Montaza Palace, Alexandria (must see)

Montaza Palace forms part of a large royal seaside estate first developed under Khedive Abbas II in the late 19th century. According to local lore, Abbas II discovered the site in 1892 during a moonlit donkey ride with musicians. Salamlek Palace, the earliest building, is often linked to his private life and to Hungarian countess Marianna Török von Szendrő.

The complex later became a royal summer retreat under King Fuad I and King Farouk. Its larger residence, Al-Haramlek Palace, blends Ottoman, Florentine, and Mediterranean details with towers, arches, and red-tiled roofs. Though the interiors are usually closed to tourists, the building remains a key landmark in the gardens. Nearby, the Royal Automaton Clock Tower adds a curious touch, with mechanical figures appearing as part of its hourly display.

The estate also includes smaller features tied to royal leisure, including Tea Island, reached by an arched bridge and marked by a Roman-style kiosk overlooking the water. The Princesses’ Cinema, an enclosed outdoor theatre built under King Farouk, allowed his daughters to watch international films in privacy. Such features give the grounds the feel of a private royal world shaped by leisure, ceremony, and sea views.

For tourists today, Montaza Palace is best experienced through its gardens, coastal scenery, and surviving royal structures. Palms, lawns, shaded paths, sea views, and scattered royal features make the estate feel more like a landscaped memory than a museum. The former private train station adds another trace of royal planning, while the palaces, clock tower, bridge, island, and cinema preserve the atmosphere of a once-secluded retreat.