Twenty kilometres (12 mi) west of Alexandria, the town is a popular destination for both local Alexandrians and tourists in Giza and Cairo.

The city is a popular local tourist destination for middle-class Egyptians, famous for its turquoise waters.

The city also has a number of monuments, including a French fort built during the French campaign in Egypt under Napoleon Bonaparte, and also has several watch towers built during the Ottoman era.

The city has flourished mainly for its relatively small distance from Alexandria and its location on the intersection of Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road and the North Coast road, which made it a favoured spot for vacationers in Egypt.

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as hot desert (BWh),[1] but prevailing Mediterranean Sea winds highly moderate the temperatures, which is similar to the rest of the northern coast of Egypt.