Your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby following your breakfast, at the prearranged time. Your day trip to Alexandria will begin at Rosetta, which is regarded as a sizable outdoor museum dedicated to Islamic architecture. Driving from Alexandria to Rosetta, which is 60 km east, takes about 60 minutes. You will begin your tour of one of the nicest towns on the Mediterranean Sea as soon as you arrive.
Rashid Museum
The first stop during your Alexandria tour will be at Rashid Museum which was opened by President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1959 AD in a restored 18th-century house. The Museum is an old house for the governor of the city during the Ottoman era known as Arab Gali Hussein Bey. Overall, a replica of the Rosetta Stone. Rosetta stone was very important for deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. It was discovered in 1799 during the Napoleonic campaign in Egypt by a French soldier and the original one is now in the British Museum. It helps Jean-François Champollion in deciphering the hieroglyphs.
Rashid Local Market
We will take you later to Rashid local market which is very vibrant and diverse, offering a range of products such as spices, textiles, and traditional crafts very similar to Khan El Khalili in Cairo. Here you will see local vendors sell their goods. Also, you will learn about Bargaining as a common practice in Egyptian markets.
Ottoman Homes
A lot of houses in Rashid reflect the architectural styles and features of the Ottoman era such as the use of wood and stone. Also, the Mashrabiya was a wooden balcony with intricate geometric designs that provided shade and privacy. Moreover, you can see a lot of the houses have Hammams, Arches and Domes, and courtyards and it's one of the best things to do in Alexandria.
Mill of Abu Shaheen
Side by side with the Amasyali house is the Mill of Abu Shaheen. It is an ancient rotary Flour Mill that used to be rotated by animals. The Mill is located on the ground floor, featuring enormous wooden beams and planks in the house of Abu Shaheen.
Hanging Mosque
After the houses tour, it is time to visit one of the best attractions in Alexandria which is the Hanging Mosque or Al-Muallaq Mosque, the only one of its kind in Rosetta. It is named Al-Muallaq because it is located on the first floor built on a ground floor composed of storerooms and small shops. The mosque is accessed via a wooden staircase on the eastern and western sides and it has a wooden ceiling supported by 10 columns.
Qaitbay Citadel
The last stop will be Qaitbay Citadel, about 5km north of Rosetta along the Nile, this fort was built in 1479 to guard the mouth of the Nile 6km further on. The fort was originally modeled on Fort Qaitbay in Alexandria. It was known as the Julian fortress during the French occupation and today is known for its connection to the Rosetta stone, which was found here by Napoleon's soldiers in 1799. At the end of your day tour to Rashid attractions, you will be taken back to your hotel in Alexandria.
