El Alamein: WWII War Cemeteries and Military Museum

Along the Mediterranean coast west of Alexandria, El Alamein holds the war cemeteries and memorials of the 1942 battles that turned the North African campaign. A visit usually takes in the Commonwealth War Cemetery, the German and Italian memorials and the El Alamein Military Museum. Most travelers make it a full day trip from Alexandria, since the memorials stand roughly 100 to 130 km west of the city.

This guide is for travelers who want to understand what happened here and see it with care. It covers the history in brief, each memorial in the order most visitors drive past them, opening details where they are published, and current travel advice for the area.

El Alamein at a Glance

What Happened at El Alamein

From 1940 to 1942, Commonwealth forces based in Egypt fought Axis forces based in Libya across the Western Desert. The front moved back and forth along the coast for two years. By mid-1942 the Axis army had pushed deep into Egypt, and the British Eighth Army made its stand at El Alamein, on the coast west of Alexandria.

The First Battle (July 1942)

The First Battle of El Alamein ran from 1 to 27 July 1942. It stopped the Axis advance toward Alexandria and the Nile Delta, but neither side broke through. Both armies dug in and rebuilt their strength.

The Second Battle (October–November 1942)

The Second Battle began on 23 October 1942 under General Bernard Montgomery, commander of the Eighth Army. On the Axis side, Erwin Rommel was on sick leave when it started. His stand-in, Georg Stumme, died of a heart attack on 24 October, and Rommel returned the next day. By 4 November the Axis army was in retreat.

The Allied victory pushed Axis forces out of Egypt and back across Libya to the Tunisian border. Days later, on 8 November, the Allies landed in French North Africa. Winston Churchill later summed up the battle’s weight in his memoirs: “Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein we never had a defeat.”

What to See, in Visiting Order

The memorials are spread along the coast road, so you visit them by car. Coming from Alexandria, a typical route starts in El Alamein itself and then works along the coast. Your driver or guide will confirm the best order on the day.

1. El Alamein Military Museum

The museum is the best place to begin, because it explains the battles before you see the graves. According to the history site History Hit, it was founded in 1956 on the order of President Gamal Abdel Nasser and reopened after renovation in 2014. Its exhibitions cover the Second Battle of El Alamein, with uniforms, armored vehicles and weapons on display. Our planning suggestion is about an hour, more if you read the panels closely.

2. Commonwealth War Cemetery and the Alamein Memorial

This is the largest and most visited of the memorials, run by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). The CWGC places it about 130 km west of Alexandria, set back from the road beyond a ridge. Its Cross of Sacrifice is visible from the highway.

The cemetery holds 7,240 Commonwealth burials from the Second World War, of which 815 are unidentified. There are also 102 war graves of other nationalities. The rows of pale headstones against the desert are the image most people carry home from El Alamein.

You enter through the Alamein Memorial, designed by Sir Hubert Worthington and unveiled by Montgomery, by then Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, on 24 October 1954. Its panels record more than 11,800 Commonwealth servicemen with no known grave: over 8,500 soldiers and more than 3,000 airmen. In the southeast part of the cemetery, the Alamein Cremation Memorial honors more than 600 men cremated in Egypt and Libya during the war.

The CWGC lists the cemetery as open every day from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, and wheelchair access is signposted. If you are looking for a particular grave, search the CWGC records before you travel and bring the plot reference.

3. The German memorial

The German war graves commission, the Volksbund, maintains a memorial on the coast road about 100 km west of Alexandria. It was inaugurated on 28 October 1959. The building is an eight-sided structure built like a fortress, with a tower at each corner. It measures 42 m across and 12 m high.

The remains of 4,313 dead lie here: 4,283 from the Second World War and 30 from the First.

4. The Italian memorial

According to the Italian Army, the Italian memorial stands at kilometer 120 of the Alexandria–Marsa Matruh coast road. It was designed by Paolo Caccia Dominioni, an officer of the Italian Alpine engineers. Built between 1954 and 1958, its main structure is a white marble tower.

The memorial holds the remains of more than 5,200 Italian soldiers brought in from the desert. It also honors many thousands whose remains were never found. A small museum of war relics stands in the service area, and a separate cemetery for Libyan soldiers who served with the Italian army, with its own mosque, lies nearby.

Opening Hours and Tickets

The El Alamein memorials are not managed by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and they do not appear on its official ticket list. Here is what the responsible bodies publish:

Because official hours are missing for three of the four sites, plan your day around the CWGC hours and start early. Your guide will check the museum’s current hours and fee before you set out.

