El Alamein World War II Day Trip from Alexandria

The day begins with a drive west out of Alexandria along the Mediterranean coast. El Alamein lies a little over 100 kilometers from the city, and the road passes holiday resorts, salt flats and stretches of open desert, with the turquoise sea never far away.

Your guide uses the drive to set the scene. By the summer of 1942, German and Italian forces under Erwin Rommel had pushed deep into Egypt and were threatening Alexandria, the Suez Canal and the British position in the Middle East. The Allied line was drawn at El Alamein, where the narrow strip between the sea and the impassable Qattara Depression made it impossible to go around.

You will hear about the First Battle of El Alamein in July 1942, which halted the advance, and the Second Battle, launched in late October by General Bernard Montgomery and the Eighth Army.

Your first stop is the El Alamein War Museum, which tells the story of the North African campaign. Its halls cover the armies that fought here, with uniforms, medals, weapons, photographs, maps, and models of the battles, and an outdoor yard displays tanks, artillery, and vehicles from both sides.

The museum is a good place to understand the scale of the fighting before you see the cemeteries. Your guide walks you through the maps of the minefields and the battle lines, explains the role of the desert itself, with its heat, flies, and shortage of water, and points out the stories of individual soldiers.

Allow time for the outdoor displays, which are popular with anyone interested in military history. Opening arrangements can change, so your guide confirms them before the day.

The El Alamein War Cemetery, cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, is the emotional heart of the day. More than 7,000 servicemen of the Second World War are buried here, from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Canada, and other nations, in neat rows of pale headstones among desert gardens.

Many headstones carry personal inscriptions chosen by families, and walking among them is a quiet, moving experience. At the entrance, the Alamein Memorial records the names of thousands more soldiers and airmen who died in the desert campaign and have no known grave.

If you are looking for a particular grave, bring the plot reference from the Commission's records, and your guide will help you find it. Please keep voices low and dress respectfully.

A short drive west brings you to the German War Memorial, a solid octagonal building on a rise above the sea. It looks like a desert fortress from outside, and within its walls lie the remains of more than 4,000 German soldiers who died in the North African campaign.

The memorial was built after the war and is cared for by the German war graves organization. Inside, the walls around a quiet courtyard carry the names of the dead. The views from its walls across the coast are striking.

Your guide explains how the memorials of the former enemies came to stand side by side here, and how veterans from all sides returned to El Alamein in later years for joint commemorations.

The last stop is the Italian Memorial, known in Italian as the Sacrario, whose tall white tower is visible from far along the coast road. It holds the remains of around 5,000 Italian soldiers, and a chapel and small museum tell the story of the Italian divisions that fought in the desert.

Inside, the walls are lined with marble plaques bearing the names of the fallen. The atmosphere is calm and dignified, and the sea views from the terrace make a fitting end to the day.

After the visit you begin the drive back to Alexandria, arriving at your hotel or the cruise port in the late afternoon or evening, depending on traffic. Your guide can arrange a stop for a late lunch on the way if you wish; meals are not included unless your quote includes them.