Algeria

Algeria is a North African country marked by centuries of rich history. Roman ruins lie alongside French colonial buildings. Algeria’s Mediterranean shores were a historically important trading point, and the country’s Saharan desert interior has many opportunities for discovery. The snow-capped Atlas Mountains rise up in the country’s north and cross over into neighbouring Morocco.

Cosmopolitan capital Algiers is known for its romantic, charming architecture. The beautiful Notre Dame d’Afrique, a Neo-Byzantine basilica, dates back to French colonial rule, and the heart of the city is its historic Casbah, a steep hillside maze of ancient buildings sprinkled with Ottoman palaces such as the Dar Hassan Pacha. The vibrant city of Constantine, named after Constantine the Great during Roman rule, perches precariously on a deep gorge cut by the Rhumel River and is famous for the dramatic 100-metre-high Mellah Slimane Bridge, the gigantic minarets of Emir Abdelkader Mosque, and the Sidi Rached Viaduct. Continually occupied since the Neolithic period, caves carved into the rock bear testament to the city’s ancient history. The ruined Roman city of Timgad is one of the most impressive Roman sites to survive in the world, and low visitor numbers mean you’re likely to have it to yourself. Head to the coastal city of Tipasa for more Roman ruins. Here, amphitheatres, markets, and homes can be explored in an area of great natural beauty, where pine trees roll down to a blue sea.