Africa's stunning mega-city that's the biggest on the Mediterranean coast with 6mn people

Africa is changing fast with some of the world’s biggest and fastest-growing cities found across the continent. Many British travellers are already familiar with places like Cairo or Lagos, but there’s another enormous African city on the Mediterranean coast that sometimes goes under the radar.

Alexandria, Egypt’s second-largest city, is home to nearly six million people and is officially the biggest city on the Mediterranean coast. The city’s metro population in 2025 is estimated at 5.8 million and it continues to grow, according to Macrotrends. Although many tourists head straight to Cairo or the Pyramids, Alexandria is one of Egypt’s most important cities and has plenty to offer holidaymakers.

According to travel site Facts.uk, the city was founded by Alexander the Great more than 2,300 years ago.

It has a rich history and is even older than London. It was once the home of Queen Cleopatra and housed one of the original Seven Wonders of the World - the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos. 

The lighthouse was thought to be over 330 feet tall and was only dwarfed by the Great Pyramids of Giza.

Even though the lighthouse no longer exists, tourists can visit several other important sites including the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which is a tribute to the city’s ancient library.

There are also the Citadel of Qaitbay, Montaza Palace, the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa and the Alexandria Library.

According to estimates, the Alexandria Library alone welcomes more than 1.4 million visitors every year.

Gabbari necropolis is also a must visit. Incredibly, archaeologists only discovered it in the city as recently as 1997. 

The ancient burial ground, which is over 2,000 years old, included personal messages to loved ones, ceramics, and even graffiti left by grave robbers.

Alexandria also has one of the oldest tram systems in the world, with services dating back to the 1860s. 

It’s one of the only places where you can still ride double-decker trams, similar to the ones found in Blackpool.

Despite its long history, Alexandria hasn’t always been a major city. It actually shrank into a small fishing village for centuries before growing again in the 1800s. 

Now it’s one of the most important cities in North Africa.

Travelling to Alexandria from the UK usually takes around eight to nine hours and often involves a short layover. 

Airlines such as Wizz Air, Pegasus, Air Arabia and Ryanair operate regular flights, with most departing from London, according to Skyscanner.

While most tourist zones are considered safe, it’s still important to check travel advice before visiting. 

The UK Government urges people to stay alert, avoid walking alone at night and keep British embassy details to hand.