Italian singer Dalida couldn’t have said it any better when she described the Alexandrians with her hit song “Ahsan Nas” (The Best People). Clear blue waters, cloudless skies, clean streets and a history that dates back as far as Alexander the Great — it’s no wonder that the Second City is so crowded over the summer, jam-packed with people from all across Egypt, there to enjoy the sun and the sand.

If a weekend is all you’ve got and you’re not looking to hang around in a chalet all day, then prepare yourself to soak up all Alexandria has to offer in two intense days.

To make sure you get a chance to see everything, get an early start, beginning at one end of Alexandria. Go to Anfushy, where you can visit the Qaitbey citadel, which was renovated in the fifteenth century and is home to a naval museum (open daily from 9am–2pm). You can work your way down along the Corniche and admire the Greco-Roman themed architecture — most of these buildings remain untouched since they were originally built. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a couple of small grocery stores owned by Greeks with the same décor seen in old black-and-white Egyptian movies.

By the time you’ve walked around these sights, no doubt you will have worked up an appetite, and what better to eat in Alexandria than seafood? With a fresh selection of squid, octopus, a variety of fish, shrimps, calamari, mussels and crabs, you can’t go wrong at the Arous El-Bahr restaurant in Anfushy. Before finding your seat, stop at where they prepare your food to pick out exactly what you want and explain how you want it cooked. The meal takes no time to prepare and can be considered moderately priced in comparison to other seafood restaurants — expect to pay LE 60–80 for a delicious feast of fresh seafood. Take a small walk afterwards along the Corniche to Azza, a traditional homemade ice-cream parlor with a small selection of flavors including mastic-flavored milk, mango, strawberry and lemon (the flavors are seasonal).

Alexandria is a city rich with history; its downtown area, otherwise known as Mahatet El-Raml, is a predominately pedestrian area where you can enjoy the scenery and get a feel of what Alex was like 100 years ago. You’ll end up bumping into the Greco-Roman Antiquities Museum (open 9am–4pm), which showcases items found in and around Alexandria dating from 300 BC to 300 AD. A few meters away is the famous Roman Amphitheater, the only one of its kind in Egypt. It’s beautifully lit at night and a great place to just sit and chat.

Mohsen Allam Sun, sea and sand in Alexandria

Also located downtown is the National Museum (open daily 9:30am–4:30pm), costing a mere LE 2 for Egyptians and LE 30 for foreigners. Remember that the museum closes two hours early during the Eid holidays, and that student rates apply for both Egyptians and foreigners. The museum was previously a three-story mansion that served as the United States consulate in Alex from 1960 until the Ministry of Culture bought it in 1997. The museum displays 1,800 artifacts, ranging from the Pharaonic era to the Greco-Roman, Coptic and Islamic periods.

Sahet El-Masaged (Square of the Mosques) can easily be reached on foot if you’re already downtown. The mosques are hard to miss, with their ivory-colored domes and minarets that are visible from the other end of the city. Some 40 of Alex’s most prominent walis (governors) are believed to be buried there, the most famous of whom was Sidi El-Mursi Abu El-Abass.

Finish up your day by visiting the Bibliotheca Alexandria. It should be fairly easy to spot, since its design is unconventional and definitely does not look like anything else you would find in Egypt. The library exhibits an art collection that includes Hellenic statues and centuries-old manuscripts. The entrance fee for Egyptians is LE 4 and for foreigners LE 10. Visiting hours fromSaturday fto Thursday are from 11am–7pm and 3pm–7pm on Fridays. For more information and guided tours visit www.bibalex.org.

At the other end of town is the majestic and breath-taking Montaza Palace. To get into the grounds you pay an entrance fee of LE 3, you can then walk around in the lush-green gardens, along the breakwater or visit the mini-mall. The actual Montaza Palace was built in 1892 and was the summer home of the Egyptian royal family. Although the main palace is not open to the public, you can get a glimpse of what it was like by visiting El-Salamlek Palace Hotel and Casino, which used to be part of the palace. It showcases a sizable collection of original photos of the royal family as well as replicas of their antiques and furniture.

Silvia Dogliani One of the idyllic beaches

If you fancy a spot of shopping then Alex is the place to be, with a variety of places you can visit to buy everything from clothes and accessories to household furniture and fabric. If bargaining is your game, then head on over to the Attarine antique district, where you’ll find all sorts of goodies for your home. Dozens of shops are loaded with rare French-accented chairs and tables, chandeliers and home accessories. This is also the place to go for custom-made wood and wrought-iron furniture, another product for which Alex is famous.

