Things to see and do Algeria

Cultural portal to get out in Algiers or Oran, with forums and opinions of Internet users.

This ancient «Moorish» villa, nestled in the heart of a garden, has very interesting collections of most of the remains found during excavations in Algeria. Classified as a historic monument since September 1985, the museum, inaugurated in April 1930, is composed of two buildings that could be used for the visit alone. It contains traditional elements of Ottoman architecture (low doors, quarrels, green courtyard, etc.) decorated with precious wood, ceramics and wrought iron. A time of General Exelmans, the Ottoman part was built at the end of the th century by a Tunisian who gave him the name of the palace of his hometown, in his suburb, then called Mustapha. For summer stays, the "djenane" was surrounded by gardens and orchards full of fountains and basins; today it houses the collections of ethnography. The museum's courtyard shows different aspects of Algerian life (Moorish coffee, kitchen, interior interior, crafts, etc.). A room shows the variety of traditional costumes in Algeria. On the top floor, the exhibitions are dedicated to the Hoggar. The second building dates from colonial times and was built in 1879 by a certain Mr Joret who wanted to add dependencies to the old home. Eight large rooms, bathed by the light of the day provided by large glass windows, host prehistoric collections, cave carvings with the remains of Tin Hinan, the legendary ancestor of the Tuareg, deposited here near the jewels found in the tomb of Abalessa near Tamanrasset. See also the fragments of jaws and crests of a Atlanthropus mauritanicus that lived about five hundred thousand years ago in Ternifine, in the region of Mascara.

It is in an ancient residence where Barbarossa lived, transformed into a home for girls and then hotel de ville by the colonial administration, which today we invite the Museum of Folk Arts and Traditions. Despite the disappearance of beautiful pieces scattered at Independence, the collections of carpets, pottery, embroidery and sumptuous jewels of the Aurès and Du remain interesting and enter the museum also allows to see the interior of a Casbah residence, even though it is not the most beautiful. In the rooms we also discover some nice illuminations and miniatures, a little forgotten art in Algeria, as well as a "Eugénie Salon" of the Empress who stayed here in 1860. The museum hosts artistic expression workshops for the Enfants children and temporary exhibitions of photos or painting.

The Ra palace (captain), built in the second half of the 1576 th century to host the Ministry of the Navy, on the location of the Ez-Zoubia bordj built in, is an architectural ensemble comprising four buildings of the colour of sand. The first, the most interesting of the quality of its architecture and decoration, was the palace of the ra. The pierced walls of a multitude of small windows are covered with colourful mosaics reminiscent of the luxury and refinement of a detail Ottoman era. The sculpted ceilings are beautiful. The second, simpler building welcomed the farmer's farmer while the last part was a set of small buildings for the sailors and fishermen. The palace became at the beginning of the French occupation the residence of the counter-admiral in charge of the management of the port, the American consulate, the residence of the Duke of Aumale and the library before being abandoned and looted after 1962. Saved from imminent destruction, it has been restored to host temporary exhibitions of contemporary art.

Guy de Maupassant compared the gorges of the Rhumel to «a red abyss as if the eternal flames burned him» and Alexander Dumas to a snake, but the name given to the boulevard that opened them, the Abyss, is perhaps the best comparison that is necessary. From a few points of view and from the top of the bridges, especially those suspended, you can experience the depth and feel physically seduced by a vacuum. To best understand it, you need to start with the south and the Sidi-Rached bridge and go up to the Sidi-M'Cid bridge.

UNESCO site listing Algerian sites inscribed on its World heritage. 

Located in the south-west of the centre of Algiers, the Zoological Park covers 304 ha.

This sloping garden was set up by Colonel Marengo's military prisoners in 1833 on the location of a Muslim cemetery covering the remains of a Roman necropolis. A wide path crosses the park and winds through lush vegetation. The Queen's tomb was built in 1848 in memory of Queen Amélie, wife of Louis-Philippe I. This garden, which runs along the Emir Abdelkader lyceum (ex-Bugeaud), is rather poorly attended today.

The thermal spa of Hammam Righa is known for its thermal water rich in mineral salts with healing properties. Located at an altitude of 640 m, its thermal baths were discovered in 44 BC. Hotel Zaccar offers the possibility to stay on site. The recent restoration has done the spa a lot of good, but the service is not always up to the task.