Algeria
Africa · Algiers · DZ
Algeria is the largest country of Africa, a vast, sun-baked land of the Sahara that holds the Roman ruins of the north, the mountain chains of the Tell and the Atlas, and the great desert expanse of the south with its dunes, its oases and its painted rock art. The coast of the Mediterranean, with the white city of Algiers and the urban life of Oran and Annaba, holds the modern heart of the nation, while the ancient cities of the Romans, from the magnificent Timgad to the ruins of Djemila, preserve some of the finest classical sites of the old empire outside Italy. The Sahara of the south spreads the golden dunes of the Grand Erg and the rocky massifs of the Hoggar, with the cave paintings of the Tassili and the oasis towns of the desert roads. Long closed to the larger tourism, Algeria is the great unexplored journey of the North African coast.
Overview
Algeria is a country in Africa. Its capital is Algiers and the international dialling code is +213. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Arabic. Local currency is the Algerian Dinar (DZD). Our guide covers 1 airport, including Houari Boumediene Airport. We also list 1 city in Algeria: Algiers.
The White City of Algiers and the Bay of the Mediterranean
Algiers, the capital of the largest country in Africa, climbs its white terraces up the hills above the blue bay of the Mediterranean, and its old walled quarter, the casbah of the city, layers the Ottoman palaces, the narrow streets and the fortified houses of centuries behind its gates. The boulevards of the French era, the great post offices and the museums of the modern city give the capital a grand, distinctly European face, while the monuments of the independence and the tea rooms of the old quarter carry the story of the nation. The bay of the city, with its gardens and its promenade, is the natural stage of the evening, and the views from the heights of the city over the whole sweep of the coast are among the finest of the Mediterranean. It is a city of layers, off the beaten path and deeply rewarding.
The Roman Cities of Timgad and Djemila
The mountains of the eastern Tell hold two of the most complete Roman cities in the world, the ruins of Timgad and Djemila, and their sites spread the forum, the temples, the theatres and the street grids of the classical empire across the high plains in the extraordinary light of the Atlas. Timgad, founded as a veterans' colony, is the textbook Roman city of the grid plan, its arches and its columns still standing in the grass, while Djemila, set on its dramatic ridge, preserves its forum, its baptisteries and its enormous collections of the mosaic floors. The museums of the sites hold the finest of the mosaics, and the silence of the settings, far from the circuits of the mass tourism, gives the visitor the sense of the empire found and lost. They are the essential classical journeys of North Africa.
The Dunes of the Grand Erg and the Roads of the Oases
The desert of the south spreads the enormous seas of the dunes, the golden waves of the Grand Erg Oriental that roll for hundreds of miles toward the borders of the Sahara, and the roads of the south run the caravan towns of the old trade routes between the oases of the north and the deep desert. The towns of the quest, the Ghardaia of the Mzab valley and the fortified villages of the Gourara, are the great stops of the journey, with their earth-built architecture, their markets and their ancient palm groves shading the water. The dunes of the erg rise to the horizon in every direction, and the camel treks, the 4x4 excursions and the nights under the desert stars give the traveller the deep Sahara. The region is the classic desert of the imagination, largely empty of the crowds and utterly vast.
The Hoggar and the Paintings of the Tassili
The deep south of the country holds the volcanic massifs of the Hoggar, the black mountains of the Ahaggar that rise from the desert around the town of Tamanrasset, and the plateau of the Tassili n'Ajjer, the vast sandstone shelf that carries one of the greatest collections of prehistoric rock art in the world. The paintings and the engravings of the Tassili, thousands of years old, record giraffes, elephants, cattle and the vanished green Sahara of the ancestors, and the strange rock towers and arches of the plateau give the whole region a monumental, moonlike beauty. The Tuareg of the Hoggar, the proud nomads of the desert, guide the expeditions of the region with their camels and their deep knowledge of the routes. It is a remote, unforgettable world at the heart of the great desert of Africa.
The Casbah, the Crafts and the Table of the Country
The everyday life of the country keeps its own deep rhythms, and the old quarters of the coastal cities, with their lanes, their mosques and their tea rooms, are the great places to watch it. The craft of the country, the carpets of the highlands, the pottery of the desert towns and the jewellery of the nomadic traditions, fills the souks of the old cities, and the famous cafes of the capital still run the long afternoon conversations of the Mediterranean. The table of the country, the couscous of the Fridays, the grilled meats of the street and the pastries of the almonds and the honey of the oases, is the pride of the homes, and the welcome of the country, generous and curious, opens the doors of an everyday life that few outsiders ever see. The patience is repaid a thousand times over.
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- Capital
- Algiers
- Currency
- Algerian Dinar (DZD)
- Languages
- Arabic
- Calling code
- +213
- Internet TLD
- dz
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Algeria.
Airports (1)
All airports →Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Algeria?
Algiers is the capital of Algeria, and the country sits in Africa.
What currency is used in Algeria?
You pay with Algerian Dinar (DZD) in Algeria. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Algeria?
The languages we list for Algeria are Arabic. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Algeria?
The dialling code for Algeria is +213 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve Algeria?
Houari Boumediene Airport (ALG) in Algiers is the airport we cover for Algeria.
Which cities in Algeria do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Algeria: Algiers (capital).