The small town of El Alamein stands close to the northern coastline of Egypt which is washed by the pristine waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and is backed to the south by the huge sandy wastes of the Western Desert. Located approximately 110 kilometres west of Alexandria, the town of El Alamein was made famous during World War II when it was the focus of two major battles between the Axis, and the Allied forces during 1942. Once a quiet, sleepy rural centre, today downtown El Alamein provides accommodation, restaurants and cafes for visitors who have come to pay their respects to the servicemen who lost their lives during the war, and for military enthusiasts who are attracted here for the museum and monuments which relate to these wartime activities. El Alamein also provides services for the nearby seaside resorts of Marina El Alamein and Porto Marina, which are located just a few kilometres away. Standing directly on the coastline the resort village of Marina El Alamein, has become one of Egypt’s most prestigious beachside destinations, due to its luxurious villas, long sandy beaches and outdoor activities. However Marina El Alamein is not directly a tourist destination, but Porto Marina, which lies at the centre of the village does provide hotel accommodation, water sports and luxury shopping services for visitors.
El Alamein, which is home to only 7,500 residents, provides places of remembrance and national cemeteries for all of the countries that took part in the war (except the U.S.A.), plus a museum, views of the battlefields and several monuments which are dedicated to the Battles of El Alamein and the men who lost their lives during the campaigns. El Alamein is also considered to have an ideal climate and provides good access to several white sandy beaches and the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. These can be found at the nearby town of Sidi Abdel Rahman which is located just over 20 kilometres to the west of El Alamein, and further afield is the 7 kilometres long beach of Mersa Matrouh.
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