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Alexandria and the Northern Coast
Major Cities and Towns
Abusir
Agami
Alexandria
El Alamein
El-Dikheila
Mersa Matruh
Ras el-Hikma
Rosseta (Rashid)
Sallum
Sidi Abdel Rahman
Sid Barani
About the Area
"The Northern Coast" is the Egyptian North
Western gate stretching 525 Km on the Mediterranean east to
Sallum on the Libyan boarder.
This was a rain-dependent agricultural land in the Roman
era. Having good faith in the prosperous future of this
region, the government spares no effort to develop it. Many
comprehensive planning studies have been conducted. Many
luxurious tourist spots have been built. In 1978, the
process was unleashed.
In spite of miles of white sand beaches and azure sea,
Egypt's Med is still undeveloped and relatively unpopulated.
There are fine beaches all along the coast from Alexandria
to Mersa Matrouh, including the resort of Sidi Abdel Rahman,
a secluded bay with clear waters and a selection of villas
and hotels. At Mersa Matrouh itself, the natural bay and
long white beach make for good sunbathing and swimming in
calm transparent waters. Hired bicycles, carettas or open-
sided tuf-tuf buses will take you to other good bathing
spots nearby including the outstar beach at Al-Abyad and
Ageebah cove, surrounded by beautiful scenery. As well as
beaches there are other attractions in the Mersa Matrouh
area: Cleopatra's Bath, a rock-hewn whirlpool bath off-
shore which was supposedly used by Antony and Cleopatra, a
ruined temple fort built by Ramses II, an early Coptic
chapel and "Rommel's Hideout", a cave where the
general planned his military campaigns and which has now
been tumed into a military museum.
At Abu Qir, a
small fishing town, you can sunbath, fish, swim and eat
fresh seafood. To the west of the city try the resorts of
Agami or Hannoville.
Attractive integrated tourist villages are there, including
beaches, houses, public service units. Moreover, 121 private
locations are under study, besides the three models executed
by the Ministry of construction, i.e. "Marakia",
"Marabella" and "Marina" resorts.
Due to its marble-like nature, "Marakia" was
originally known as "Marmarina" in the old times.
The name is extracted from the Arabic word
"marmar" which means marble. Clear sea and pure
sand are its two main characteristics. It is 240 feddans
& consists of three main parts; namely, beach, housing
units and public service units. The beach is 1500 meters
long; its downstream surface is 100 meters.
A pedestrain road separates it from the housing units.
This stretches 400 meters, and consists of five-region on
-shore 1945 units; 1267 cabins, 72 villas and 31 houses. The
public service units are in both the middle of the village
and at its main entrance, including administrative,
emergency, communication, commercial, and entertainment
services. Restaurants, cinema and an open theater. At the
village entrance, a 800-person capacity mosque has been
built. Large surfaces were devoted for sportive courtyards
and public gardens. That is not all, there are further
expansions.
One may imagine "Marina" by the meaning of its
name: the beautiful sea. It is 15 Km from
"Marakia", 750 meters long on the beach and its
downstream surface is 800 meters. Its total surface is about
143 feddans. Many service units are constructed on the
beach. The housing unit consists of 34 villas, 264 flats and
672 cabins. A center for administrative, commercial,
medical, religious and entertainment services is found in
the middle of the village.
Nearby, "Marina- Alameen" lies on the beach, about
100 Km from Alexandria. Its
surface is nearly 5000 feddans. Apart from the beach, it
consists of housing and public service
units. Golf, horseriding and other sport facilities and
courtyards are also there. In fact,
"Marina-Alameen" is exceptional in both natural
and historical respects. It is endowed
with natural deep lakes, as well as large forests. Moreover,
it is rich in both Greek and
Roman monuments. Being the World War II stage, an allied
soldiers cemetery is found
there. On the other hand, sea-linked lakes are designed for
water renewal, shipping and
fishery purposes.
And then there is Alexandria (Alex) itself. Pick
any given holiday and try to find someone you need to see in
Cairo. They will be in Alex, which is not only a
playground for people around the world, but of the Egyptians
themselves.
Population
Total population 3,341,000
male 51.15 %
female 48.85 %
Tourism
54 hotels
4,041 rooms
Worship places
1,819 mosques
36 churches
How to get to Alexandria
From outside Egypt
International flights to Cairo, then an internal flight or
travel by rail, bus or private transport (see below).
Contact your travel agent for details.
From Cairo
Overland and rail
Alexandria
Trains (including the express "Turbini" service)
from Ramses Station. Buses (Superjet, West Delta Bus Co.
or Golden Arrow) from Abdel Mouneem Riyad
terminal near the Ramses Hilton Hotel. Some buses also
depart directly from Cairo Airport. Service taxis from in
front of the Nile Hilton Hotel, near Ramses
Station or the Ahmed Helmi terminal. There are two good
roads direct from Cairo to Alexandria for those with
private transport.
Mersa Matrouh
Trains, direct or via Alexandria, from Ramses Station. In
the summer there are also wagons-lits direct to Mersa
Matrouh. Contact Wagons-lits on
+20-2-3492365.
Buses (Superjet, West Delta Bus Co. or Golden Arrow) from
Abdel Mouneem Riyad terminal near the Ramses Hilton Hotel.
The West Delta Bus Co. buses
leave Alexandria from Ramleh. Service taxis also run from
Alexandria
Al Alamein
By bus, train or service taxi from Alexandria.
By air
EgyptAir flies daily to Alexandria throughout the year and
to Mersa Matrouh in the summer months. Tel: +20-2-5750600
(Cairo).
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