Montazah Palace is a 150-acre Egyptian royal estate on the eastern Alexandria seafront, built between 1892 and 1932 under successive members of the Egyptian royal family and now preserved as one of the city’s largest public gardens. The estate contains two main palace buildings (the Haramlik Palace built under King Fuad I in 1932 and the smaller Salamlik built earlier under Khedive Abbas II in 1892), formal Italian gardens, a private royal beach, several pavilions, and the Eastern Lighthouse. The palace interiors are not open to the public, but the gardens, the seaward terraces, and the panoramic Mediterranean views make Montazah a popular Alexandria stop, particularly for travellers wanting a quieter break from the city’s busier downtown sites. Most visitors add Montazah as an extended option on an Alexandria day tour from Cairo or visit it independently between the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Citadel of Qaitbay.
Khedive Abbas II Hilmi, the last Ottoman-era khedive of Egypt (ruled 1892-1914), built the first palace at Montazah in 1892 as a hunting lodge and summer retreat for the royal family. The original structure, now called the Salamlik (men’s quarters in Ottoman court usage), was a modest two-storey villa in Turkish-Florentine style designed to feel intimate rather than grand.
King Fuad I (ruled 1917-1936) commissioned a much larger palace in 1932, the Haramlik (women’s quarters in the traditional Ottoman sense, though it actually served as the main royal residence). The new building was designed by Italian architect Ernesto Verrucci in a hybrid Florentine-Ottoman style with two towers (one striped in the Florentine manner, the other Moorish-inspired), formal interior reception rooms, and direct access to the seaward gardens.
King Farouk (ruled 1936-1952) used Montazah as his preferred summer residence and expanded the gardens during the 1940s with the Eastern Pavilion, the Tea Pavilion, and the royal beach pier. Farouk was at Montazah when the July 1952 revolution began; he sailed from the palace’s private pier into exile a few days later.
The estate was nationalised after the 1952 revolution and reopened to the public as a garden park in 1956. The palace interiors have remained closed to general visitors but the gardens, the seafront, and the pavilions are accessible daily. Various restoration campaigns have stabilised the buildings and gardens, most recently in 2017-2020.
The Haramlik Palace is the larger and more striking of the two royal buildings. The Italian architect’s Florentine-Ottoman hybrid style produces an unusual building that looks at first like a pure Italian Renaissance villa, then reveals Moorish details on closer inspection. The main entrance facade and the seaward terrace are the most-photographed exterior elements. Interior access is restricted to occasional state functions.
The Salamlik Palace sits on a small rise north of the main palace. Built under Khedive Abbas II in 1892, this smaller villa is more intimate in scale and was used as a guest house under the later monarchs. Exterior viewing only; the building now serves as a state guest house for occasional government use.
The Royal Gardens cover most of the 150-acre estate, with formal Italian parterre sections near the palaces and looser landscaped grounds extending to the seafront. Palm avenues, fountains, ornamental ponds, and shaded benches make the gardens a comfortable 1 to 2-hour walk.
The Royal Beach on the eastern edge of the estate is a small private cove with crystalline Mediterranean water, accessed by a separate ticket. Sun loungers and umbrellas can be rented.
The Eastern Pavilion and Tea Pavilion are small ornamental structures from King Farouk’s expansion, used for outdoor royal events. Both are open to visitors and serve refreshments today.
The Eastern Lighthouse on a low headland was built in 1934 to mark the entrance to the small royal harbour. It is still operational and gives a good Mediterranean view from the surrounding terrace.
Location: Eastern Alexandria, around 17 km east of central Alexandria along the Corniche. The estate’s main entrance is on the Mahmoud Fawzy Mu’az road off the Corniche.
Opening hours: 09:00 to sunset daily (gardens). The palace interiors are not open to the public.
Entrance fee (2026, subject to change): Approximately 50 EGP (around $1 USD) for foreign-visitor adults to the gardens. Royal beach access has a separate ticket of around 100 EGP per person.
Photography: Permitted throughout the gardens without flash. Tripods need a separate permit. Photography of the palace exterior is allowed but interior shots are restricted.
Time needed: 1 to 2 hours for a walk through the gardens including the palace exteriors, the Eastern Lighthouse, and a coffee at one of the pavilions.
Getting there: Most Alexandria day tours from Cairo can add Montazah as an extended option. From central Alexandria, take a taxi for around 200 EGP one-way; allow 35 minutes from the Corniche hotels.
Accessibility: The garden paths are largely paved and accessible. Some seaward terraces require stairs. Wheelchair-friendly throughout most of the estate.
Visit in spring or autumn. The gardens are at their best in March-May and October-November when the temperature is mild and the formal flowerbeds are in bloom.
Bring a picnic. The pavilion cafés serve drinks and light snacks but a picnic on the garden grass is a popular Egyptian-family weekend tradition. Several shaded benches near the seafront make ideal lunch spots.
Combine with a Corniche drive back. The eastern Corniche between Montazah and central Alexandria is one of Egypt’s most pleasant urban drives, with several seafront cafés and the early-evening views back across the city.
Skip if you have limited Alexandria time. If your Alexandria day is the standard 12-hour trip from Cairo, the Bibliotheca, Catacombs, Pompey’s Pillar, and Citadel of Qaitbay take priority. Montazah is the best extension for a 2-day Alexandria itinerary.
Montazah is included as an extended option on EDT Alexandria itineraries. The three best options:
Every EDT Alexandria tour includes private transport, entrance fees, bottled water, and a licensed Egyptologist guide.
A 150-acre Egyptian royal estate on the eastern Alexandria seafront, built between 1892 and 1932 under the Egyptian royal family. The estate contains two main palace buildings (Haramlik and Salamlik), formal Italian gardens, a private royal beach, and several pavilions.
The smaller Salamlik Palace was built first in 1892 under Khedive Abbas II as a hunting lodge. The larger Haramlik Palace, designed by Italian architect Ernesto Verrucci, was added by King Fuad I in 1932. King Farouk expanded the gardens in the 1940s.
No. The palace interiors are not open to the general public. The buildings now serve occasional state functions, and the gardens, exteriors, pavilions, and royal beach are the visitor-accessible parts.
Approximately 50 EGP (around $1 USD) for foreign-visitor adults (2026, subject to change). The royal beach access has a separate ticket of around 100 EGP per person.
1 to 2 hours for a walk through the gardens including the palace exteriors, the Eastern Lighthouse, and a coffee at one of the pavilions. Half a day if you bring a picnic and use the royal beach.
Yes for travellers wanting a quieter Alexandria break, 2-day Alexandria itineraries, families with children, or travellers interested in modern Egyptian royal history. Skip if your Alexandria day is a tight 12-hour trip from Cairo and prioritise the major downtown sites first.