Port Guide | Algeria | Worth a Wander

Algiers

James Ireton | Editor

Published on 2025-05-12

Stepping ashore in Algiers is like being handed a spicy, slightly crumpled postcard from history-one written in elegant Arabic script, stained with French coffee rings, and smelling faintly of grilled merguez sausage. Welcome to North Africa's most underrated coastal adventure. Here, your glossy residential cruiser looks distinctly out of place nestled among ancient stone forts, Ottoman palaces, and neighborhoods that tumble down hillsides toward the Mediterranean with cheerful disregard for gravity or urban planning. Before diving into the maze-like alleys of the Casbah-Algiers' gritty-yet-glam UNESCO heart-remember, modesty matters here; swapping flip-flops for sensible shoes and covering shoulders when visiting religious sites will win points with locals faster than attempting to discuss football rivalries. As you wander, stash some dinars in your pocket; credit cards receive suspicious stares from street vendors hawking honey-laden pastries and aromatic cups of mint tea. Start by getting intentionally lost among the city's layers of history, stopping frequently to sample street fare, chat leisurely with shopkeepers, or puzzle over yet another quirky colonial-era plaque commemorating something oddly specific ("This spot? Really?"). Just pace yourself-Algiers rewards curiosity, patience, and openness to unexpectedly delightful detours.