Marsa Matrouh

Marsa Matrouh  is a Mediterranean seaport and the capital of the Matruh Governorate in Egypt. It is 240 km (149 miles) west of Alexandria and 222 km from Sallum, on the main highway from the Nile Delta to the Libyan border. Another highway leads south from the town, toward the Western Desert and the oases of Siwa and Bahariya. During Ancient Egyptian times and during the reign of Alexander The Great, the city was known as Amunia. In Ptolemaic and Byzantine times it was known as Paraitonion , and in Roman times, as Paraetonium.

Marsa Matrouh is a main Egyptian tourist city, and serves as a getaway resort for Europeans and Cairenes eager to flee the capital in the sweltering summer months. It is served by Marsa Matrouh Airport. The city is known for its white soft sands and calm transparent waters; the bay is protected from the high seas by a series of rocks forming a natural breakwater, with a small opening to allow light vessels in.

History

It started as a small fishing town during Ancient Egyptian times and Alexander The Great and was named Amunia. And there are ruins of a temple of Rameses II (1200 B.C.). Then, MArsa Matrouh became known as Paraitonion in Ptolemaic era. Yet, when Roman occupation came to Egypt the town became an important harbor for trade and sending goods and crops to Rome. It was named Paraetonium at that time. During World War II, the British Army's Baggush Box was located to the east. During this period, Marsa Matrouh was the terminus for a single-track railway which passed through El Alamein.

Climate

Marsa Matrouh has a typical dry Mediterranean climate, with cool winters and warm, dry summers. As the city and the region as a whole experience pleasant weather during summer, the city becomes a destination for millions of Egyptians and foreign tourists. Rainfall occurs mainly during winter, but may also appear during the autumn or spring. Sleet and hail can also occur.