Many Egyptians and expatriates as well spend week-ends and summer holidays on the Mediterranean coast. Few of them, however, are aware that beaches along Egypt’s northern coast compete easily with those on the Red Sea and in Sinai. “The north coast has at least as much to offer as the European coast of the Mediterranean, with remoter beaches, bluer sea, whiter sand, and lower prices,” say Jenny Jobbins and Mary Megalli, co-authors of “A Traveler’s Guide to Alexandria and the Egyptian Mediterranean.”
Egypt’s northwest Mediterranean seashore stretches from Alexandria to the Libyan border. Agami is the first popular seaside town and in the 1960’s, it was an exclusive haven where the happy few built secluded villas surrounded by gardens. Two decades later, a construction boom has transformed this once private and stylish retreat into an overbuilt resort.
On the road to Burg Al-Arab lies the once remote village of Sidi Kreir where Hassan Fathy, one of Egypt’s most famous architects, built a summer house. Known for his endless efforts to reintroduce traditional mud brick architecture, Fathy, as a response to the ban on earth architecture in certain parts of Egypt, built his house with local limestone. Its characteristic pyramid-shaped openings serve to direct cooling drafts through the building and water in the vaulted well is also cooled by prevailing breezes. The roof of the house has been conceived as a series of outdoor rooms and open courtyards, interconnected by stairs and taking full advantage of Mediterranean views and breezes. The two-acre natural desert garden surrounding the house echoes the rich variety of the local flora; four hundred species of plants are found in the Western Desert Mediterranean littoral region.
Twenty-four kilometers from Alexandria’s airport lies the new Burg Al-Arab resort filled with hastily constructed housing units. The Hilton Burg Al-Arab Resort has a beautiful beach and warm weather from April to November. Facilities include a seawater swimming pool, a health club and a children’s playground.
This entire stretch of coast has been literally invaded by village resorts catering primarily to Egyptians. It is at times frustrating to drive along the shore and not be able to admire the beautiful view of the turquoise blue water because it is hidden by a seemingly endless line of concrete buildings.
The ancient village of Al-Hammam built by the Greeks 2,700 years ago became known for its cistern, one of a series built by the Romans along the coastal route in the second century. “The cistern at Al-Hammam continued to provide a constant water supply on the old caravan route, the Darb Al-Hagg, which ran for 2,500 kilometers from Algeria to Makkah, passing through Mareotis and the wells of Abu Mina to Wadi Natrun, Cairo, Suez, Aqaba and Medina,” writes Jenny Jobbins.
This lively market which used to cater to pilgrims’ needs and was conveniently placed on the trade route from Africa has now become a bustling commercial center providing well needed services for the new holiday villages, especially during the summer months.
Marina Village Tourist Center, which is 5 km from the new Al-Alamein Airport and 60 km from Burg Al-Arab airport, is an attempt to provide an alternative to the reckless and random construction that has defaced Agami. It resembles an upmarket resort nestled amidst manmade lagoons and lakes crisscrossed by jet skis and yachts.
This fashionable resort is now flanked by Porto Marina built on one of Marina’s largest man-made lakes. The main idea behind Porto Marina was to create a tourist center, not just a hotel, but a world-class spa complex, a high-standard healthcare center, a shopping mall including a number of brand name shops, good beaches, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a cinema complex, children’s playgrounds and a large number of food outlets. The hotel’s architecture is a fusion of Tunisian, Moroccan, Greek, Italian and Spanish styles. Porto Marina is the first yacht marina on the eastern stretch of Mediterranean North Africa and it has all the luxuries associated with Mediterranean beaches. It is the outcome of the government’s efforts to encourage investment in the area as an all-year round holiday destination for tourists and Egyptians — as has been done in Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada. The endless chain of privately-owned summer houses are inhabited in July and August but remain empty for the rest of the year, creating a syndrome of ‘dead cities’.
In the historic town of Al-Alamein were fought hard battles which changed the course of the Second World War in 1942 by causing physical and psychological damage to the Axis forces. Some 45,500 German, Italian and British soldiers lost their lives here as Field Marshall Montgomery’s Eighth Army won a decisive victory over the German-Italian Africa Korps led by German Field Marshall Rommel. Al-Alamein is now easily accessible from the Al-Alamein Marina on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road. There are museums, cemeteries and memorials to British, Italians and Germans which should attract interest from many visitors.
The Movenpick Resort and Spa Al-Alamein is one of the few north coast resorts that cater to European tourists. It is nestled in Ghazalah Bay which offers one some of the most beautiful beaches in the entire Mediterranean.
Marsa Matruh is the last major resort before the Libyan border at Sallum. This charming little bay offers lovely beaches of white sand and pure transparent water. Agiba Beach is situated 24 kilometers west of Marsa Matruh. The best time to benefit from its wilderness and enjoy it all to yourself is off-season. There are a number of two and three star hotels but apartment rentals are particularly attractive. While a villa in trendy Marina can cost as much as 1500 LE per day, a villa in a nearby village can cost as little as 200 LE a day but reservations should be made well in advance of the summer season.
During the whole summer, the North Mediterranean Coast, especially Marina, Mina, the Diplomats Village and Agami, hosts parties for famous singers including Elissa, Nancy Ajram and Amr Diab. Many of these concerts take place on the beaches targeting young audiences but other parties are seated and cater to a more mature crowd. Some places such as Andrea at La Hacienda Beach Resort constitute the ultimate place to be seen. Situated near Sidi Adel Raman, this exclusive restaurant is guarded by the owner himself, Omar Ratio, who has been known to refuse entry to even the rich and famous. Last year, one of those refused was none other than Amr Diab himself!
