Algiers in all its aspects

Algiers is built in amphitheatre. Before going into the bouillonnant city centre, you will take up the height to admire the site on which the capital developed and enjoy the views of many points of view such as the Saint-Raphaël balcony in El-Biar, the Aérohabitat at the Télémly, Le Echahid or the esplanade of the Palace of Culture in the southern quarters, the boulevard The Martyrs, the bar of the Hotel Aurassi, the former National Library or the of Notre-Dame-d'Africa Basilica... At the end of the afternoon, you will flânerez along the biggest balcony of the city, the seafront.

The emblematic Hotel St-George can be the starting point for this second day, devoted to a visit to the city centre. Take the time above all to discover the Upper Mustapha which constituted the fahs, the countryside in Ottoman times strewn with former summer residences of Ottoman dignitaries, the Djenanes (villa Mustapha Ras, Djenane-El-Mufti, villa Mustapha Pacha, People's Palace...). The Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Arts invites you to discover or rediscover the history of Algeria through an interesting antique collection from the Libyan-Berber, Phoenician, Roman, Vandal and Byzantine periods. Rue Didouche reveals a succession of neoclassical buildings and invites you to make some intrusions into its streets and adjacent alleys: the one where the well hidden entrance to the Sacred Heart Cathedral is located, rue Meissonnier where its important covered market is held, rue Ahmed Zabana leading to the very pretty square of the same name, where the imposing rue Victor-Hugo.. Didouche Street, the "Algerian Champs-Élysées" as some people say, is lined with beautiful craft shops and bookshops.
Stroll through the parks and gardens in the city centre. Somewhat neglected, the Liberty Park (formerly Galland Park) and the Beirut Garden (formerly Saint-Saëns Park) evoke with a certain melancholy the prosperity of the colonial era. During this day in the city centre, you have the opportunity to admire the neo-Moorish architectural style, developed at the beginning of the 20th century in the capital, through several projects, such as, of course, the Grande Poste, but also the building of the Algerian Dépêche, the wilaya, the former Galeries de France, whose building now houses the MAMA (Museum of Modern Art of Algiers)... The city centre is also the rue d'Isly and its ready-to-wear boutiques, the Emir Abdelkader square and the famous Milk Bar, the Port-Sad square and its countless dealers..

By devoting a good part of the day or even the whole day to visiting the Kasbah, you will take the time to discover all the secrets of old Algiers and to penetrate the soul of this historic district. You can always follow the itinerary proposed in the guide or if you are accompanied consider a more informal visit by letting yourself descend the alleys according to your instinct and the advice of the Kasbahdjis. You will then discover the mosques of Sidi Ramdane, Es-Safir, Sidi Abdellah, the many fountains decorated with earthenware and mosaics, the mysterious princess cemetery, the Fromentin crossroads and its mausoleum of Sidi Mohamed Cherif, its many artisans who struggle to maintain their activity. In the Lower Kasbah, you will take the time to visit the palaces, bastion 23 and admire the Ketchaoua, El-Djedid and El-Kebir mosques.

The day can start with a visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, located on the heights of the Bologhine district (formerly St. Eugene) and continue with a walk in the heart of the legendary and very popular Bab El-Oued district, located further down. Discover the hectic Place des Trois-Horloges, the old Spanish quarter, the Basetta, the covered markets, the Sidi-Abderrahmane mausoleum, on the borders of the Kasbah.. In the afternoon, you will enjoy the gentle lifestyle of the city's heights, the peaceful Kennedy Square designed in the neo-Moorish style and the shaded alleys of El-Biar, the panoramic view of the bay from the tranquil Saint-Raphaël balcony. During a walk on one or the other of the paths going down to the Telemly, it is the opportunity to see here and there, behind the palm trees or the bougainvilleas, of cosy Moorish or neo-Moorish villas..

Head towards the southern districts dominated by the Maqâm Echahid (Martyr's monument) and start this day with a visit to the Mujahideen Museum. A short distance from the Esplanade Riadh El-Feth, a small incursion into one or other of the cities of Diar El-Mahçoul and Diar Es-Saada will allow you to discover one of the many achievements of the architect Fernand Pouillon in Algeria. Below the Bois des Arcades, the Villa Abd-El-Tif, a former residence of the Fahs, was in colonial times a place of artistic residence. Below, the Fine Arts Museum houses the works of Algerian painters, miniaturists and plastic artists such as Baya, Racim, Khadda, Issiakhem..

These last two days can be devoted to the sites surrounding the capital. Visits to the ancient sites of Tipasa and Cherchell can be made on the same day, but more time should certainly be given to the magnificent Tipasa Archaeological Park. Cherchell is worth more to his important museum than to his site. To get to Tipasa, leaving Algiers, you can take the cornice road passing through Bologhine, Ras Hamidou, An Benian, La Madrague... About ten kilometres before Tipasa, do not miss the mysterious Royal Tomb of Mauritania. From Tipasa to Cherchell, the cornice road around Mount Chenoua is magnificent.

If Algiers has no more secrets for you, another possibility of excursion is offered to you: the plain of the Mitidja and the Blidean Atlas. From Algiers to Blida, discover the villages of the agricultural region of Mitidja, the orange groves and the vineyards. In Blida, discover the Place du 1er-Novembre (formerly Place d'Armes), better known as Place Ettout (Place des Mûriers) and its kiosk built around a palm tree. South of Blida, Chréa, the Monkey Creek, the Chiffa Gorge can be the subject of a pleasant excursion to the heart of the Blidean Atlas. The monastery of Tibhirine, near Medea, is discreetly open to the public. You will need to contact the site officials if you plan to take the excursion to this important spiritual place.