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🇩🇿Things to Do in Algeria
From the Casbah of Algiers to the Roman ruins of Timgad - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Algeria is Africa's largest country by area, most of it Sahara Desert, and holds some of the best-preserved Roman ruins outside Italy alongside a UNESCO-listed old quarter in the capital. It remains one of the least-visited countries in North Africa relative to its size, partly due to a more restrictive visa and tourism structure than its neighbors. Here are 5 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Casbah of Algiers
A UNESCO World Heritage old quarter of the Algerian capital, a dense maze of Ottoman-era buildings and narrow alleyways overlooking the Bay of Algiers.
📍 Algiers
🚉 Nearest station: Place des Martyrs on the Algiers metro, at the foot of the Casbah, with the Ottoman citadel a steep climb of narrow stairways above - a local guide is genuinely useful here.
Timgad
A remarkably well-preserved Roman colonial city in the Aures Mountains, sometimes called the 'Pompeii of Africa' for how intact its grid-planned streets and monuments remain.
📍 Aures Mountains, Batna Province
🚉 Nearest station: Batna, with trains from Algiers taking about eight hours, then a local bus or taxi 35km east to the Roman city on the high plains.
Djemila
Another UNESCO-listed Roman site, in a mountainous setting that has helped preserve its temples, basilicas and forum from the erosion and looting affecting some other Roman ruins.
📍 Setif Province
🚉 Setif is the nearest railhead, five hours from Algiers, then a taxi or local bus covers the 50km north to the site - the mosaics in the on-site museum are the highlight.
Hoggar Mountains (Ahaggar)
A volcanic mountain range deep in the Algerian Sahara, home to ancient rock art and dramatic desert scenery, reached via the southern town of Tamanrasset.
📍 Tamanrasset
🚉 Tamanrasset is 2,000km south of Algiers: fly, as the overland routes are long and partly restricted, and 4x4s with guides then run out to Assekrem for the sunrise over the volcanic peaks.
Great Mosque of Algiers
One of the largest mosques in the world by capacity, completed in 2019, with a minaret that is among the tallest structures in Africa.
📍 Algiers
🚉 Nearest station: the Algiers metro and tram both serve Mohammadia, close to the Djamaa el Djazair complex on the bay east of the centre, whose minaret is the tallest in the world.
Mark Algeria, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Algeria?
A week covers Algiers and the Roman sites (Timgad, Djemila) well. A Sahara extension to the Hoggar Mountains is a substantial add-on given the distance and typically needs its own dedicated week.
What's the best time to visit Algeria?
March-May and September-November have the most comfortable temperatures across the north. The Sahara in the south is best visited outside the intense summer heat, roughly October-April.
Is Algeria good for a first-time visit?
It's more logistically involved than neighboring Tunisia or Morocco - independent tourism infrastructure is less developed, and a local guide or agency is commonly used, particularly for Sahara travel.
Do I need a visa to visit Algeria?
Most nationalities need a visa to enter Algeria, typically arranged in advance through an embassy or an authorized travel agency. Check the official visa information for your nationality: mfa.gov.dz.
What are some things to do in Algeria on a tight budget?
Walking the Casbah of Algiers costs nothing, Algerian food at local restaurants is inexpensive, and entry fees to the Roman sites at Timgad and Djemila are modest relative to comparable ruins in Italy.
Can I rent a car in Algeria, and what licence do I need?
Check your government's travel advice first: large areas of the south and the border regions carry serious warnings, and foreign visitors travelling to the Sahara are generally required to use a licensed agency with an official escort. On driving, a foreign licence is accepted alongside an International Driving Permit for visits, and the minimum age is usually 21 to 25. Visas must be arranged in advance for most nationalities, normally with an invitation or a booked tour. Official visitor information is published by the Ministry of Tourism at mta.gov.dz.