last edited Dec 11, 2019
What to See in Algeria
Contributionsversion #1created Dec 11, 2019Latest contributions in this guideContributors to this guide
Location
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Algeria has 7 sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list:
Coastal:
- Casbah of Algiers (1992):
- Djemila (1982):
- Kalâa of the Béni Hammad (1980):
- Timgad (1982):
- Tipasa in Mauretania (1982):
Central region:
- M'Zab Valley (1982):
Far South:
- Tassili Cultural Park (1982):
Coastal
- Algiers :
- Annaba :
- Bejaia :
- Djemila :
- Kabylia :
- Oran :
- Timgad :
- Tipasa :
- Tlemcen :
Natural Heritage
Central Region
Warning: The entire border area with Tunisia (excluding the coastal zone) is strongly advised against for security reasons by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- El Menia :
- Ghardaïa :
- Timimoun :
Natural Heritage
Algerian Deep South
Warning: A large part of the South, particularly near the borders with neighboring countries, is strongly advised against for security reasons by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Djanet :
Natural Heritage
Must-see & highly recommended
Casbah of Algiers
★★★★ The old city—or medina—of Algiers has shaped the capital's "reputation." This entire historic district has been a UNESCO World…
Great Western and Eastern Ergs
★★★★ These are two vast dune massifs covering 78,000 and 120,000 km², dotted with oases and traditionally used for camel treks and tourism. This…
Recommended
Algiers
★★★ Algiers the White, with its stunning UNESCO-listed casbah, remarkable architecture, museums, and lively Mediterranean atmosphere. A…
Djemila
★★★ This ancient Roman city, located in the municipality of the same name, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is also remarkably well…
Ghardaïa
★★★ This oasis city in the M'Zab Valley is one of the fortified settlement areas with remarkable traditional architecture, listed as a UNESCO…
Hoggar Mountains
★★★ This high-altitude desert plateau, reaching nearly 3,000 m and close to Tamanrasset, has always been a remarkable place for its landscapes…
Tassili n'Ajjer Massif
★★★ An arid high plateau near Djanet. Like other massifs in the southern Sahara, it offers stunning landscapes and, when conditions allow…
Timgad
★★★ Sometimes called the "Pompeii of North Africa", this ancient Roman city is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
M'Zab Valley
★★★ This northern Sahara region is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its traditional fortified cities and villages, of which Ghardaïa is the…
Worth a look / Other
Cape Carbon
★★ A pretty cape with its lighthouse jutting into the sea a few kilometres north of Béjaïa.
Cherchell
★★ Roman ruins and a dedicated museum in this medium-sized seaside city.
Constantine
★★ It is the third-largest urban area in the country. Built on rugged terrain, it is known for its suspension bridges, beautiful medina, and…
Assekrem Hermitage
★★ Built by Charles de Foucauld in 1910 at nearly 2,800 metres above sea level in the Hoggar Massif, the site is still occupied. It offers a…
El Kantara Gorge
★★ Located in the village of the same name, these are beautiful gorges for walking in the Aurès Mountains.
Kherrata Gorge
★★ These are gorges to explore by car in the area around Bejaia.
Kabylia
★★ This beautiful mountainous region in the north has preserved its cultural, architectural, and linguistic distinctiveness.
Atakor Massif
★★ This is a high desert volcanic plateau located in the Hoggar Massif and traditionally a trekking area.
Aurès Mountains
★★ This mountain range behind Constantine is home to beautiful landscapes and small villages or oases lost in nature.
Oran
★★ A pleasant and lively seaside city with beautiful architecture blending Arab, Spanish, and French styles.
Gouraya National Park
★★ This pretty coastal park, with its rugged shoreline, is home to Cape Carbon.
Ahaggar National Park
★★ One of Algeria’s largest national parks. Beyond its remarkable natural environment, the area is also known for its rich…
Djurdjura National Park
★★ A rugged area with vast forests, gorges, and chasms in the namesake mountain range in the north of the country.
Timimoun
★★ A northern Sahara oasis with a beautiful palm grove and ochre architecture in the typical Arabo-Sudanese style of the region. The town…
Tipasa in Mauretania
★★ West of Algiers, near the city of Tipasa, these are the UNESCO-listed ruins of a Roman city built by the sea.
Tlemcen
★★ Not far from the Moroccan border, the city has long benefited from multiple influences that are reflected in its architecture. It is also a…
Annaba
★ The last major city before Tunisia, Annaba offers beaches, some fine French-era buildings, the Basilica of Saint Augustine, and the ruins…
Bejaia
★ A large city east of Algiers with a casbah and some historic buildings. Cap Carbon and the Kherrata Gorges are nearby.
Hammam Meskhoutine Limestone Waterfall
★ Hot springs and a limestone waterfall in the Hammam Debagh thermal resort.
Djanet
★ This oasis is the main city in the southeast of the country. It has traditionally served as a gateway to the various Saharan regions of the…
El Menia
★ Formerly known as El Golea, this oasis is home to the tomb of Charles de Foucauld.
Chiffa Gorge
★ These gorges not far from Algiers are known for their population of Barbary macaques.
Kalâa of the Béni Hammad
★ The last remnants, a UNESCO World Heritage site, of what was once a Berber capital.
Lambaesis
★ This is the archaeological site of a Roman "military camp-town" located in the municipality of Tazoult within the Aurès Mountains.
Medracen Mausoleum
★ This massive domed structure with columns and capitals is a Berber mausoleum dating from the 3rd century BCE.
Mostaganem
★ A port city on Algeria's western coast, best known for its beaches and historic quarter.
Tassili Cultural Park
★ At the heart of the Tassili massif, the site is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its numerous rock paintings.
Belezma National Park
★ The area offers a chance to explore narrow valleys and peaks over 2,000 metres high.
Chréa National Park
★ 50 kilometres south of Algiers, this mountainous and forested area is best known for its Chréa ski resort.
Tamanrasset
★ Located in the heart of the Sahara (in the Hoggar), the former residence of Charles de Foucauld has long been a crossroads for this part of…
Tipasa
★ By the sea, beaches and the ruins of an ancient city.
- Djemila
- Timgad
- Tipasa
- M'Zab Valley
- Algiers
- Annaba
- Bejaia
- Constantine
- Mostaganem
- Oran
- Tlemcen
- Ghardaïa
- Djanet
- Tamanrasset
- Kalâa of the Béni Hammad
- Tipasa in Mauretania
- Tassili Cultural Park
- Tassili n'Ajjer Massif
- Cherchell
- Cape Carbon
- Timimoun
- Hoggar Mountains
- Kherrata Gorge
- El Kantara Gorge
- Aurès Mountains
- Atakor Massif
- Assekrem Hermitage
- Ahaggar National Park
- Hammam Meskhoutine Limestone Waterfall
- Chiffa Gorge
- Lambaesis
- Medracen Mausoleum
- Great Western and Eastern Ergs
- Kabylia
- Chréa National Park
- Djurdjura National Park
- Gouraya National Park
- El Menia
- Belezma National Park