ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

Just north of Qait bay lies the site of the famous underwater excavation where hundreds of pillars, statues and sphinxes have been found.We shall then proceed to the Roman Amphitheatre.

Departing from the pier, our tour will proceed to Fort Qait Bay. This 15th century Mamluk fort overlooks the entrance to the eastern harbour in Alexandria. Built on the foundations of the Pharos lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, it incorporates both a castle and a mosque within its walls. Just north of Qait bay lies the site of the famous underwater excavation where hundreds of pillars, statues and sphinxes have been found.We shall then proceed to the Roman Amphitheatre. The only Roman Amphitheatre in Egypt was only discovered quite recently, during the foundation digging for a new apartment building. The well-preserved theatre once stood with thirteen semi-circular tiers of white marble imported from Europe. It contains galleries, sections of mosaic-flooring and marble seats for up to 800 spectators. At one point, it may have even been roofed over to serve as an Odeon for musical performances and some inscriptions also suggest that it was sometimes also used for wrestling contests.Our final visit will be to the Bibliotheca Alexandria. This is not only a library, it is also an integrated cultural complex, with libraries, museums, exhibition areas, educational centres and an international conference centre. The principal objective of reviving the Bibliotheca Alexandria is to establish a comprehensive research library. The new library is designed as a modern state of art translation of the old, adequate for crossing the frontiers and meeting the challenges of the 21st century. Following our visit, we shall rejoin our coach for the return journey back to our ship.Please note that there is approximately 2 hours of walking and standing involved in this tour. At Fort Quait bay, there are some steps to negotiate. Complimentary mineral water is supplied on the coach. For reference the cost of this tour includes the movement of coaches and guides from Cairo, in order to guarantee the highest quality.

DESCRIPTION CORRECT FOR 2008 WORLD CRUISE