Best Places to Visit in Alexandria: Our Top 10 Picks for Your Bucket List!

The Salt Air and the Slow Burn: Living the Alex Life

I didn’t come to Alexandria to see the Lighthouse. It’s been at the bottom of the Mediterranean for centuries, anyway. I came because I wanted a city that felt like a faded Polaroid—a place where the grandeur of the 1920s is peeling off the walls in real-time, replaced by the grit of a working port city. After four months of living out of a suitcase in a high-ceilinged flat in Shatby, I’ve realized that Alexandria isn’t a “sightseeing” city. It’s a “vibe” city. If you’re looking for a curated tour, go to Luxor. If you want to disappear into a world of tobacco smoke, salt spray, and the best coffee you’ll ever have for fifty cents, stay here.

To live here as a nomad is to embrace the “Ma’alesh” philosophy. It means “never mind” or “it’s okay.” The tram will be late? Ma’alesh. The internet went out because of a winter storm? Ma’alesh. Once you stop fighting the friction of the city, the city starts to open up to you. But first, let’s talk about the mechanics of existing here before we get to the places that will break your heart with their beauty.

The Boring Essentials: Survival Mechanics

If you’re working remotely, you need the infrastructure. Don’t rely on the “free WiFi” advertised at most cafes; it’s usually a lie or a relic from 2012. For the fastest speeds, you head to V-Hub in Smouha or the Greek Club (if you can charm your way into a temporary membership). Most locals use Orange or WE for mobile data. Buy a local SIM immediately; 20GB will cost you peanuts compared to any European or American plan.

For laundry, skip the hotel services. There’s a tiny shop tucked behind the Cinema Amir on Fouad Street. There’s no sign in English, just a man named Hany who has been starching shirts since the Sadat era. He’ll charge you about 150 EGP for a massive bag, and it will come back smelling like sunshine and lavender. Gyms? Gold’s Gym in Roushdy is the standard, but it’s pricey (around 1,500 EGP a month). If you want the real experience, go to the local “Iron” gyms in the backstreets of Ibrahimia. They cost about 300 EGP a month, the equipment is from the Soviet era, and the guys there will treat you like a brother after two sessions.