Exploring Citadel of Qaitbay in Alexandria

Hey dear community, at the beginning I would like to welcome you all to my new post and hope it goes well so far! In my post today I would like to expand my travel blog again and am happy if others appreciate what I do.

While I was in Cairo, it was clear to me that I would make a day trip to the historic city of Alexandria, which has a very special meaning when it comes to antiquity and was founded by the well-known ruler Alexander the Great. For many, the city is probably known as an important center of science where well-known wonders of the world are located and here is also the well-known library of Alexandria, which is also considered the largest and sometimes the most mysterious in the world. From Cairo it's about 230 kilometers which is why my trip started early in the morning and first I drove to the train station because I wanted to get to know different facets of the country as authentically as possible, including public transport, but this turned out to be more complicated than expected. At the beginning I wanted to buy a ticket online which is usually possible but only for people with an Egyptian passport which is why I wanted to buy the ticket on site but they have two different ticket counters at the main station in Cairo with different prices and people from other countries pay significantly more which is why I went looking for the ticket machine.

I must have spent 20 minutes finding a machine because I don't wanted to pay such an enormous cost for a ticket, which otherwise costs a few euros, but I couldn't find a machine, which is why I simply decided to take an Uber right away, which was probably the most convenient and cost-effective alternative in every respect. I paid about $26 for a one-way trip with Uber, which is really fair for this enormous distance, and the driver was also extremely friendly and also took some short breaks to have a drink or fresh breath. In Alexandria I visited more things, which I do not want to illuminate all in this article, but would like to specifically address the visit to Citadel of Qaitbay, which is a fortress that was built during the 15th century and was intended to protect the city. In the beginning it was still an old lighthouse which was even regarded as a miracle of antiquity and was unfortunately tragically destroyed by an earthquake until Sultan Qaitbay decided to build a fortress from the remains.

It became more than a simple fortress but a large complex in which various buildings, living spaces or a mosque could be found inside, and since it was also considered a military base for a long time, there were also numerous weapons depots. Later, the fortress was even occupied by the British empire until it came later in the hands of the ruler Muhammad Ali Pasha, who had decided to put many resources into the improvement. A lot of limestone was used for the construction and the architecture was adapted so that it was as safe as possible from attackers and also the location directly on the Corniche was well thought out and is today one of the best ways to experience a breathtaking panorama. The entrance to the fortress costs only a few dollars and for 200 pounds there is a lot on offer in every respect and to see everything it takes about two hours but I would also recommend everyone to enjoy the sunset here which was one of the best decisions in every respect! Then I went to a restaurant nearby before I slowly made my way back to Cairo and in the next posts I will share even more about my time in Alexandria and also give one or the other recommendation.

Many thanks for stopping by and I hope you could learn something new and like my post and appreciate my effort! I captured these pictures with my Sony Alpha 6000 plus 55-210 mm and iPhone 16.