A little more
Algeria.
A lot less roaming.

Travelling to Algeria: what to know before you go

Algeria is Africa's largest country, stretching from a green Mediterranean coast across the Atlas mountains into the deep Sahara. Few tourists come, which means its Roman cities, Ottoman Casbah and desert rock art can be seen without crowds. It suits curious travellers comfortable with limited tourist infrastructure and a little French or Arabic.

Where to go

• The Casbah of Algiers. A steep maze of whitewashed houses, stairways and mosques above the port of Algiers, built largely during the Ottoman period.
• Timgad. A Roman colonial town founded around 100 AD on the edge of the Aurès mountains, laid out on a near-perfect grid.
• Djémila. A Roman town on a mountain ridge in the north-east, with temples, a basilica, forum and fine mosaics in the site museum.
• Tassili n'Ajjer. A vast sandstone plateau in the south-east near Djanet, with stone forests, dunes and thousands of prehistoric rock paintings and engravings showing cattle, giraffes and people from a time when the Sahara was green.

Best time to visit

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are best for the north, with warm days and green countryside in spring. The coast is hot and humid in summer.

Staying online in Algeria

Mobile coverage is good in Algiers, Oran, Constantine and the other northern cities, and along main roads. In the Sahara it is limited to towns and oases and is often absent between them, so plan for long stretches offline. Wi-Fi is available in most hotels and many cafés in the north, but speeds vary. Internet access has at times been restricted nationally during school exams. Download offline maps before you go, install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.