Alexandria Safety

[wannab4Ecruiser]

Hi all! Is it safe or even possible to walk around Alexandria on your own or is a tour suggested? If so, what would you suggest for tours in Alexandria. Not sure of what all is there. Any shopping?!? Thanks!

[roscoe39]

Hi all! Is it safe or even possible to walk around Alexandria on your own or is a tour suggested? If so, what would you suggest for tours in Alexandria. Not sure of what all is there. Any shopping?!? Thanks!

 

Alexandria is very safe., in fact., all of egypt is very safe. You will find the egyptians are very friendly and respectful. Tourisim makes up about 80% of the economy there and most locals are aware of this and the police certainly are there to make sure that you are kept safe.

Just take the usual precautions that you would take anywhere else in a strange city such as not displaying money or excessive wealth , and being aware of where you are.....the arichitecture is very french, and most of the focus is around the harbour which has a great walk along it. (Conrische)

there is a days worth of touring in Alexandria, the pillars, the museum, the cornische, the catacombs, taxis are readily available and cheap if you want to bargain, a days tour here is worth it, have fun, shopping...well, im not a shopper so maybe leave that to someone else. ...but history and touring...well its there in droves....oh..ps...they have discoverred cleopatras palace in the bay and if you are into diving, (its very shallow) you can go down and see the pillars from the pharos lighthouse also. Very interesting town...have fun...regards roscoe

[Capricruiser]

Three months ago my wife and I walked around Alexandria on our own and had a delicious seafood lunch at the Fish Market Restaurant. If you're used to conditions in Egypt, there normally would be no problem. Have a taxi bring you from the port to the city center. Make sure you have a good map.

That said, right now there's a possibility that Egypt is on the brink of considerable civil unrest or even a revolution. The anti-Mubarak demonstrations have been mainly in Cairo but seem to be spreading to other cities around the country. Alexandria, being the second largest Egyptian city, would be the logical choice for serious demonstrations and protests. Todays newspapers report 4 dead in Cairo yesterday.

See this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...otests-mubarak

[cruisemom42]

In general, Alexandria is safe enough to walk around or take a taxi. However, private tours are not that expensive and you will likely get a lot more out of the day with one. Here's a link to a review I posted after spending a day in Alex on a private tour last fall:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1297722

 

Most of the sites I visited are not in walking distance from the dock. I'm happy to answer any questions or provide more detail on the tour if needed.

 

Shopping is not what Alexandria is known for. If you want to experience a bazaar or do a lot of shopping, I would recommend going to Cairo.

 

Edited to add: Of course, as capricruiser noted above, you should keep an eye on the political situation in Alexandria; it may be less advisable to walk around on your own if there are ongoing demonstrations.

[chrispb]

Perfectly safe to walk about so long as you don't mind hassle. Be it cab-drivers, shopkeepers they will all "nag" you. If you have children - remember when they were small and would pester you for stuff? Rather like that:)

[yellowbird23]

Being a female solo traveler, I did not feel safe outside the port gates in Allesandria. I did walk with a couple (man and woman) who knew where I could find an Internet cafe, but as soon as we were out of the security gates and into the streets, men surrounded me for one thing or the other and I was very concerned. I managed to follow the couple one-half block to the shop with Internet, but after waiting in line there for about 10 minutes or so, I decided it was best for me to get back to the ship. While back on the ship, I was watching a suspicious man crouched on top of one of the trucks in port. After a while, I concluded that what he was doing was stealing oranges, slicing the boxes open, and stuffing his pockets as quickly as he could. To me, the only way I would go again would be on an excursion with other people. I should have known better to begin with, but I guess I'm just too trusting. Nothing happened, but it was a bittersweet experience; one I wouldn't want to repeat.

[NYLady]

We don't like to admit it but it really is different for a woman alone. It's a pain because often I would rather be alone...

 

I'm totally bummed about the new unrest in Egypt and the Middle East because one of my next big trips was to include many of those areas...