Kasbah of Algiers
Kasbah of Algiers
4.5
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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The upper old part of Algiers has interesting Moorish houses, minarets and old citadel.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
463 reviews
Excellent
240
Very good
143
Average
54
Poor
18
Terrible
8
TozCaz
Stockholm, Sweden413 contributions
Jul 2022 • Friends
At some point in time I believe this was a more or less magical place, but let’s be honest. Extremely few houses are kept in any kind of decent conditions and garbage everywhere. For sure, it’s still interesting to walk around but it’s just such a pity that nothing is done to keep the houses etc. In a condition that will leave this are around for many more years.
Written July 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michele Amico🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹
Caltanissetta, Italy2,967 contributions
Oct 2019 • Friends
A country that I suggest to visit is Algeria, in its capital, Algeri you could appreciate a lot of attractions, but the Casbah is enchanting.
Written October 7, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NAMAYA
Vermont11 contributions
Jan 2015 • Couples
Kasbah is enormously interesting, but do not visit without a guide, it is complicated, and despite the great kindness of Algerians the Kasbah it is necessary to visit with great care.
Many of the buildings are in disrepair, though quite lovely in an aged beauty, but again the paths are precarious. be careful
Also, please, please, if you visit, visit with the tourist guide from the area, like Jamal who we found at the Pasha's palace And this area is very poor with squatters. It is also a conservative area, dress modestly, for women long pants or long skirts, long sleeves, and men no shorts. Behave respectfully, please! Do Not PHOTOGRAPH PEOPLE unless you have permission.
Many of the buildings are in disrepair, though quite lovely in an aged beauty, but again the paths are precarious. be careful
Also, please, please, if you visit, visit with the tourist guide from the area, like Jamal who we found at the Pasha's palace And this area is very poor with squatters. It is also a conservative area, dress modestly, for women long pants or long skirts, long sleeves, and men no shorts. Behave respectfully, please! Do Not PHOTOGRAPH PEOPLE unless you have permission.
Written January 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dean G
Foulden, UK6 contributions
Sept 2017 • Couples
Travelers beware! We done a day tour of Algiers through FRS in Tarifa Spain. The trip started from the port of Algiers, where we then went through the old & new towns to go and see the camels! The ride was literally 2 mins on the camel and cost 2 euros, whilst out of earshot from the guide, the camel owner basically begged for tips! Mmmmm not a good start! After very brief ride we boarded the minibus to go to the market place, where I saw the guide being handed his share from the camel rides. From that point on I knew what to expect! (Rip off the tourist time). The market place was bustling and very aromatic and again short! From there we went to the Kasbah! And taken into a carpet shop and spice shop ( guide told me this was obligatory) . Inside the Carpet shop 2 people from our group bought small carpets at a ridiculous price and the same in the spice shop! Where once again I saw the guide receive his back hander! From the we were guided through the extremely run down and stinking Kasbah! And constantly accosted by beggars and people trying to sell us replica goods. This was a very well orchestrated rip off tour! and a real eye opener. It's a shame because the buildings and architecture are stunning but not worth being scammed for. If you do go, make sure it's not an official guided tour, but with someone you know and trust that has been there and knows the place.
Written September 23, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hexy
Gloucester, MA1,141 contributions
Sept 2015 • Friends
My sister-in-law who lives in Algiers took me to the Kasbah on a sunny afternoon. Finding parking at the top was nearly impossible but luckily she knows how to navigate through the wild traffic. We did not allow for enough time so unfortunately my visit was not as in depth as I had planned. We visited a gorgeous small shop where a lady hand-painted candle holders, small decorative items, Tajines, plates and bowls. She was very welcoming. Her art pieces were reasonably priced, gorgeous and signed. Next we stopped at Menuiserie d'Art Traditionelle, where the charming owner not only let us see his staff work on beautiful wood cabinets and doors, he also arranged for a staff member to take us high up to the terrace for a view of the Kasbah. Other than these two shops and a souk-type street on the bottom where we had walked earlier, we really didn't come across any other artisan places which surprised me given the other reviews. A former guide whom we asked said there really weren't any left in the Kasbah. I can't shake the feeling that we missed something! On the way back we stopped at the cutest cafe, it almost looked like a private patio, and had delicious traditional tea. The view was wonderful and the owner very friendly.
