In which quarter house in Algiers?

Are you going to “Alger la blanc” discover Algeria? This is our guide to the best neighborhoods to stay in Algiers!

Located at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea in the north centre of Algeria, the city that is surnamed “the joyful” – El Bahja – is the second most populous city in the Maghreb with 2,481,788 inhabitants and 7.8 million people throughout the urban area. Alger - Al-Djazair – is a giant city of 1,190 km2, which houses the political and economic institutions of the country and has a rich historical and cultural heritage. The prices of rents are high in Algiers: counting € 1000 per month for a 90 m2 but according to the district, the prices oscillate a lot. So much to say that the search to stay in Algiers can be expensive. However, Algerian tourism has the wind in itself: in 2014, more than 2.3 million tourists visited the country.

Algiers has many neighbourhoods, including the oldest – the Casbah – is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: Algiers Centre, the Sea Front, Bab El Oued, Belouizdad, Birkhadem, Kouba, El-Harrach, Hydra and Bouzareah, from the high city to the low city. Here are the best areas to stay in Algiers.

La Casbah

The Casbah is the Medina of Algiers, the historic old town, founded in the 4th century BC by the Phoenicians and now listed in the world heritage of humanity. The Casbah of Algiers is built on a steep slope, coupled with the Bouzaréah massif and near the Mitidja plain. It has many historical monuments to visit, like the Great Mosque of Algiers, the Sidi Abd al-Rahman Mosque, the Ketchaoua Mosque, the Martyrs Square and Dar Aziza Bent al-Bey, a 16th century palace.

South of the Casbah you will find the Palace of the Rais – also known as Bastion 23 -, containing three palaces and six douerates (houses of fishermen). The Ottoman architecture blends with the Moorish style in a maze of narrow alleys of white houses with flat roofs. Make the National Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions and enjoy beautiful walks along the fishing port in Bab el Djezira. Accommodation at the Casbah offers a very central and ideal position to discover Algiers on foot.

Alger-Centre

It is literally the heart of the modern city of Algiers. Algiers-Centre is an area where most of the country's merchant arteries and administrative institutions are located (National Assembly, Government, Council of the Nation, Ministries). It is also the seat of the naval forces and the port. Algiers Centre has the advantage of sheltering the central station and the ferry terminal. This is where you have to sleep in Algiers if you arrive in Algeria, if you return to France or if you have to go on a train the next day.

Two museums to visit are located in the area: the Musée d’Art Moderne d’Alger (MAMA) and the Musée Parenthèse. This is where the University of Algiers 1 is located: a young and student atmosphere south of the neighborhood. The Carrefour de la Grande Poste is the heart of the city of Algiers. Then you will find the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Algiers, the Place Audin and the Park of Liberty. Close to the sea and the port, chic restaurants are waiting to seduce you taste buds.

Hydra

Hydra is located south of the city centre, a few kilometres from the sea, including the Hamma Botanical Garden. It is a quiet, hupped residential area where to stay in Algiers, perched on the heights, attracting the wealthy categories and international expatriates. In its midst, chic restaurants of Algerian and international cuisine. An attraction: the Ben Aknoun Zoo, with some rides and especially a large green setting in the middle of this urban jungle.