The white buildings of Algiers above its harbour and the deep blue bay
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Algeria

From the white city of Algiers and its Casbah to the Roman cities of Timgad and Djémila, the M'Zab Valley and the rock art of the Tassili n'Ajjer: Algeria, the Mediterranean's largest country, through its culture and history.

Algiers above the bayPhotograph: abderrahmane chablaoui

الثقافة

Africa's largest country, on the Mediterranean

Algeria is the largest country in Africa and on the Mediterranean, with some twelve hundred kilometres of coast. Its capital, Algiers, rises in white terraces above the bay, and its Casbah, the old Ottoman citadel and medina, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rome left some of its best-preserved cities here: Timgad, laid out on a perfect grid by Trajan, Djémila in the mountains, and Tipasa by the sea, all UNESCO sites. In the north of the Sahara, the five fortified towns of the M'Zab Valley inspired Le Corbusier, and the Tassili n'Ajjer holds one of the world's great collections of prehistoric rock art.

This guide is about culture and history. No hotel, restaurant or beach club yet meets our standard, and we say so plainly.

A few words of Algerian Arabic
EnglishAlgerian ArabicSay it
Helloالسلام عليكمas-SA-laam a-LAY-kum (or French bonjour)
Pleaseيعيشكya-AY-shek (or s'il vous plaît)
Thank youصحّة / شكراًSAH-ha / SHUK-ran (or merci)
Good eveningمسا الخيرMSA el-KHEYR (or bonsoir)
The bill, pleaseالحساب يعيشكel-hi-SAAB, ya-AY-shek (or l'addition, s'il vous plaît)

Where to go

The best places to visit in Algeria

Algiers: the best time to visit and how to arrive by private jet, helicopter or yacht.

Algiers

Best time to visitMay to June and September to October are ideal: warm, mostly dry days in the 25–30°C (77–86°F) range and a sea at 18–24°C (65–76°F), with little foreign tourism at any time of year. Algiers, the capital, is our only destination in Algeria.

  • Stay
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Dine
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Beach
    None that meets our standard yet.
Arrive privately
By private jet
Houari Boumediene Airport (ALG / DAAG), about 17 km southeast of the centre, about 30 minutes by car.
By helicopter
Not a regular option.
By sea
No superyacht marina here yet meets our standard. Sidi Fredj, 24 km west of Algiers, takes boats up to about 20 metres; larger yachts arrange a berth in the Port of Algiers through a local yacht agent.

Beyond the coast

The Tassili n'Ajjer, the M'Zab Valley, Timgad and Djémila

Tassili n'Ajjer

A sandstone plateau in the Algerian Sahara, carved into rock forests and canyons, with one of the world's great collections of prehistoric rock art. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 for both its culture and its nature.

Best time to visitOctober to March.

  • Stay
    No hotel here yet meets our standard; visit on a guided desert expedition from Djanet.

M'Zab Valley

Five fortified ksour (walled towns) built from the 10th century in a desert valley, their plain, functional architecture later admired by modern architects. The M'Zab Valley was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.

Best time to visitOctober to April.

  • Stay
    No hotel here yet meets our standard; visit from Ghardaïa.

Timgad

A Roman colonial town founded by the emperor Trajan around AD 100 on the high plains below the Aurès Mountains, its grid of streets and its triumphal arch still clear. Timgad was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.

Best time to visitApril to June, and September to October.

  • Stay
    No hotel here yet meets our standard; visit as a day trip from Batna.

Djémila

A Roman mountain town at about 900 metres in the hills of northeastern Algeria, with forum, temples, basilicas and houses spread along a ridge. Djémila was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.

Best time to visitApril to June, and September to October.

  • Stay
    No hotel here yet meets our standard; visit as a day trip from Sétif.

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Algeria and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

When is the best time to visit Algeria?

May to June and September to October are ideal: warm, mostly dry days in the 25–30°C (77–86°F) range and a sea at 18–24°C (65–76°F), with little foreign tourism at any time of year.

How do you arrive in Algeria by private jet?

Houari Boumediene Airport (ALG / DAAG), about 17 km southeast of the centre, about 30 minutes by car.

Do you tip in Algeria?

Not obligatory, but appreciated for good service. In restaurants, leaving a small amount or rounding up the bill is customary; in cafés, small change is enough. Small tips for drivers are welcome. Luxury hotels: porters the equivalent of €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, in Algerian dinars.

What should you wear in Algeria?

Western business dress is standard in cities. Women should keep shoulders, knees and chest covered, and dress more conservatively outside the main cities. Cover up fully for mosques, with a headscarf for women. On yachts, no hard-soled shoes on deck. Fine dining is smart-casual.

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Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Algeria

How Algeria does things.

Language
Arabic and Tamazight (Berber) are the official languages; daily life runs in Algerian Arabic (Darja). French is widely used in business and in cities. English is growing among younger people but is not yet common, so French is the most useful second language for visitors.
Greetings
Algerians are known for warm hospitality. As-salamu alaykum is the common greeting on arrival. Among acquaintances, a greeting typically combines a handshake and two kisses on the cheeks between people of the same sex; a man should let a woman initiate a handshake.
Dress
Western business dress is standard in cities. Women should keep shoulders, knees and chest covered, and dress more conservatively outside the main cities. Cover up fully for mosques, with a headscarf for women. On yachts, no hard-soled shoes on deck. Fine dining is smart-casual.
Dining
Lunch is usually around 12–2 pm and dinner from about 8 pm. Book ahead at the better restaurants in Algiers.
Tipping
Not obligatory, but appreciated for good service. In restaurants, leaving a small amount or rounding up the bill is customary; in cafés, small change is enough. Small tips for drivers are welcome. Luxury hotels: porters the equivalent of €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, in Algerian dinars.
Good to know
The weekend is Friday and Saturday. During Ramadan, offices often close early, and visitors should avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

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