Travel Plans: Alexandria is a bit less than 150 miles from Cairo, but the city’s special ambiance makes it worth the visit. We will be back in Cairo for dinner.

Alexandria: The second largest city in Egypt, Alexandria is the country’s principal port. Located on the Mediterranean at the western part of the Nile delta, the city’s cultural heritage make it feel less middle-eastern than any other city in Egypt. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, Alexandria was the capital when Egypt was first ruled by Macedonia, then by the native-born offspring of Alexander’s generals, the Ptolemaic pharaohs, and finally by Rome.

Little of ancient Alexandria remains, because of the great decline of the city during the Middle Ages and the earthquakes that occur every few centuries. The city was generally ignored by tourists and treasure hunters until very recently. The greatest treasure was the temple and lighthouse built in the 3rd century BC. The structure was about 400 feet tall, and remained one of the tallest man-made structures on Earth for many centuries. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, it was destroyed by two earthquakes in the 14th century AD. Its remains have been found in Alexandria's Eastern Harbor by divers, and recent satellite images have led to great excitement.

The most striking ancient monument standing is the misnamed Pompey’s Pillar, the only remaining part of a magnificent Temple of Serapis. After his defeat by Julius Caesar in the civil war, Pompey fled to Egypt. The locals murdered him and sent his head back to Caesar because they thought this would please him, perhaps not realizing that Pompey was his son-in-law. Mediaeval travelers believed he must be buried here, and that the capital atop the corner served as a container for his remains, even though the pillar was not constructed until several hundred years later. The pillar is the tallest ancient monument in Alexandria, almost 100 feet high, and amazingly has remained standing and intact despite repeated earthquakes.

Nearby are the famed Catacombs, which were rediscovered because of a donkey accident in about 1900. Dating back to the 2nd century AD, the catacombs were cut from the living rock on three overlapping levels. The central well has a spiral staircase leading to a large vestibule. Niches, a rotunda and a domed kiosk surround the well.