Holidays in Mersa Matruh (Marsa Matruh)

Nestling on a bay on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Mersa Matruh (often called Marsa Matruh in some holiday brochures or occasionally spelled Marsa Matrouh) is less than 149 miles west of Alexandria and can easily be reached by air through Matrouh International Airport or Burg El Arab Airport in Alexandria. Whether you spell it Mersa Matruh, Marsa Matruh or Marsa Matrouh this small harbour town and the newly developed Almaza Bay Resort Complex are great places for a holiday in Egypt! 
Founded by Alexander the Great, it was used as a port by the Egyptians of Ptolemaic times, the Byzantines and the Romans.   It is justly renowned for its four and a half miles of exquisite soft white sandy beaches and the calm, gentle, azure waters of its bay which is enclosed and protected by a natural rock harbour. Almaza Bay is just a short drive from Mersa Matruh and the International airport, and is the perfect location for all inclusive Egypt holidays.   It is a relatively unspoilt and tastefully developed Egypt holiday resort that offers virtually constant sunshine and calm waters.  Mersa Matruh is well connected to other towns and cities like Alexandria and Cairo by road and rail. The town enjoys a lively, relaxed, night life and atmosphere boosted by the fact that it’s becoming popular as a get-away for residents of Cairo escaping the capital city’s sweltering summer months.
During World War II, the railway station named Marsa Matruh was the terminus for the British 8th Army’s single-track railway which shipped men and material to El Alamein, where Rommel’s offensive against the allied forces in the western desert ultimately ground to a halt.  Rommel's Cave, which the Desert Fox used as his staff headquarters, is also close to the town and has been converted into a museum.
 

Mersa Matruh Hotels

Hotels in the Almaza Bay development on Egypt’s Mediterranean coastline benefit from a sparkling backdrop of spectacular views, lakes, sculpted landscaped gardens with properties nestled amidst lagoons, a magnificent 18-hole golf course and fantastic leisure facilities.  The name Almaza comes from the Arabic for “diamond” and reflects the crystal clarity of the warm waters of the coats and the bay.  

The Jaz Almaza Beach resort combines the best in an Egyptian and Mediterranean holiday with sympathetic Mediterranean style architecture and a complete range of Five-star facilities, amenities and service. Guests can indulge in a variety of sports and recreational activities all within the impressive environment of this finely-appointed resort.   The Jaz Crystal Resort overlooks the crystal clear turquoise Mediterranean waters and pristine beaches of Mersa Matruh. It’s the ideal spot for an intimate and relaxing holiday or for families looking to enjoy a typically Mediterranean beach vacation. The Jaz Crystal Resort offers a range of sports facilities including a diving centre, a health club and wellness centre as well as a variety of specialty restaurants and a shopping arcade with more than 70 retail outlets.    The Jaz Oriental Resort is the perfect retreat for discerning travellers with a private beach and untouched natural surroundings.  All are within easy reach of Matruh International Airport and offer shuttle bus transfer services.
 

Beaches, Sports & Leisure in Mersa Matruh – Almaza Bay

Mersa Matruh is second only to Alexandria in terms of importance and size in the north of Egypt.  It’s located at the western end of the 310 miles of the “White Coast”, named for the clean and beautiful marble white sands that stretch along the fringes of the Mediterranean Sea. The beaches in Mersa Matruh are truly stunning, unspoilt and relatively uncrowded. Cleopatra and Anthony fell in love on these beaches and it’s said that Alexander the Great stood on the sand and asked the waves about his destiny. 
The beaches of Mersa Matruh and Almaza Bay are all enchanting, pristine and idyllic.  Ageebah Beach west of Mersa Matruh and features numerous natural caves and enchanting scenery.  Al-Abyad Beach has a beauty  that surpasses even the beaches of Mersa Matruh itself beach and the Gharam (romance) beach is especially captivating.
 Unlike resorts on the Red Sea, Mersa Matruh is not a year-round sunshine destination however temperatures still average around 22° C from April to October and peak at 34° C in July and August.  Thanks to its position on the coast there is always the benefit of cooling sea breezes.  Despite the development at Almaza Bay, Mersa Matruh is nowhere near as built up as some Red Sea resorts and still retains an air of tranquillity.
Diving in Mersa Matruh is not as developed as other locations such as Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada, as the diving on the Mediterranean coast is much more seasonal than the year-round resorts on the Red Sea.  However, there are a wide range of commercial diving schools and summer clubs with PADI qualified training staff have sprung up around the Almaza Bay area and in Mersa Matrouh itself.  There are several impressive wrecks lying off shore.

The leisure facilities at Mersa Matruh and Almaza bay will ultimately include one of Egypt’ largest championship golf courses.  Egypt is already popular with tourists due to its beautiful landscape and exceptional sightseeing attractions and having hosted  events like the European Challenge Tour and the European Seniors Tour featuring golf courses like La Residence des Cascades, Egypt is now being taken very seriously  as a golf destination. 
 

Ancient Egypt & History In Mersa Matruh

Despite it being a relatively recent addition to Egypt’s holiday destinations, Mersa Matruh has a rich history, ancient and more modern.  Ramses II built a summer palace here more than 3,000 years ago which was the epitome of luxury compared to the cave used as Rommel’s Afrika Korps headquarters during the Second World War. During the Ptolemaic period Mersa Matruh was known as Paraitonion and in Roman times the area was called Paraetonium and there are a number of monuments and remains that that date back to the Roman and Greek periods. 
290 km along the coast towards Cairo (about three hours by road) is Alexandria, known as "The Pearl of the Mediterranean".  This great city was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC and became the capital of Graeco-Roman Egypt.  It was also home of one of the Seven Wonders of the World with the Pharos lighthouse standing astride the harbour mouth until it’s destruction in an earthquake. It’s here too that the stormy relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony developed and where Napoleon landed at the start of his campaign in Egypt.

Within few kilometres of the centre of Mersa Matruh lie the remains of Cleopatra's Palace, next to her famous baths and the Ptolemaic Egyptian Fleet Anchorage with the remains of its naval installations.  Facing the city is Rommel’s Cave, originally cut by the Romans to store grain.  The former HQ for General Erwin Rommel’s push against the British in North Africa, the cave is now a museum that contains some of the brilliant Afrika Korps commander’s belongings including his compass, photographs, maps and clothing.

The museum also gives details of the battle of El Alamein, where Montgomery and the British 8th army finally turned the tide against Rommel in World War II.  Excursions to the site of the El Alamaein battle are also available. Visitors can also see British Cemetery where thousands of rock hewn tombstones stand in rows amidst a fenced garden, the German Cemetery which is an impressive memorial built on a high bluff overlooking the
sea and the high hill fort of the Italian Cemetery.
 

Shopping in Mersa Matruh

There are several international brand name and retail outlets adjacent to the Almaza Bay hotel complexes with a host of specialty restaurants and night spots, a movie theatre and a world class conference centre.  

More adventurous tourists can sample the shopping possibilities in Mersa Matruh itself.  The town has long been regarded as a trade centre for the nomads of the Western Desert where they can sell their handmade artefacts and livestock.  You’ll find a large number of bazaars displaying souvenirs and items from Egypt and Libya alike at good prices and high quality.

Jewellery, especially gold items, is astonishingly good value for money sometimes selling for what seems like just a little over the price of the metal itself.  Clothes and shoes can also be incredible value while leather items are generally very good value with standards of workmanship just as high as the quality of the leather.