Stanley Bridge

The bridge was built in 2001 to carry the Corniche across Stanley bay, which the old road had to detour around, and rather than a plain span the design gave it four towers in a vaguely Islamic-revival style with domed kiosks, set on the piers. It has become the picture of modern Alexandria on postcards and in television backdrops. The bay below is a stepped beach of terraced concrete cabins that goes back to the 1930s, still in use through the summer, and the combination of the curving deck, the towers and the terraces makes the most photographed view in the eastern city. It looks best after dark when the towers are lit and the bay reflects them, and there are cafes along the shore road on both sides.

The main sights

• Four domed kiosk towers - the piers dressed as pavilions.
• The stepped beach cabins - terraced concrete bathing platforms from the 1930s.
• The bay from the deck - the standard Alexandria photograph.
• Night lighting - the towers lit and reflected in the bay.

When to go

April to November. After dark for the lighting, or early morning for an empty deck. Summer evenings are packed with locals. One hour is enough unless you stop for a coffee, which is the point for most visitors.

Good to know

It is a modern bridge with decorative towers, not a historic monument, and visitors expecting heritage will be puzzled. Traffic runs across it and the pavements are narrow. The beach below is crowded and charges for cabins in summer. There is nothing to enter or tour.

Nearby

The Corniche runs both ways; Montaza is further east and the centre lies west.

Key facts