From Cairo: Alexandria Sunken City & Cleopatra's Underwater Treasures Tour

Beneath the shimmering blue waters of Alexandria's Eastern Harbour lie the legendary palaces of Cleopatra and the submerged remains of ancient Thonis-Heracleion and Antirhodos. This unique private day tour from Cairo unveils the drama of underwater archaeology and the sunken antiquities that vanished into the Mediterranean centuries ago.

Departing your Cairo accommodation early in a private climate-controlled vehicle, you travel scenic desert roads towards the Mediterranean coast. Your specialized Egyptologist guide introduces the catastrophic earthquakes and tsunamis that submerged Alexandria's royal quarters between the 4th and 8th centuries AD.

Your morning begins at the Alexandria National Museum, where a dedicated underwater archaeology gallery displays treasures rescued from the seabed: colossal granite statues of Isis, Ptolemaic sphinxes, gold jewellery, and ancient naval amphorae. Next, you board a private boat for a harbour cruise across the Eastern Harbour, passing directly above the submerged Royal Quarter and Cleopatra's sunken island palace.

Following a seafront lunch featuring fresh Mediterranean catches, you explore the stone bastions of the 15th-century Citadel of Qaitbay, erected upon the submerged foundations of the ancient Pharos Lighthouse. Complete your journey with a visit to the Catacombs or the Roman ruins before your scenic drive back to Cairo.