Weekend in Algiers
Trip Overview
This tight, two-day circuit keeps you inside Algiers from first light to last. Dawn starts in the Casbah's tangled alleys. Dusk ends on the seafront corniche where the breeze tastes of salt and diesel. You'll bite smoky merguez hot from sidewalk grills, hear the muezzin roll over white-washed terraces, and step into a 17th-century courtyard suddenly cool after stairways sharp with mint and exhaust. Expect early starts, long lunches, and evenings counting the fishing-boat lights beneath the Martyrs' Memorial.
Pace
Moderate
Daily Budget
$110-160 per day
Best Seasons
Mid-March through June and September through early November, when Algiers weather is warm but not scorching
Ideal For
First-time visitors, Food-focused travelers, Couples, Photography enthusiasts
Day-by-Day Itinerary
A complete plan for every day of your trip
1
Casbah Ascent & Ketchaoua Echoes
Casbah + Martyrs' Memorial
Spend the morning inside the walled fortress, then climb to the towering monument for sweeping views.
Morning
Guided walk through Casbah's upper quarter
Start at Rue Hadj Omar, zig-zag past turquoise doors and carpets hung like banners, and aim for Dar Hassan Pacha. Its cedar salons open onto a tiled courtyard where pigeons rattle overhead. Break at the 1798 mosque of Ketchaoua. The stone walls throw the call to prayer back at you in clear, hard echoes.
Meet your licensed Casbah guide at 8:30 a.m. at the top of Escalier Saint-Raphaël to beat the cruise-ship tide.
Lunch
Restaurant Dar Lahlou inside the Casbah walls
Afternoon
Martyrs' Memorial and Botanical Garden
Ride the cable car from Place des Martyrs up to the 92-metre concrete palm of the Martyrs' Memorial. The upper platform is windy. From it Algiers spreads like a crumpled white tablecloth to the sea. Walk down to the Hamma Experimental Garden and let eucalyptus and blooming bougainvillea scrub the diesel from your lungs.
Evening
Sunset walk along Boulevard Zighout Youcef and dinner
Eat at Le Tantra on the port edge for charcoal-grilled sardines while ferries honk across the darkening water
Where to Stay Tonight
Bab El Oued seafront (Hotel El Aurassi)
Ten minutes by taxi from both Casbah and nightlife, with balconies facing the bay
See all Algiers accommodation options →Carry small bills for mint tea inside the Casbah. Vendors rarely break large notes inside the maze.
Day 1 Budget: $130
2
Corniche Breeze & Ottoman Relics
Basilica Notre-Dame d'Afrique + Sidi Fredj Peninsula
Start with panoramic views from the basilica, then ride the tram west to a salty peninsula once used by pirates.
Morning
Basilica Notre-Dame d'Afrique
Climb the 124 steps or take the glass elevator; inside, the copper-tiled dome glows amber and the salt air drifts through stained glass depicting fishing boats and date palms. Light a candle and listen to the soft clink of rosaries echoing off marble.
Lunch
Pêcherie Sidi Fredj
Afternoon
Tram to Sidi Fredj Peninsula
Board the modern tramway at place Maurice Audin and ride west. Disembark at Les Sablettes, then walk the causeway to the 16th-century Spanish fort on Sidi Fredj. The stone is hot underfoot, gulls wheel overhead, and you'll smell drying nets mixed with engine oil from passing ferries.
Evening
Return to Bab El Oued for rooftop drinks
Sky Bar atop Hotel El Aurassi for a citrusy Selecto cocktail while the call to prayer drifts across twilight rooftops
Where to Stay Tonight
Same as Day 1 (Hotel El Aurassi)
Lets you leave luggage packed for an early departure
See all Algiers accommodation options →The tram gets crowded after 4 p.m.; ride out early and return by 5 to secure a seat.
Day 2 Budget: $120
Practical Information
Everything you need to know before you go
Getting Around
Algiers' new tramway and modern buses handle most legs. Taxis are plentiful but insist on the meter. The Casbah is strictly on foot, wear grippy shoes for slick cobblestones.
Book Ahead
Reserve the Casbah guide the evening before. Book Hotel El Aurassi at least a week ahead during spring.
Packing Essentials
Light cotton layers, closed-toe shoes for climbing, a scarf for mosque visits, and sunscreen for open basilica terraces.
Total Budget
$240-280 for the weekend excluding flights
Customize Your Trip
Adapt this itinerary to your travel style
Budget Version
Swap Hotel El Aurassi for the clean hostel Auberge de Jeunesse Ali Boumendjel, eat sandwiches at street stalls, and rely on the tram rather than taxis.
Luxury Upgrade
Check into Sofitel Algiers Hamma Garden, book a private Casbah guide with historian credentials, and upgrade seafood lunch to Le Ciel d'Algérie rooftop terrace.
Family-Friendly
Shorten Casbah walk to 90 minutes, add an hour at Jardin d'Essai's playground shaded by palms, and choose grilled chicken over spicy merguez for sensitive palates.
Book Activities for Your Trip
Tours, tickets, and experiences in Algiers
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Algiers.
See All Algiers Tours on Viator