Written September 24, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter C
Alicante, Spain111 contributions
Apr 2012
The Casbah is the emblem of Algiers. It is a living warren of tiny streets with hidden entrances and alleyways throughout. One has the impression that structurally, nothing much here has changed for centuries. It is both surprising and beautiful, and of course poignant, being the heart of the independence struggle against the French, and one of the must see sights is of course the house where Ali La Pointe was blown up by the French. At the same time, there are beautiful buildings such as the Mauresque villa that houses the museum of calligraphy, and the mosque with a shrine where both men and women come to make their offerings, to find peace and just to chat.
I was lucky enough to go here with a good friend and an excellent guide, and I suggest that anyone should do the same. There is so much you could miss if you don't have someone knowledgeable to show you round.
I was lucky enough to go here with a good friend and an excellent guide, and I suggest that anyone should do the same. There is so much you could miss if you don't have someone knowledgeable to show you round.
Written April 21, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sean C
Sunshine Coast, Australia214 contributions
Aug 2011 • Solo
The age of the buildings alone is worth the visit. Getting lost in the myriad alleyways with twists and turns adds to the adventure.
The sad thing is the decay and destruction - both regular wear and tear but also the impact of the earthquake. Many buildings are hanging on literally to the scaffolding supporting them.
Advisable to only travel during daylight hours unless you have a tour guide with you. Nothing to be scared of but there is a fair amount of petty crime (pick pockets etc) the later in the day you go.
The sad thing is the decay and destruction - both regular wear and tear but also the impact of the earthquake. Many buildings are hanging on literally to the scaffolding supporting them.
Advisable to only travel during daylight hours unless you have a tour guide with you. Nothing to be scared of but there is a fair amount of petty crime (pick pockets etc) the later in the day you go.
Written September 2, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MisterButler
London, UK120 contributions
Apr 2016 • Friends
You'd think with the shrill noises regarding safety on my trip to Algiers that upon touching down at the airport, I'd immediately stop living. It doesn't matter how, death would just happen. That it did not and I am still here, seems to be quite a mystery - and it would seem that the same reputation of safety abounds around the Casbah.
Comments on here, online and in general all say you need to get a guide for the Casbah and it is not safe for tourists. As with everything I experienced in Algeria, I felt safe as can be, perhaps having a guide lent us some sort of safety blanket, but it is hard to tell. Our guide was Kader Atallaoui and he took us from the top of the Casbah, through the lower part of it and through the town back to our hotel.
Our guide noted that the Casbah is very old, some parts of it are Moorish in style, but it really is a huge hotch-potch of constructions. Some buildings lean on others, some look ready to give up the ghost altogether. We were lucky to be able to go up and get a spectacular view from a terrace that showed us all of Algiers; the state of the building was such that only the top two floors - out of at least 6 - were inhabited. It did seem that the building was going to undergo restoration, but in much of the Casbah, it would be hard to work out where to start.
This part of the city is a gem that UNESCO recognise as being important, but it looks like we visited it at the very start of repair works, but I had read that restoration is stop-start so if you visit, remember this and don't expect a quaint old town in the style of Tallinn or Barcelona.
We visited a number of craft shops along the route, a museum dedicated to a bombing and the Djemaa el-Djedid mosque, which felt Andalusian in style. A final stop was a coffee shop called Relai Casbah, where we drank mint tea which masked the smell of the sewage outside.
Litter was a problem in the Casbah, piling up near the fruit and veg stalls but that was the worst problem I came across. So, it didn't feel hugely unsafe, it's not a traditional old town and feels very gritty. Definitely worth a visit and definitely not Disney.
