We began our tour in the northern capital of Egypt, Alexandria, where we visited one of the city’s coolest museums - the Greco-Roman Museum, the famous Qaitbay Citadel on the site of the former Pharos lighthouse, the library and its truly stunning museum of rare books and manuscripts, as well as a Greco-Roman amphitheater
This time our choice of hotel fell on the royal Montaza Park and the Helnan Palestine 5* hotel, with a view of the Mediterranean Sea and the large royal palace
In the middle of the day we relaxed at Café Murano with a view of the beautiful Stanley Bridge, and at the end of the day we tried delicious seafood at the Sea Side restaurant on the grounds of the Qaitbay Citadel
From Alexandria we head to the Siwa Oasis. The road is not short, around 8 hours, so on that day we don’t plan to visit anything in Siwa itself - just settle into the hotel, bathe in the hot springs, and rest
There are quite a few hotels in the oasis, all done in a colorful Siwan style. This time I decided to check out a new hotel, Siwa Salt Lake Lodge, which recently appeared on Booking.
I liked the hotel - it’s located on the shore of a lake in a quiet, secluded spot, offering both sunset and sunrise views
For the hot spring in Siwa we chose Aman Ykden camp, where you can also stay overnight if you wish
The first day in Siwa is, of course, devoted to the Libyan Desert
Sometimes I see tourists who reach Siwa, see the sights of the oasis, and leave again without going into the desert. This is a big missed opportunity, because the desert here is incredibly beautiful
I recommend setting aside a day and going on a jeep safari! There are sand dunes, sandboarding, the Valley of Shells, which are millions of years old, a hot spring, and countless beautiful photo stops
At the moment it has become harder to get permission to camp overnight in the desert, but if you wish, a small group can still stay
A night under the stars is an incredible feeling…
The second day in Siwa is the Temple of the Oracle of Amun, the tombs of the nobles, swimming in the salt lakes and thermal springs, and sunset in the ancient fortress-city of Shali
On the way from Siwa we stop in Marsa Matrouh - a town with the most beautiful beaches on the North Coast, where two spots are a must-visit. These are the real natural bay of Cleopatra and Agiba Beach, whose name translates as “miracle”
For the overnight stay we chose a hotel in Marassi. The beach, admittedly, was still closed, since the North Coast season starts on May 1st, but it was pleasant just to visit this place. The hotel was Marassi Boutique Hotel Blanca. The price was a pleasant surprise - just 80 dollars for a double room, which is quite inexpensive for a hotel of this caliber
Our program concluded in Cairo. Here we rested, shared impressions, and recalled the brightest moments of our journey
A review of the trip can be found here