Things to Do in Algiers
Prices, opening hours, best times to visit and the stuff nobody tells you, everything you need for a first trip to Algiers, Algeria, plus one pigeon's opinions on all of it.
Right, Algiers. Whitewashed buildings tumbling down a hillside to the Mediterranean, a maze of an old town that's earned every bit of its reputation, and a modern history that shapes the whole city's character. This is the proper, no-nonsense guide to things to do in Algiers: what things actually cost, when to go, what to skip, and which bits are worth the walk. Six main stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site to see if you were paying attention.
The Casbah
Algiers' old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the more atmospheric old quarters in North Africa, narrow winding alleys, whitewashed houses stacked densely down the hillside toward the harbour, and a layout that dates back to Ottoman rule and earlier.
It's a proper maze, easy to get turned around in, and honestly better explored with a local guide both for navigation and context, this is a living, populated neighbourhood, not a museum piece, and a guide adds real depth to what you're seeing.
Best time Morning, when the light through the narrow streets is at its best
The View from the Sea, or Notre-Dame d'Afrique
Algiers is sometimes nicknamed 'Algiers the White' due to its tightly packed whitewashed buildings rising up the hillside, a striking visual effect best appreciated from the water or from a high vantage point looking back at the city. Notre-Dame d'Afrique, a 19th-century basilica perched above the harbour, is the classic spot for that view.
The basilica itself is worth the visit too, a striking Byzantine-Moorish design overlooking the Mediterranean, and notably still an active place of worship with a genuinely mixed congregation reflecting the city's history.
Hours Daily, outside of service times
Address Overlooking the harbour, north Algiers
Martyrs' Memorial (Maqam Echahid)
Algiers served as a base for a lengthy and significant independence struggle against French colonial rule, a hard-fought war ending in 1962 that remains a defining chapter in the country's modern history. This concrete monument, three enormous palm-leaf-shaped pillars visible across much of the city, commemorates that struggle.
An underground museum beneath the monument covers the independence war in real depth, worth the visit if you want to understand the history that shapes so much of modern Algiers beyond just the monument itself.
Address El Madania, Algiers
Great Mosque of Algiers (Djamaa el Djazaïr)
One of the largest mosques in the world, completed in 2019, with a minaret that's among the tallest religious structures anywhere. An enormous, modern addition to Algiers' skyline, visible from much of the city and the harbour.
The complex includes a library, a museum, and public gardens alongside the main prayer hall, worth the visit for the scale and architecture alone even if you're not visiting for worship.
Hours Daily, outside of prayer times
Address Mohammadia district, Algiers
National Museum of Antiquities
Algeria's oldest museum, covering the region's Roman, Numidian, and Islamic history through significant archaeological finds, mosaics, statuary, and coins spanning centuries of North African history that most visitors don't associate with Algeria specifically.
It's set within the pleasant Jardin d'Essai botanical gardens, worth combining a museum visit with a walk through the gardens themselves, a properly green, calm space in a busy city.
Hours Sat–Thu, check current times
Address Jardin d'Essai, Hamma, Algiers
Boulevard Zighout Youcef & the French Quarter
Downtown Algiers preserves a striking stretch of French colonial-era architecture, wide boulevards, ornate balconies, and grand facades that give parts of the city a distinctly European feel despite the deeply North African life happening on the streets below.
It's a good area to just walk, cafes, bookshops, and a real sense of Algiers' layered identity, colonial architecture, post-independence Algerian life, all visible in the same few blocks.
Address Central Algiers, near the port
Best time to visit Algiers
April through June and September through November give the most comfortable Mediterranean weather, mild enough for walking the Casbah and the waterfront without summer's heat or winter's rain.
Summer (July and August) gets properly hot and is when many Algerians holiday domestically, expect a livelier but busier city. Winter brings rain and cooler temperatures, workable but less pleasant for the walking-heavy sights on this list.
Getting around Algiers
Algiers has a tram and metro system covering parts of the city, useful for longer distances. The Casbah and central areas are best explored on foot, the terrain is steep and the streets narrow enough that cars aren't practical there anyway. Taxis are the easiest way to reach sights further out like Notre-Dame d'Afrique or the Jardin d'Essai.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Algiers worth visiting?
- Yes, particularly for the Casbah and the city's striking hillside setting, an underrated North African capital that doesn't get the tourist attention Marrakech or Cairo do.
- How many days do you need in Algiers?
- Two to three days covers the main sights comfortably, including a proper guided walk through the Casbah.
- Is Algiers expensive?
- Generally affordable, museum and monument entry fees are low, and food and local transport remain genuinely cheap.
- What is Algiers famous for?
- The Casbah, its UNESCO-listed old town, its whitewashed hillside skyline earning it the nickname 'Algiers the White', and its central role in Algeria's war of independence against France.
That's everything I've got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
