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Algeria holds some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in North Africa, largely because so few visitors reach them -- the sites of Timgad and Djemila, both UNESCO World Heritage sites, are remarkably intact former Roman provincial towns, and Tipasa's ruins sit directly on the Mediterranean coast.
The Kasbah of Algiers, a dense Ottoman-era old town overlooking the Mediterranean, is another UNESCO-listed site and one of the best-preserved historic quarters in North Africa.
The Sahara itself is Algeria's least accessible but most distinctive draw -- the M'Zab Valley around Ghardaia, with its centuries-old fortified settlements, and the deep desert around Tassili n'Ajjer, home to prehistoric rock art and dramatic sandstone formations, offer a version of Saharan travel with far fewer visitors than neighboring Morocco.
Algeria remains a conservative Muslim country, and dressing modestly -- covering shoulders and knees, particularly outside major cities -- is generally expected of visitors, regardless of stated policy.
Photographing government buildings, military installations, and police or soldiers is prohibited and taken seriously -- when in doubt, especially near official buildings or in the south near sensitive border regions, it's best not to raise a camera at all.
Tourism infrastructure in Algeria is still limited compared to neighboring Morocco and Tunisia -- travelers who use local guides and licensed tour operators, particularly for Saharan travel, support an industry that's still rebuilding after decades of low visitor numbers.
The M'Zab Valley's Ibadi Muslim communities maintain distinct customs from the rest of the country, including restrictions on entering certain areas of their towns -- respecting posted boundaries and local guidance matters more here than in most of Algeria.
Algeria's size means its seasons vary enormously between the Mediterranean north and the Sahara in the south.
Spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) are the best times to visit most of the country, with comfortable temperatures in both the northern cities and the desert regions.
Summer (June-August) is hot across the country and extreme in the Sahara, where daytime temperatures regularly exceed 40°C (104°F) -- the north's Mediterranean coast is more tolerable and is when most Algerians themselves travel domestically.
Winter (December-February) is mild and pleasant in the north, but can bring genuinely cold nights in the Sahara and the Atlas mountain regions, where temperatures can drop below freezing after dark despite warm days.
Relative cost index vs country average