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Visiting Alexandria in December

BySunMed Guide

Visiting Alexandria in December

# Alexandria in December

Here’s the honest truth about Alexandria in December: most people visiting Egypt at this time of year are heading to Luxor, Aswan, or the Red Sea coast, which means this ancient Mediterranean city gets overlooked almost entirely. That’s either a problem or exactly the point, depending on what you’re after.

The weather sits in that awkward middle ground. Daytime temperatures hover around 18-20°C, which sounds pleasant until the sea wind picks up and it feels considerably colder. December is legitimately one of Alexandria’s rainier months – not torrential, but proper grey, damp, overcast days are genuinely possible. The city has a Mediterranean climate that actually behaves like one, unlike the rest of Egypt that tourists experience. Don’t show up expecting sunshine every day, because you might not get it.

What you will get is a city that feels like itself. The Corniche, that long seafront boulevard, belongs to locals in December – fishermen, families, couples walking in the cold. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is open and worth your time without summer crowds making it chaotic. The Greco-Roman Museum situation is complicated and worth checking before you go, as renovation timelines in Egypt shift. The catacombs at Kom el Shoqafa are accessible and far less rushed than peak season.

The crowds question is simple: there basically aren’t any foreign tourists. You’ll share space with Egyptians from Cairo who weekend here, but the coach-tour circuit largely bypasses Alexandria regardless of season.

Is it worth it? For someone who wants to understand a complicated, layered city without fighting for space – absolutely yes. For someone chasing Mediterranean sunshine and beach energy – genuinely no, December is the wrong call. Alexandria rewards curiosity over comfort at the best of times, and December amplifies that quality.

**Practical tip:** Bring a proper jacket and layers you can actually use. People consistently underpack for Alexandria in winter because their brain says Egypt equals heat. It doesn’t here. A cold, wet afternoon on the Corniche with no warm layer is miserable, and you’ll spend half your time indoors avoiding it.

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