Comments on here, online and in general all say you need to get a guide for the Casbah and it is not safe for tourists. As with everything I experienced in Algeria, I felt safe as can be, perhaps having a guide lent us some sort of safety blanket, but it is hard to tell. Our guide was Kader Atallaoui and he took us from the top of the Casbah, through the lower part of it and through the town back to our hotel.
Our guide noted that the Casbah is very old, some parts of it are Moorish in style, but it really is a huge hotch-potch of constructions. Some buildings lean on others, some look ready to give up the ghost altogether. We were lucky to be able to go up and get a spectacular view from a terrace that showed us all of Algiers; the state of the building was such that only the top two floors - out of at least 6 - were inhabited. It did seem that the building was going to undergo restoration, but in much of the Casbah, it would be hard to work out where to start.
This part of the city is a gem that UNESCO recognise as being important, but it looks like we visited it at the very start of repair works, but I had read that restoration is stop-start so if you visit, remember this and don't expect a quaint old town in the style of Tallinn or Barcelona.
We visited a number of craft shops along the route, a museum dedicated to a bombing and the Djemaa el-Djedid mosque, which felt Andalusian in style. A final stop was a coffee shop called Relai Casbah, where we drank mint tea which masked the smell of the sewage outside.
Litter was a problem in the Casbah, piling up near the fruit and veg stalls but that was the worst problem I came across. So, it didn't feel hugely unsafe, it's not a traditional old town and feels very gritty. Definitely worth a visit and definitely not Disney.
Written April 10, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pennymohr
Evergreen, CO251 contributions
Dec 2014 • Solo
I was chased into a dark building by some man calling after me. The elevator did not work and there was no one around. He cornered me and out of fear I knocked him on the ground. Scarey place, not safe for women alone, confusing twists and turns of streets. I fled and will never go back.
Written November 11, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LoveToTravel
Los Angeles400 contributions
May 2015
If you want to see a country that literally hasn't moved forward in 60 years then Algiers, Algeria is for you. The Casbah is the perfect example of a country living in the 1940s-1950s. Not even the paint has been changed in 60 years. The Casbah is a dumpy, somewhat sketchy part of Algiers with a bit of history they are trying to he on to. Hold on to your wallet and purse and get in and get out if you must see this place.
The only reason to go here is for a different view of Tijuana...er, I mean Algiers. NO reason to go to a place that cannot and will not move into the 20th or even 21st centuries. Hello Algeria, it's the 2000s calling. Try to answer.
Go to Morocco. Go to Tunisia. Why would you go to Algeria? They don't want you. Don't need you. And if you want to see the Soviet Union, go to Russia. Tourism is NOT what they want.
The only reason to go here is for a different view of Tijuana...er, I mean Algiers. NO reason to go to a place that cannot and will not move into the 20th or even 21st centuries. Hello Algeria, it's the 2000s calling. Try to answer.
Go to Morocco. Go to Tunisia. Why would you go to Algeria? They don't want you. Don't need you. And if you want to see the Soviet Union, go to Russia. Tourism is NOT what they want.
Written October 18, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi there Viktor,
I'm planning to go to Algiers and take a day/halfday tour of the Casbah.
i HATE when tour guides spend time on their phones and with people they meet, and detest the propaganda.
Could you tell me which agency you used?
Many thanks
Max
Written May 10, 2019
Hey Max,
From my end, i always use the same one agency with all foreign tourists, it's called "Aventurable". You can find them on facebook, and they are english speakers.
Enjoy your visit (if not already done :))
Written August 18, 2019
bonjour Rekya, je compte me rendre dans la casbah vers le 15/08/2018 accompagnées de visiteurs étrangers très fans des lieux, je voudrais connaitre les circuits disponibles et celui qui contient le maximum de châteaux ( Ksours) et lesquels, s'il y a des guide parlant français, les tarifs
Written August 1, 2018
Chercher Facebook nomade il s’occuperont de tout
Written August 3, 2018
Hello, do you have contact information for your guide? Thanks
Written July 8, 2018
My guide was Omar. Great guy.
Phone or WhatsApp or Viber
â€00213 5 42840682‬
He’s pretty good at answering pretty quickly. The weekend has just started there though.
