Alexandria is well positioned for excursions along the coast and into the Delta. If you have exhausted the city's own extensive supply of things to do, these destinations make for rewarding day trips.
Rosetta
Only 65 kilometers to the east lies Rosetta, the city that became famous after the discovery of the Rosetta Stone. While the stone itself is now in the British Museum, the town is worth visiting in its own right. The square is serene and pretty with decorative cannons, and the surrounding streets contain some of the finest Ottoman-era domestic architecture in Egypt. Rosetta has become something of an open-air museum, with visitors wandering in to admire the houses.
Tanta
Located 120 kilometers south, the university town of Tanta is famous for its textiles -- numerous cotton factories supply markets full of good-quality cloth. There are a few Coptic churches worth seeing, but the main draw is the Great Mosque of Tanta, a beautiful structure that makes the trip worthwhile.
Giza
The Great Pyramids lie only 180 kilometers from Alexandria, making a day trip entirely feasible. Trade in your car for a camel at Giza and head into the desert to see the pyramids, the Sphinx, the Valley Temple, and the surrounding tombs.
The capital is roughly 220 kilometers away. Tour Islamic Cairo and Coptic Cairo for the mosques and churches, visit the Citadel, see the Egyptian Museum, and wander into the Khan el-Khalili market. It is a long day but a rewarding one.
Damietta
This port city sits about 225 kilometers east. Sample white Dammiat cheese, browse the markets for antiques and furniture, and visit the Amr Ibn Al-a'as Mosque -- the second mosque ever built in Egypt.
El Alamein
About 100 kilometers west of Alexandria, the World War II battlefield and cemeteries at El Alamein are a sobering and moving day trip. The war museum provides good context for the Commonwealth, German, and Italian cemeteries that dot the desert nearby.