Zan’et El-Sittat, which literally translates to “an area crowded with women,” works hand-in-hand with Attarine. This is the place where the infamous early-1900s serial killers Raya and Sekina would seek their victims, killing society ladies and robbing them of their jewelry. Although it’s not a large area, there are hundreds of really small shops stuffed with all kinds of products that draw women from all over Egypt. Shoppers can find fabric and household items as well as imported beauty products, all for a fraction of the price of stores in the city.

For a wider variety and more high-end shopping, indulge yourself at Alexandria City Center, featuring shops such as Mobaco, Dalydress, JB and Timberland. If you’re a bibliophile, you should not miss Dar El-Shorouk’s branch here — it’s the only retail outlet of Egypt’s most famous private publishing house anywhere in the greater Alexandria area. There is also a variety of restaurants and coffee places including Cilantro, Fuddruckers and Cinnabon. If the City Center doesn’t satisfy your shopping taste, then you’re sure to find something at the recently opened San Stefano Mall, located in the middle of Alex along the Corniche. It offers shops such as Mango, Springfield, La Senza, United Colors of Benetton and Charles and Keith. Starbucks is due to open sometime during the summer at both the City Center and the San Stefano Mall.

Eat & Sleep

Note that prices soar at most properties in summer, when rates can change from day to day and weekend surcharges are often added. Price hikes generally take effect on June 1, although the exact date varies from hotel to hotel.

Sheraton Montaza (El-Geish St. Tel: +2 (03) 548-0550) rents for LE 800 per night for a single room (LE 850 for a sea view). Rooms are a bit on the small size, but acceptable. Single rooms for a foreigner start at $175 for a single room or $185 with a sea-view. A double room for an Egyptian is LE 850 (LE 900 sea view). A double room for a foreigner is $213 ($223 sea view). All prices include tax and breakfast.

El-Salamlek (Montaza Gardens Tel: +2 (03) 547-7999) offers rooms for Egyptians at LE 580 for a single room, $198 for a foreigner. A double room costs LE 822 for an Egyptian and $285 for a foreigner. Prices include taxes but no breakfast.

Stay at the InterContinental Windsor Palace (17 El-Shohada St. Tel: +2 (03) 480-8123) in a sea-view double for LE 629. As for suites, average rates are LE 639 for a single, LE 729 for a double and LE 1000 for a royal. For non-residents, rates start from $125 for a single room and top out at $230.

The Sofitel Cecil Alex (16 Saad Zaghloul Sq. Tel:+ 2 (03) 484-0376) offers a sea-view room for LE 665 for a single and LE 810 for a double. For foreigners, a single costs $222 and a double reaches $260.

Mercure Romance Alexandria (303 El-Gueish Saba Pasha St. Tel: + 2 (03) 584-0911) offers a single room for LE 325 and a double for LE 418. For foreigners the rates are 66 for a single room and 83 for a double. All prices include taxes and breakfast.

The relatively new Hilton Green Plaza (14 Mayo Bridge Smouha Tel: +2 (03) 420-9130/31) is fast becoming a favorite and boasts an adjoining shopping center with upscale restaurants, including a cheerful Italian place famous for its baby lamb chops with garlic and thyme. Doubles here cost LE 800 with breakfast, $150 for foreigners (not including board).

The Renaissance Alexandria Hotel (544 El-Geish Ave. Tel: +2 (03) 549-0935) charges $168 for a double or $181 for a seaview. A single with a seaview is $168, or $155 without. This includes taxes but not breakfast.

For that morning start, try Manna for its fresh pastries and croissants (open 9am–midnight Tel: +2 (03) 429-3010). If you want to have breakfast Egyptian-style, head to Mohamed Ahmed for possibly the best fuul in Egypt, and perhaps the world (17 El-Shakur St. El-Raml Station Tel: +2 (03) 487-3576).

For exquisite seafood, check out Le Prince (Montaza Gardens Tel: +2 (03) 547-1589) or Fish Market (26 El-Geish St. Tel: +2 (03) 480-5119). Balbaa serves both seafood and food from the grill and is open 24 hours. It is located downtown across from City Center (Tel: +2 (03) 382-0140). Karyet Abdel Wahab offers well-grilled meat and chicken, delivery only (Tel: +2 (03) 502-2200 or (03) 503-2856). Minouche has 17 types of pizza plus salads and pastas (242 El-Geish St. Stanley Tel: +2 (03) 544-2072/0320 open 11:30am–1:30am).

For great dessert, Saber is famous for its rice pudding. Open 7am– 4am daily (45 Omar Zaafan St. Ibrahimeyya Tel: +2 (03) 592-4739). Also try Azza for its homemade ice-cream located in Mandara along the Corniche (Tel: +2 (03) 548-1743). et