Algiers Sightseeing: Casbah, Poste, Museums

October 29, 2026

Safety note, October 2026: British FCDO advice is against all travel within 30 km of Algeria’s borders with Libya, Mauritania, Mali and Niger and against travel to parts of the Tunisian border, with essential travel only along the rest. It judges attacks by terrorists likely, above all in the south and the Sahara. The border with Morocco is closed. Algiers and the northern coast are outside the no-travel areas. Read the FCDO safety page and travel.state.gov before booking.

Sightseeing in Algiers means climbing stairs, so allow time and pace yourself. The main monuments are spread between the old hillside town, the French-era centre and the districts along the bay. Opening hours and prices are poorly published, so ask your hotel to confirm them. Most places accept only cash.

Old town sights

The Casbah. The UNESCO medina has Ottoman palaces, mosques and workshops linked by steep lanes. A local guide is advisable, and loose phones or large cameras attract thieves in the upper alleys. The palaces of Dar Mustapha Pacha and the Palais des Raïs are the two best-known interiors, and the Palais des Raïs sits at the sea edge. Check hours at the door.

Maison Ali La Pointe. This house on Rue des Abdérames is a small memorial museum to the independence fight. About 17 neighbours died in the blast of 8 October 1957. Visit in a serious mood, and do not take casual photographs.

Place des Martyrs and Ketchaoua. The square opens onto the sea, and the Ketchaoua Mosque stands beside it. Non-Muslim entry is not confirmed, so treat the exterior as the sight.

The French-era centre

Grande Poste. The 1910 post office is Neo-Moorish in style, with arches, stucco and carved plaster. It is a five-minute walk from many hotels. The surrounding boulevards, Didouche Mourad and Larbi Ben M’hidi, have iron balconies and cafes.

National Fine Arts Museum. The Hamma museum has paintings by Algerian and European artists. Visiting hours are reported as Friday afternoon and every day except Sunday.

Bardo museum. In an Ottoman villa, the museum is known for the burial of Queen Tin Hinan, a Tuareg ruler of the 4th century.

Hilltops and landmarks

Djamaa El Djazair. The Great Mosque in Mohammadia has a 265 m minaret and is the third-largest mosque in the world. Prayer areas are reported closed to non-Muslims, while the minaret deck, library and museum are reported open to visitors, with a strict dress code.

Notre-Dame d’Afrique. The clifftop basilica in Bologhine was completed in the 1870s and is a working parish. Look for the apse inscription asking prayers for Muslims. Visiting hours should be checked locally.

Maqam Echahid. The Martyrs’ Memorial, with three tall concrete palms, is the monument to the independence war. A guard is posted, so keep behaviour quiet. The museum beneath it describes the struggle.

Planning

Use Metro Line 1 for the centre and the garden, and Yassir for hillside sights. Cover shoulders and knees. Photographing police, military or government sites is off limits, and drones need prior authorisation. Friday and Saturday are the weekend. Tickets are priced in dinars, at about 150 DZD to the euro on the official rate.

For guided options, see Algiers sightseeing tours and the heritage office at ogebc.dz .