Alexandria’s harbour and the Citadel of Qaitbay
At the entrance of Alexandria’s eastern harbour, on the former Pharos Island, Sultan Qaitbay had his citadel built from 1477 to 1479. It stands on the site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Key facts
Before you go.
- Starting point
- Alexandria, eastern point of Pharos IslandCitadel of Qaitbay (Wikipedia)
- GPS coordinates
- 31.21300, 29.88520Citadel of Qaitbay (Wikipedia)
- Opening hours
- 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.Qaitbay Fort (ministère égyptien du Tourisme et des Antiquités)
- Official price
- 200 Egyptian pounds, adult foreign ticket · checked on 1 November 2026Qaitbay Fort (ministère égyptien du Tourisme et des Antiquités)
Good to know
Three things to remember.
The Corniche runs along the sea for about 30 km; evenings there are cooler and breezy.
Alexandria (Wikivoyage)Alexandria’s slow but very cheap tram dates back to 1860: the oldest still running in Africa.
Alexandria (Wikivoyage)Summer is humid, with average temperatures of 31°C.
Alexandria (Wikivoyage)
Plan the trip
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Sources · 3 pages consulted, with the exact sentence used
- Citadel of Qaitbay (Wikipedia)
The Citadel of Qaitbay […] is a 15th-century defensive fortress located on the Mediterranean sea coast, on Pharos Island in Alexandria, Egypt. It was built from 1477 to 1479 AD […] by Sultan of Egypt al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qaitbay. […] The Citadel is situated at the entrance of the eastern harbour on the eastern point of Pharos Island. It was erected on the site of the former Lighthouse of Alexandria, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. (coordinates 31.213, 29.8852)
- Qaitbay Fort (ministère égyptien du Tourisme et des Antiquités)
From 09:00 AM To 08:00 PM […] Tickets FOREIGNERS: Adult: EGP 200 / Student: EGP 100
- Alexandria (Wikivoyage)
The daytime can be humid in summer, with summer temperatures averaging 31 °C (88 °F), but evenings are usually cooler and breezy, especially by the Corniche. Its east-west artery, the Corniche, rolls on for about 30 km. […] Alexandria has a creaky, slow but very cheap tram system that dates back to 1860 and looks the part — it's the oldest one still running in Africa.
Opening hours, prices and access conditions change: check them with the official source before you go. Viafro publishes no price without a source and a date.