed in the day
- Lunch at a seafront restaurant
- Bottled water
Not included
- Planetarium and optional library museums, if you want them added
- Tips
- Drinks with lunch
- Egypt visa
Booking policies
Important information
Start early
The pick-up around 6:30 is what leaves you a full day in the city. A later start means dropping a stop, and your guide will tell you which.
Library days
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina lists its visiting hours as 9:30 to 5:00 from Sunday to Thursday and closed on Friday. Saturday hours are shorter. Book Sunday to Thursday if the library is a priority.
Wear
Comfortable shoes with grip for the catacomb stairs, which are steep and damp. In July and August the city is hot and dry, with daytime highs around 30 C. In January and February daytime highs are about 12 to 18 C, and the wind off the sea can be cold, so bring a jacket.
Extra tickets
The planetarium has its own ticket at the library, and the museums inside the library are ticketed separately from the main hall. Your guide can arrange these on the day if you want them.
Payment and deposit
- Prices are in US dollars and the price in your written quote is the one that counts.
- The deposit is 30 percent of the total price (50 percent for trips that start from 18 December to 5 January).
- The balance is due 15 days before arrival. If you book later than that, the full amount confirms the booking.
- Payment instructions come with your written quote.
Cancellation and refund
Send every cancellation by email so that we can confirm it in writing. The charge is a percentage of the tour price, and anything you paid above it is refunded.
| Days before arrival | Normal dates | 18 Dec to 5 Jan |
|---|---|---|
| Until 61 days | 20% | 35% |
| 60 to 31 days | 35% | 50% |
| 30 to 15 days | 50% | 75% |
| 14 to 1 days, or no-show | 100% | 100% |
A bank and payment fee of 6 percent is deducted from every refund. Full rules: terms and policies.
Children
- Children under 3 travel free.
- Children from 3 to 11.99 years pay 50 percent of the tour price.
- From 12 years, travellers pay the adult price.
Please give the age of every child at the time of travel when you ask for a quote.
Travel tips
Know before you go
Start early
Pickup around 8:00 gets you to the pyramids before the heat and the coach groups.
Wear
Closed shoes, a hat and sunscreen, expect sand, steps and uneven ground.
Extra tickets
Entry inside the Great Pyramid is an optional ticket bought on the day.
Photos
Photos are free outdoors; some tombs charge for cameras. Drones are not allowed.
Traveller reviews
What our travellers say
A Fantastic Tour of Egypt
“The entire trip was seamlessly executed.”
Best tour guide!!
“He made our trip to the pyramids and Alexandria fun and memorable.”
Amazing 2 week trip
“My friends and I spent two weeks in Egypt and he was with us every step of the way.”
FAQ
Questions about this tour
Still unsure? Message us on WhatsApp and a real person from our team will answer.
Is Alexandria too far for a day trip from Cairo?
It is long but it works. The road is about 220 km, and the drive is long each way. You are on the ground in the city for most of the day, from the morning until the early evening drive back.
Can we see the Pharos lighthouse?
No. Earthquakes in the 14th century destroyed it completely. The Qaitbay fort was built on its site, and that is where you stand to look at the harbour.
Why is it called Pompey's Pillar if it has nothing to do with Pompey?
Someone later misread the Greek inscription as Pompey. It actually names the Roman prefect Publius, who set the column up for Diocletian.
Can we add Rosetta to this day?
Not comfortably. Rashid is another 65 km east of Alexandria, and adding it here means rushing every stop. We run a separate Alexandria and Rosetta tour that reshapes the day around it.
Is the day suitable for older travellers?
Mostly yes, but the catacombs have a spiral staircase and uneven steps, and the fort has stairs and sloping ground. Tell us beforehand and your guide will adjust.
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Before you go
Guides for this trip
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