First time · Algiers
First time in Algiersالجزائر العاصمة
Algiers is a morning-and-evening city on a hill: do the Casbah early with a guide, rest in the heat, and eat and walk the centre after 17:00.
The honest verdict
Algiers rises from the harbour in steps: the Casbah on the steep slope, the colonial boulevards above it, the gardens and museums in the south-east. The trips that go wrong are the ones that skip the visa steps, carry a suitcase into the Casbah, or count on foreign cards at a hotel. Four clusters cover a first visit; Tipasa is a day out from one kept bed.
You will like
- Ottoman lanes and French-era boulevards
- Sea views from a hill city
- Few tourists
What wears you down
- Cash-only travel
- Steep stairs and uneven stone
- Long queues at the visa and arrival steps
Five things not to miss
- 1A guided Casbah morningUNESCO-listed Ottoman lanes on a steep hillside; the reason most people come to Algiers.Best Morning · DZD 3,000–6,000 for a guide (check)
- 2Martyrs' MemorialThe city's modern landmark and its widest view, with a museum beneath.Best Morning · DZD 100–400 (check)
- 3Jardin d'Essai (botanical garden)Shaded 19th-century botanical garden; the calm break after the memorial.Best Late morning · DZD 100–300 (check)
- 4Grande Poste of AlgiersThe Neo-Moorish landmark that anchors the colonial centre.Best Late morning or evening · Free
- 5Notre-Dame d'Afrique at golden hourA clifftop basilica with the widest sea view in the city.Best Late afternoon · Free
Where to stay on a first visit
- Centre (Didouche Mourad)For: First visit, 2–3 nightsFlattest cluster, the Grande Poste and cafés on the doorstep.
From the airport
Houari Boumediene Airport (ALG)
- Fastest and cheapest
- Pre-booked hotel transfer to the door · about 45 min · about DZD 2,500
Typical ride times and fares, 2026 desk estimates (check). Last services and night options are on the gateway page.
How long to stay
- 2 days
- A short stopover
- 3 days
- First visit with a day trip
Three mistakes to avoid
- Unofficial money changers offer a better rate than the bank: the trade is illegal for a visitor and short-changing is common — change at a bank or hotel bureau instead.(Scams)
- Do not photograph police, military sites, the port installations or government buildings.(Survive · red lines)
- Keep phones and cameras out of sight on the Casbah lanes; go in daylight and with a guide.(Survive · safety)
Money and SIM
- Budget day
- DZD 4,000–8,000 excl. bed
- Paying
- Cash for almost everything outside large hotels: taxis, street food, small cafés and most shops. Foreign cards are rejected at most ATMs and terminals; carry dinar in small notes.
- Cash
- Keep DZD 5,000 in small notes; foreign cards are often rejected at ATMs, so exchange euros at a bank or hotel bureau and keep receipts.
- SIM
- Airport or city carrier shop (Mobilis, Djezzy, Ooredoo): Bring your passport; registration and activation can take time — ask which counter is fastest.
Etiquette: the top three
- Mosques
- Shoulders and knees covered; women may need a headscarf; avoid Friday midday prayers unless invited in by a guide.
- Dress
- Modest dress is comfortable across the city; swimwear stays at the beach, not the street.
- Photos
- Ask before photographing people, and never photograph police, military or port installations.
The best time to go
Mar: Mild, greening.
Spring (Mar–May): Mild, green, the most comfortable walking weather.
A first day
Day 1 — Casbah morning, street-food lunch
Start about 08:00
- 1Casbah old lanes (guided walk)
- 2Great Mosque (Djamaa el Kebir)
- 3Ketchaoua Mosque
- 4Garantita and mhajeb stand near Place des Martyrs
- 5Chwarma and rotisserie counter, lower Casbah
Hotel or AC café 13:30–16:30; Grande Poste and Didouche Mourad after 17:00.
Timed version: Algiers in 3 days