Alexandria National Day 2026: Ras El-Tin Port guide
Alexandria National Day starts at Ras El-Tin
Every year on July 26, Alexandria marks its National Day with a date tied directly to Ras El-Tin Port. Official Egyptian state information identifies the day as the anniversary of King Farouk’s departure from Alexandria on July 26, 1952, when he left from Ras El-Tin aboard the royal yacht Al-Mahroussa on his way to Italy. For anyone spending Alexandria National Day 2026 in the city, that makes the Ras El-Tin area the most meaningful place to begin: not simply for the history, but for the atmosphere of Bahary, the working-port views, and the concentration of classic seafood addresses nearby.
This is not the part of Alexandria for a checklist-heavy museum sprint. It is better approached as a slow outing: a history-first walk, a seafood lunch, then a Corniche stroll toward Anfoushi and Qaitbay as the light softens over the Mediterranean.
The Al-Mahroussa story in context
The story behind Alexandria National Day is more specific than many visitors realize. The State Information Service says the governorate celebrates on July 26 because that was the day King Farouk left Egypt from Ras El-Tin Port in 1952 on the royal yacht Al-Mahroussa. The Egyptian Presidency’s historical page on Ras El Tin Palace adds broader royal context: the palace was begun by Mohamed Ali in 1834, construction ran until 1848, and the site later became the summer seat of the Mohamed Ali dynasty. The same official page notes that Ras El Tin Palace witnessed Farouk’s abdication and departure on Al-Mahroussa from the palace dock.
That is why Ras El-Tin matters on July 26 more than almost any other Alexandria landmark. It connects the city’s maritime identity, royal history and modern political memory in one place. Even if you cannot enter the palace interiors, the district still reads like a historical stage set when viewed from the waterfront roads around western Alexandria.
Can you visit Ras El-Tin Palace itself?
In practical terms, think of Ras El Tin Palace as a view-from-outside landmark, not a standard drop-in attraction. The Presidency describes it as one of Egypt’s oldest palaces and a current presidential site, which is why casual public interior access should not be assumed. For a July 26 outing, the smarter plan is to treat the palace and port zone as the historical anchor of your day, then pair that with public sites, seafood restaurants and promenades nearby.
What to do around Ras El-Tin Port on July 26
1) Start with a waterfront history walk
Begin in the morning around Ras El-Tin and Bahary, when the weather is more forgiving and the port side is active. This stretch gives you what many Alexandria visitors actually want on National Day: sea air, old facades, fishing-boat movement and visual proximity to the place where the Al-Mahroussa departure entered the city’s public memory.
Keep expectations realistic. This is a living district, not an open-air museum with uniform signage. The appeal is in the layers: port infrastructure, royal-era references, naval geography and the everyday rhythm of western Alexandria.
2) Continue toward Qaitbay Citadel
From Ras El-Tin, one of the most rewarding extensions is a walk or short ride toward Qaitbay Citadel in Anfoushi. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities states that the fort was built by Sultan al-Ashraf Abu al-Nasr Qaitbay between 1477 and 1479 over the ruins of Alexandria’s Lighthouse. The site is one of the city’s strongest pairings with the Ras El-Tin area because both are maritime landmarks and both make sense on a National Day itinerary.
According to the ministry’s current listing, Qaitbay Citadel is open daily from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. Current ticket prices listed by the ministry are EGP 60 for المصريين adults and EGP 30 for students, while foreign visitors pay more. If you want a full July 26 plan, this is the easiest major sight to add after the Ras El-Tin walk.
3) Make lunch the center of the outing
For an Alexandria & North Coast reader, the food stop is not an afterthought. It is the point. The official Alexandria portal’s seafood directory lists several long-known fish restaurants in or around the Ras El-Tin and Bahary zone, including Fish Market near the Scouts Club in Bahary Ras El-Tin, Samakmak on 42 Qasr Ras El-Tin Street, Fish Bono on 24 Qasr Ras El-Tin Street, and Kadoura on Sheikh Peram El-Tounsi Street in Bahary Ras El-Tin.
That official directory matters because it confirms these are real, established area addresses rather than random internet recommendations. If you want the classic Alexandria seafood ritual, this is the district to order simply: grilled fish, shrimp, calamari, tahini, rice and bread, and let the freshness do the work.
4) End with a Corniche walk at golden hour
Alexandria’s own tourism portal describes the city as stretching along the Mediterranean and identifies July 26 as the governorate’s National Day. After lunch, the most natural close to the day is a waterfront walk along the Corniche around Bahary and Anfoushi. This is when the neighborhood feels most cinematic: families out for air, sea-facing benches, fishermen, and the glow that makes western Alexandria look completely different from the city’s busier eastern districts.
If you prefer a lighter plan, you can do the whole day without adding more indoor stops: Ras El-Tin views, a seafood lunch and a long sunset walk are enough.
Nearby cultural add-ons if you want a fuller day
Royal Jewelry Museum
If you want to deepen the royal-history angle beyond Ras El-Tin, the Royal Jewelry Museum is the clearest companion stop, even though it is not in Bahary itself. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities says the museum displays the collections of Egypt’s royal family and is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Current listed ticket prices are EGP 30 for المصريين adults and EGP 10 for students, with the ticket office closing at 4:00 pm. The museum also lists on-site services including a cafeteria and parking.
It is a smart option for visitors who want to connect July 26’s Farouk-and-Al-Mahroussa narrative with the broader material culture of the Muhammad Ali dynasty.
Alexandria National Museum
The Alexandria portal describes the Alexandria National Museum as holding around 1,800 pieces presenting the city’s history across eras. It works best if you are building a full heritage day rather than a strictly Ras El-Tin-focused outing.
Best way to plan July 26, 2026 around Ras El-Tin
- Morning: Ras El-Tin and Bahary walk, with the Al-Mahroussa story in mind.
- Late morning to early afternoon: Qaitbay Citadel for views, sea breeze and photos.
- Lunch: Choose one of the Ras El-Tin/Bahary seafood staples listed in Alexandria’s official directory, such as Fish Market, Samakmak, Fish Bono or Kadoura.
- Evening: A Corniche stroll around Anfoushi and Bahary.
Why this Alexandria National Day route works
There are many ways to spend a summer day in Alexandria, but this one fits the city particularly well on July 26, 2026. It starts exactly where the governorate’s National Day story is rooted, stays grounded in real public landmarks, and delivers what Alexandria does best for local readers: history with a sea view, followed by seafood and a walk.
For Egypt-based visitors, that combination is more than tourist-friendly. It is genuinely Alexandrian. Ras El-Tin gives you the historical frame, Al-Mahroussa gives you the story, and Bahary gives you the texture that turns a commemorative date into an actual day out.