Although far afield from most North Coast hot spots (524 kilometers west of Cairo, to be precise), Marsa Matruh’s pristine beauty and glorious beaches have kept the coastal city well in the competition. Aguiba Beach (the Arabic word for mysterious) is nothing short of its namesake, with its distinguished high rock formations surrounding an enclave of water. Make sure you bring your own food, as the beach has no eateries.

From the beach, head for the Leila Murad Rock, where she sang “El-Maya wel Hawa” (The Water and the Air), her famous tribute to what was, at the time, literally the neighborhood of Matruh. It takes quite a bit of climbing to reach the top of the rock towers, but a photograph from the top can take you back to the Egypt of yesterday, when the natural beauty was unspoiled by modernity and the concrete pillboxes that pass for North Coast summer homes.

Another beach to bask on is Obbayed, about 20 kilometers west of the city. The stretch is famed for its silvery sand and calm, shallow water. Make certain you check out Rommel Beach, named after the Second World War German general (legend holds he swam here) as well as Shatae El-Gharam or Lovers’ Beach.

Further west (seven kilometers out of town) lies Cleopatra Beach, named after the Ptolemaic Queen who ruled Egypt from 51 BC to 30 BC. Don’t miss Cleopatra Bath, a dwarf cave that lies on the far right side of the beach. The queen and her lover, the Roman commander Marc Antony, are believed to have frolicked here.

Bask to your heart’s content, but squeeze in a visit to the Rommel Museum, one of the city’s most famous historical sites. The museum is housed in a cave where the German commander set up one of his primary command posts during military operations in North Africa (Open daily 9:30am-4pm, admission LE 1). The museum houses some of Rommel’s belongings, including his desk, compass, overcoat, photographs, maps, a clothing trunk (donated long after the war by his grandson) in addition to firearms from the period.

The Details

Try the Beau Site Hotel (tel: (046) 493-4011/2/3), where doubles go for LE 530 per night or a suite for LE 786 half board, or the Bel Air Hotel (tel: (046) 493-1433/66), both on El-Shatee St. Also worth checking out: El-Lido Hotel (tel: (046) 493-2248/49) for budget accommodation.

The new Iberotel Almaza Beach Resort is expected to open in April 2006, while out of town in Alamein is the much acclaimed M?venpick Alamein Resort and Spa. Matruh is quiet at night — head here for a romantic getaway, but bring a posse of friends to create your own nightlife if you need one.

Enjoy kebab and kofta at Abdou Kofta (corner of Tahrir and Zaher Galal, open 10am-2am) or a pricey fish meal at Mansour Fish Restaurant (Tahrir St., open 11am-3am). Panyatis Greek Restaurant, one of the city’s oldest eateries, specializes in fried fish (LE 20), calamari (LE 15) and outstanding tahina (Iskindiriya Street, open 8am-midnight).

EgyptAir flies to Marsa Matruh in summer only, starting in May or June, usually three flights a week. In 2005, one-way fares were about LE 202 for Egyptians, LE 1,254 for foreigners. You can also get there via Superjet (LE 50) or train (note: transportation is only available after June 1). Otherwise, grab the car keys for the five- to six-hour drive. et