Algiers Culture Walk — Casbah Day Tour

Overview

The Casbah of Algiers is one of the great historic quarters of the Mediterranean, and this walk reads it from bottom to top. From the seafront and Martyrs' Square you climb through narrow lanes to Mustafa Pasha Palace, the Ottoman citadel and the house of Ali La Pointe — a key site of the independence war — before descending to the seaside Rais Palace (Bastion 23). A compact, atmospheric introduction to old Algiers.

Highlights

• The narrow streets and old mosques of the Casbah
• Mustafa Pasha Palace and Ottoman architecture
• Panoramic terraces over the bay
• The Casbah citadel and Ali La Pointe's house
• The seaside Rais Palace (Bastion 23)

Why this trip is different

• The Casbah on footThe only way to truly read this UNESCO maze.
• Ottoman to independencePalaces, citadel and the lanes of the 1957 battle in one walk.
• Local guidingA guide who knows the quarter's history and people.
• Great valueA rich half-to-full day for a modest price.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day 1 Walking tour of the Casbah

   Meet your guide by the sea at the foot of the Casbah and climb through Martyrs' Square and its historic mosque, Mustafa Pasha Palace, a panoramic terrace, the citadel and the home of independence figure Ali La Pointe, ending at the seaside Rais Palace.

   • Martyrs’ Square and the Ketchaoua Mosque — The square at the foot of the Casbah and its 17th-century Ottoman mosque, reopened after a decade of restoration.
   • Mustafa Pasha Palace and the citadel — The 18th-century dey’s palace with its painted tilework, and the citadel at the top of the Casbah where the 1830 blow of the fan set off the French invasion.
   • Ali La Pointe’s house and the Rais Palace — The bombed hideout preserved in the heart of the Casbah, and the seaside Ottoman palaces of Bastion 23 where the walk ends.

Good to know

Best season

Spring & autumn

Pace

Moderate — steep steps and slopes

Style

Guided walking tour (English / French / Arabic)

Bring

Comfortable shoes, water, modest dress