Algeria

The capital and largest city of Algeria, the turbulent history of the country is reflected in the architecture of Algiers. The districts by the Mediterranean Sea are dominated by wide boulevards, with elegant villas and apartment blocks of the colonial period. Many of these buildings are worth investigating such as the Grand Poste D’Alger and the Basilique Notre Dame D’Afrique. Alongside these are striking post-independence monuments and public buildings including the Superior National Music Institute and the Monument of the Martyr that commemorates Algerian Independence. Higher up the hill are labyrinthine streets and alleys from earlier history culminating with the ancient heart of the city, the Casbah. Steep stairs and narrow passages give access to extraordinary views of sea, sky and greenery, as well as many of the city’s oldest and most distinctive buildings. A perfect place to base an expedition, Algiers has wonders and discoveries of its own for the curious visitor.

Constantine, the City of Bridges, occupies a dramatic plateau cut in two by the deep ravine of the river Rhumel. Each of the seven bridges is spectacular. The city has had many names, including Sewa or royal city by the Carthaginians, and Cirta when it was the capital of the classical kingdom of Numidia. The old city still sits on top of the hill that held the fortress in Roman times. The ruins of a Roman aqueduct can be found here, as well as several museums and mosques. Although these are well worth your time, the main attraction here is the extraordinary situation of the city itself.

These are two of the best preserved Roman ruins in North Africa. Djémila is adapted to its mountain setting, with two fora, the later one being adorned with the arch of Caracalla and surrounded by exceptionally undamaged classical buildings. The theatre takes advantage of the local slopes allowing for glorious views of the surrounding countryside. Timgad has several points of interest, beginning with an excellent example of the Roman town grid system, a direct influence on modern town planning. In addition, and perhaps more directly impressive, highlights include the triumphal arch of Trajan and the well preserved library.

Gardhaia is a medieval desert town with several unchanged neighbourhoods, Simone de Beauvoir described Ghardaïa as “A Cubist painting beautifully constructed”. A fortified hilltop settlement it is divided into three walled sectors. Every house is designed to let in light, the white, pink and red homes rising in terraces and arcades. As you approach the top, narrow streets give way to an ancient arcaded square and the pyramid-style central mosque. The capital of the M’Zab region, Ghardaïa is the centre of the water distribution system that both prevents flooding and underlies the date farming of the area.

Deep in the Sahara desert, Timimoun is an oasis town. Hot, dusty and dry, it sits on the edge of an escarpment allowing views across the salt lake. An ancient stop on the desert trade routes, the enchantment of its history can be felt in a twilit walk through the market squares. Built from the local red ochre stone, the architecture evokes both Mediterranean and sub-Saharan traditions. A great place to meet and understand the Berber people.

An oasis city in the south eastern desert of Algeria, Djanet was founded by the Tuareg during medieval times and is still the centre of many Tuareg activities and festivals. Nestling in the Tassili N’Ajjer mountain range the city has many excellent views as well as being a perfect base for exploring the national park.

A remote mountain range in the far south east of Algeria near the Libyan and Niger borders, the Tadrat Rouge is pretty much dead in the middle of the largest desert on earth – the Sahara. A harsh and dry climate has created a striking landscape of orange sands and black rocks that are rarely visited. An area empty of human habitation, the immense spaces and stark vistas are as incomparable as they are unmissable.

A vast sandstone plateau in the south east of Algeria, Tassili N’Ajjer is richer in water and life than the surrounding desert, though still extremely hot and dry. Saharan cypress and myrtle grow in favourable locations, and Barbary sheep can be found here. The sheep are one of the animals depicted in the prehistoric art in the park. Some of the rock art paintings and engravings are more than ten thousand years old, dating to when the Sahara was savannah, and depict antelope, cattle, crocodiles and humans.