10 places for discovering the best of amazing Algeria

29.07.2024 - 23:07 / lonelyplanet.com

Jul 29, 2024 • 7 min read

Full of surprises, epic Algeria is an adventurous traveler’s dream.

Africa’s largest country by area has a 1600km (994-mile) coastline fringed with long sandy beaches and dotted with history-rich cities which include some of the best Roman ruins in the world. Inland, a fantastic desert hinterland promises authentic oasis towns, vast sand seas and ancient volcanic mountains covered in rare prehistoric petroglyphs and paintings.

Until recently, Algeria was one of the hardest countries in the world to visit. But this is changing, with tourist visas getting easier to obtain (still, budget two months for the process), and an increasing number of flights from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Curiosity piqued? Read on for 10 places you’ll want to visit in this country, a travel destination that will soon get the attention it deserves.

Best for fans of epic Roman ruins

The UNESCO-listed Roman ruins at Timgad were built by the emperor Trajan in 100 CE. The site sits at a crucial pass through the Aurès Mountains, a strategic point that gave Rome control of access to the Sahara. Often called North Africa’s Pompeii, Timgad an exemplar of Roman urban planning, the city laid out like a chessboard over 50 hectares (123 acres). You’ll need a full day to explore all the forums, temples, markets, bath houses, theaters, law courts and villas here, as well as a rare public library. Look out for the inscription in the forum which reads “venari lavari ludere ridere occ est vivere” (“to hunt, to go to the bath, to play, to laugh: this is to live”). The on-site museum has 200 stunningly well-preserved floor mosaics.

Planning tip: Timgad is a very exposed site. You’ll need a hat and plenty of water in summer, and a jacket in winter or spring as it can be cold and windy.

Best for admiring one of the world’s most improbably sited cities

Since the 4th century BCE, Constantine has occupied a rocky pinnacle above the river Rhumel, encircled by 200m(656ft)-deep ravines. It’s a pleasure to admire the ingenuity behind this improbably located city – and to snap pictures from the Sidi M’Cid Bridge and the Monument aux Morts, a WWI memorial that offers a bird’s-eye view. Once you hit the streets, you can visit the finely decorated Ottoman Palace of Ahmed Bey, the National Museum and the beautifully contemporary Emir Abdelkader Mosque, one of the largest on the continent. 

Planning tip: Non-Muslims are allowed to enter mosques in Algeria outside of prayer times, so plan your touring accordingly. 

Best for following in the footsteps of North African Christian pioneer 

Charming Annaba is where Amazigh theologian St Augustine – a figure crucial to and “Father” of the Catholic Church – taught and wrote works that