Photo : Hatem Moushir — CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Alexandria · Eastern Harbour
Alexandria Corniche
The whole city's evening walk: grilled corn, salted lupins, anglers on the parapet.
The corniche follows the crescent of the Eastern Harbour, from the Raml end round to Qaitbay fort, then runs east for kilometres. In the evening it becomes Alexandria's front room: families sitting on the parapet, sellers of grilled corn and salted lupins, glasses of tea, fishing rods, and the city lighting up in an arc behind you. It is neither a place nor an address: no ticket, no closing time, and the sea wind rarely drops. It is the one thing to do in Alexandria that asks nothing of you but that you step outside.
The extra bit
The stretch worth walking runs from Qaitbay fort to Raml station: set off from the fort as the sun starts to drop and head east, the light behind you and the harbour crescent opening ahead.
Know before you go
The real risk is crossing: several fast lanes, cars that do not stop, and crossings nobody respects — use the footbridges. In winter the nawwa storms throw the sea over the parapet and sections are closed; that is not local exaggeration. Carry cash for the vendors, not one of them has a card machine.