I really enjoyed Algeria, hope you do too.
Written July 12, 2018
S'il falait n'en visiter qu'un, Quel est selon vous le plus beau palais de la casbah? merci.
Written March 2, 2018
Sans aucun doute ça serait le palais qui abrite actuellement le musée nationale des arts et traditions populaires .Celui ci est appelé communément " Dar khdaoudj el amia " ou la maison de khdaoudj l'aveugle . Ce musée se distingue par une légende fort connue à la Casbah d Alger Il s agit d un trés beau palais de style andalous qui a été acheté en 1789 par Hassan Khaznadji célèbre trésorier de Mme Ben Osmane pour protéger sa princesse qui était sa fille cadette dénommée Khdaoudj qui devint aveugle à force de regarder sa beauté à longueur de journée face à un miroir. C est ainsi qu elle fut dénommée Khdaoudj El Amia. Ce dernier possède de riches collections artisanales très anciennes tapisseries Tissages Broderies Céramiques Dinanderie Miniatures Tables de Coran et meubles anciens .
Written March 3, 2018
Can we arrange a local guide who will pick us up from the cruise ship terminal to take us to the casbah (no carpet factories, please!) and get us back in plenty of time for our departure?
Written November 6, 2017
cruise passengers can only visit with an assigned guide by the cruise team only !
Written May 23, 2019
Good morning! We will be visiting Algiers via cruise ship in January and would like to see the casbah. How did you find the name of a reliable guide? We don't want to go to the carpet shops, etc. We want to walk through the maze and hear the history. Your guide sounded terrific! Thanks--
Written November 6, 2017
My sister-in-law, who lives in Algiers, arranged for a great 4-hr tour (incl. lunch) of the Casbah. The tour guide’s name is Kenza and she is very knowledgeable. She spoke French & English. I loved it! I have an e-mail address for her but Tripadvisor won’t let me include it in this message. Her contact info on Facebook: Djawla 3assimiy
Written November 6, 2017
Do we need a guide for the Kasbah? Algiers is a port of call on our cruise in early March, 2017. If so, how can we find one?
Written January 22, 2017
I Just walked around using my GPS and Google maps on Android. make a list of places That you want to visit beforehand and start Walking. The area is totally safe during daytime (have no experience for night) still carry your valuables in safe manner. it is near the port so no need for taxi or transport if you are fit. if you need a walker or wheelchair this place is not for you.
Written January 23, 2017
bonjour
je ne connais pas du tout la casbah et je ne veux pas faire une visite avec un guide, alors pouvez vous m'indiquer un itinéraire à suivre pour la visiter (rues, maison, ....) ?
merci à vous
Written October 2, 2015
Bonsoir
pour ne pas rentrer dans le détail je vous conseille de regarder mon avis sur la Casbah c est simple mais efficace pour une visite , le reste découlera de source .
pour d amples informations , vous poucez me contacter
Written July 7, 2016
Bonjour à tous je voudrai faire visiter la Casbah à des amis européens cependant je connais pas très bien et je sais pas si je peux les emmener seule sans danger , ou est ce que je peux trouver un guide ou avez vous un numero de tel ? Merci
Written July 23, 2015
Algerian Maze
Algiers, Algeria
Je suis guide a votre disposition pour la visite de la casbah et d'autre sites archéologique c'est vous etez intéressez contacte moi sur FB : dzair tourist guide
Written April 14, 2018
Bonjour Mr.Christophe;
Excusez moi mais vous etes hors sujet.
Qui vous a dit qu'il y'a propagation de l'anti francais?? ........bref
Croyez moi Monsieur c'est plus tot le contraire (je parle en connaissance de cause ,puisque j'ai bcp de clients etrangers notamment des francais!!) ce sont les etrangers et expats qui viennent chez nous et qui "aiment notre argent" (je ne reprends que votre phrase).
Written April 20, 2015
cette question ne m'est pas destinée et je ne reponderait pas car j'ai rien et ecrit sur sa desolez
Written April 20, 2015
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