Holiday in Algiers

About Algiers

Algiers is the white city by the sea — "El Bahdja" (the Radiant) is what the Algerians call their capital, and upon arrival by ship or plane, one understands why: The 2.4 million city rises in an amphitheater of white buildings from the Mediterranean harbor to the hills, and in the evening sun, it truly shines like a jewel on the North African coast. The Kasbah of Algiers (UNESCO World Heritage) is the historical heart: A labyrinth of steep alleys, Ottoman palaces, mosques, and residential houses that have occupied the slopes above the harbor since the 17th century. The Ketchaoua Mosque, an Ottoman-Moorish masterpiece, and the Dar Hassan Pasha, an elegant palace with a flower-adorned courtyard, are the architectural highlights. Unfortunately, the Kasbah is increasingly falling into disrepair, but this melancholic patina of decay makes it authentic and moving. The French colonial heritage is omnipresent: The Haussmann boulevards in the city center, the main post office (Grande Poste) in neo-Moorish style, and the Basilique Notre-Dame d'Afrique high above the city remind of 132 years of colonial rule. The Mémorial du Martyr (Maqam Echahid), a brutalist concrete monument on a hill, honors the 1.5 million Algerians who died in the War of Independence (1954-1962) — and offers the best panoramic view of the city. Algiers is hardly developed for tourism — and that is exactly what makes it appealing: no souvenir shops, no tourist restaurants, but a city of raw authenticity and a hospitality reminiscent of Iran.