How to Get There and How Long It Takes

The only practical way to see all the memorials is by car along the coast road west of Alexandria. Distances run from about 100 km to the German memorial to about 130 km to the Commonwealth cemetery. Driving time depends on traffic, so your driver or guide will confirm timing.

Alexandria is the natural base. A full day lets you see the museum and all three memorials without rushing, and get back for dinner. From Cairo, El Alamein is about 300 km away, which makes a same-day round trip long and tiring. We recommend at least one night in Alexandria. Our Alexandria travel guide helps you choose what else to see there.

Is El Alamein Safe to Visit?

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to most of Egypt’s Western Desert. It makes an exception for the coastal areas between the Nile Delta and Marsa Matruh, the stretch where El Alamein lies. The FCDO also advises against all travel within 20 km of the Egypt–Libya border, far to the west.

That advice was current when we checked in October 2026. Read the latest version before you travel, along with any guidance from your own government. Our article Is it safe to travel to Egypt right now? explains how to read these advisories. Stay on marked paths and visitor areas at every site.

Best Time to Visit and Practical Tips

• Go in the cooler months if you can. The memorials are open and exposed, with little shade between buildings. Our best time to visit Egypt guide covers the weather by month.
• Start early. The Commonwealth cemetery opens at 7:00 am and closes at 5:00 pm. An early start gives you calm light and cooler air.
• Dress with respect. These are war graves. Covered shoulders and knees, and quiet behavior, are appropriate. See our Egypt packing and dress guide.
• Bring water and snacks. Stock up in Alexandria before you set out, as the day involves long stretches on the road.
• Do your research. If a relative served or is buried here, check CWGC, Volksbund or Italian records before you go, so your guide can plan the stops.

How to Combine El Alamein With Alexandria

A good three-day plan gives El Alamein its own day:

1. Day one: western Alexandria, with Pompey’s Pillar, the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa and the Qaitbay Citadel.
2. Day two: El Alamein, with the museum, the Commonwealth cemetery and the German and Italian memorials.
3. Day three: the Bibliotheca Alexandrina or the Greco-Roman Museum, then the Montaza gardens before returning to Cairo.

You can see how Alexandria fits into longer trips on our Egypt packages with Alexandria page.

Visit With Delta Tours Egypt

We do not currently sell a set El Alamein tour. We can arrange a private visit on request, with a car, driver and guide, as part of a tailor-made Egypt tour. Tell us if you are tracing a family member, and we will plan the order of stops around that.

For the time you spend in Alexandria itself, our private Alexandria Over Day trip starts from $130 per person. Longer packages that include Alexandria are the 4 Days Egypt Budget Tour – Cairo & Alexandria from $390 per person and the Alexander the Great 10-day tour with a Nile cruise, from $1310 per person. If you would like a dedicated Egyptologist throughout, see our private guide tours.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is El Alamein from Alexandria?

The memorials lie roughly 100 to 130 km west of Alexandria along the coast road. The Volksbund gives about 100 km for the German memorial, and the CWGC about 130 km for the Commonwealth cemetery. Driving time depends on traffic.

What are the opening hours of the El Alamein War Cemetery?

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists the cemetery as open every day from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. Hours for the German and Italian memorials and the military museum are not officially published. Your guide can confirm them on the day.

How many soldiers are buried at El Alamein?

The Commonwealth cemetery holds 7,240 Second World War burials, 815 of them unidentified. The German memorial holds 4,313 dead, and the Italian memorial more than 5,200. The Alamein Memorial also records more than 11,800 men with no known grave.

Can I visit El Alamein on a day trip from Cairo?

It is possible, but the round trip is long, as El Alamein is about 300 km from Cairo. Most travelers stay in Alexandria and visit the memorials from there. That leaves time to see everything without rushing.

Is El Alamein safe for tourists?

The UK FCDO excludes the coastal areas between the Nile Delta and Marsa Matruh from its warning on the Western Desert. El Alamein lies on that coast. Always check the latest official advice before you travel.

When did the Battle of El Alamein take place?

There were two main battles in 1942. The first ran from 1 to 27 July and halted the Axis advance. The second, from 23 October to 4 November, ended in an Allied victory.

El Alamein asks for a slower, more thoughtful day than most Egypt sightseeing. If you would like us to plan it with care, from Alexandria or as part of a wider route, start with our tailor-made Egypt tours.

Featured image: El Alamein Commonwealth War Cemetery. Photo: Ian Rose / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5