Travel to Oran in Algeria. Oran is a city of 600,000+ people in Northwest Algeria. Oran’s beautiful sea shore, constructed under French rule, was inspired by Nice’s seafront. It consists of a long boulevard lined with cafes, restaurants, and ice cream shops. The boulevard also offers a splendid view of the sea, the harbour, Santa Cruz and the cliffs (“les Falaises”). It has been renamed “Boulevard de l’ALN” by the government after the independence but it is still called Front de Mer by the locals. There is not much in the way of sights here, but the whole city in itself is one big sight. Take a walk in the city center area to take in a massive number of over a hundred years old French-built beautiful but crumbling apartment buildings. The atmosphere is unique! It’s a trip back in time to southern France in the 1940s… Sooner or later you’ll stumble on Place 1er Noviembre, the main square, and the cathedral Sacre that the Algerians turned into a library. To the west of the city is the mountain called “The Sleeping Giant”. There was a hospital built inside the mountain and Soviet submarines used to surface inside of it. Large steel doors can be seen around the mountain as you climb the road to the summit. It was the landing spot for the US army in WWII and the allied submarines used the caves that are inside the mountain and accessible under the sea. The port used to be the focus of the Soviet Navy. It was a critical strategic city for the Soviets as it is just across the Moroccan border from Tangiers the USA’s Strategic Air Command “touch and go” point for the Mediterranean region. Oran’s nightlife is among the most thriving in the continent. The city has always been the capital of Algeria’s parties and music. All night long, plenty of nightclubs, bars and cabarets are opened and offer music, dance and partying in the city area seafront.

Airport: ORN Es Senia Airport Cities in Algeria

Country: Algeria