The resort town of Mersa Matruh on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, 300 kilometers west of Alexandria and 520 kilometers from Cairo.Egypt The city has been inhabited since antiquity. During the reign of Alexander the Great it was called Ammonia . The Paraitonion belonged to Marmaris and ancient Libya.
Ruins of a temple of Ramses II and ruins of Roman port facilities are preserved. Near the city there is a cave, where Rommel had set up a temporary headquarters. There is a British, an Italian and a German cemetery from World War II.
The city of Marsa Matruh is located about 288 km west of Alexandria on the Mediterranean Sea and north of the Qattara Depression. The coastal road between the Nile Delta and Libya runs through Marsa Matruh, the only road to the Siwa oasis branches off here to the south. The nature of Marsa Matruh differs throughout the year for vacationers. Mersa Matruh It is the most popular summer resort among the population of Cairo and the central part of the country.
Access : Coordinates: 31.35, 27.233333 / By bus :
Buses are perhaps the most popular way to get to the resort. The Alexandria-Tobruk (Libya) highway passes through Mersa Matruh, another highway leads south from the city to the Western Desert and the Siwa and Bahariya oases. The bus station is located 2 km from the city center on the highway, a taxi there will cost about 25 EGP.
Highlights :
- According to legend, Cleopatra herself loved to rest in these places, therefore, 7 km from the city, you can find the Cleopatra Baths – a small bay fenced off by rocks.the actual Cleopatra bath. Legend has it that Cleopatra and Mark Antonius bathed here together. Admission is free. Many visitors use the stay to take photos or climb around on the rocks.
- Ruins of the Temple of the King, Pharaoh Ramesses II (1200 BC) / Coptic Chapel: built in the early Coptic age / Rommel’s Hideout: A cave, hewn in the rock / The British – The German and The Italian Cemetery.
- beaches : The beaches are the main charm of Mersa Matruh, The fine sandy beaches are sometimes given the name Riviera , The most popular public beach is ʿAgība Beach, about 25 kilometers away : Rommel Bay,Al-Obayed Beach: About 20 km west,Ageebah Beach: About 28 km west , Cleopatra beach
- Diving: The main diving destinations are shipwrecks. This also includes the British cargo ship Volo, which was torpedoed by a German submarine in December 1941.
- Great Mosque, Arabic: al-Ǧamiʿ al-Kabīr. / West Harbor or el-Gharām Bay / el-King Island / Drowned Palace of Cleopatra. / Qism Moursy Matrouh, Matrouh Governorate. / Rommel Museum.
Activities : sightseeing / photo opportunities / Swimming on the Mediterranean beaches.Outside the city there are other beaches to the west ,el-Ubaiyid, 14 km away, and Agība, 24 km away.
Go next : the town of Agiba, 24 kilometers from the city / the top tourist attraction Siwa. / The villages Sīdī Barrānī and es-Sallūm are on the way to the Libyan border.
