6 Tourist Scams in Alexandria

You're wandering the Anfushi neighborhood near the Citadel of Qaitbay, and the smell of grilled ...

You're wandering the Anfushi neighborhood near the Citadel of Qaitbay, and the smell of grilled fish pulls you into a small restaurant. There's no menu on the wall or table. The waiter enthusiastically recommends the catch of the day and brings out a gorgeous plate of grilled sea bass with rice and tahini. When the bill comes, it's 600 EGP -- roughly 20 USD for what locals would pay 100-150 EGP. When you protest, the waiter points to the premium fish you 'chose' and the 'special preparation.' As travelers on Egypt forums warn, restaurants without visible menus in Alexandria's tourist zones charge foreigners triple the local rate, and you have no written evidence to dispute it.

You're admiring the modern architecture of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina when a well-dressed young ...

You're admiring the modern architecture of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina when a well-dressed young man approaches speaking excellent English. 'Are you a student? I study history at Alexandria University. Let me show you the real Alexandria the tourists never see!' His knowledge is impressive as he walks you through back streets and hidden gems. But the tour inevitably ends at his uncle's perfume shop, then his friend's papyrus gallery, then a jewelry store. Each stop has an elaborate backstory. As discussed on r/solotravel, this is one of Egypt's most common scams -- the 'student guide' earns commission at every shop, and the cultural tour is just the hook.

The Alexandria Corniche stretches beautifully along the Mediterranean, and a horse-drawn carriage ...

The Alexandria Corniche stretches beautifully along the Mediterranean, and a horse-drawn carriage ride seems like the perfect way to see it. A driver offers a ride from Fort Qaitbay to Montaza for 50 EGP. Lovely. But ten minutes in, he stops and points to the Stanley Bridge: 'Special photo stop, very romantic.' He lingers. Then another stop at a mosque. Then a cafe owned by his 'brother.' At Montaza, the price has become 300 EGP because of 'waiting time' at each stop and the long distance. As with caleche scams across Egypt, the initial price covers only the first portion of the journey in the driver's mind.

You're exploring the atmospheric Attarine Market, Alexandria's oldest souk, squeezing through ...

You're exploring the atmospheric Attarine Market, Alexandria's oldest souk, squeezing through narrow alleys lined with antiques, spices, and textiles. A vendor calls out and thrusts a scarf into your hands: 'Feel the quality! Egyptian cotton, very fine!' While you're examining it, his partner brushes past you in the narrow space. You barely notice. Five minutes later, you reach for your wallet and it's gone. As travelers report across Egypt travel forums, the bustling souks of Alexandria provide perfect cover for coordinated pickpocketing, with one person distracting while another lifts your valuables.

You flag a taxi outside Misr Train Station.

'Meter, please?' you ask. The driver waves dismissively: 'Meter no work. I give you fair price -- 150 pounds to Montaza.' The real metered fare would be 30-50 EGP. When you try another taxi, same story -- meters apparently broke across every cab in Alexandria today. As Egypt travel guides consistently note, Alexandria does have metered taxis by regulation, but many drivers simply refuse to use them when they spot a foreign tourist. The mark-up can be three to five times the actual fare.

You check into a budget hotel or guesthouse in Alexandria and everything seems normal until the ...

You check into a budget hotel or guesthouse in Alexandria and everything seems normal until the front desk suddenly demands an additional 'registration fee' or 'police registration tax' of 200-500 EGP that was not mentioned at booking. They claim it is a mandatory government requirement for all foreign guests. Reddit users on r/Egypt report this is a fabricated charge with no legal basis. Some hotel staff present fake receipts printed on official-looking paper. The r/travel thread about three weeks in Egypt documents this across multiple Egyptian cities, with Alexandria being a frequent offender. Legitimate hotel registration with tourist police is handled internally by the hotel and never charged to the guest as a separate line item. If you refuse, the staff may threaten to cancel your booking or claim you cannot legally stay without paying.