The bay opens in a crescent between two green headlands, and the city rises in tiers from the quays, its balconies turned toward the Mediterranean. Skikda, on Algeria's northeast coast, rarely appears on cruise itineraries, and that's precisely what makes it interesting: you dock in a lively port city with no beaten track, where every walk keeps a sense of discovery.

From Rusicade to Philippeville

Long before the cargo ships and gas flares, the Phoenicians and then the Romans had spotted this harbour. The ancient city of Rusicade prospered on these slopes, and its theatre, the largest in Roman Algeria, still lies partly asleep beneath the modern districts; a few tiers and substructures remain visible to those who like to read a city in layers. Renamed Philippeville in the 19th century, it inherited from this French period a centre of Haussmann-style buildings mixed with neo-Moorish edifices, arcades, ornate balconies and façades weathered by the sea air.

Strolling downtown

From the port area, you quickly reach the shopping streets that climb toward the upper squares. The wander is worth it for the details: carved porches, mosaics in building entrances, shutters half-open onto cool courtyards, cafés where regulars discuss the day's match over mint tea, stalls of figs, olives and spices whose scents accompany you from one street to the next. The public buildings of the colonial era, led by the train station and city hall, surprise with their domes and decorative minarets. Curious visitors who say hello in French almost always receive a warm welcome, and sometimes a family story between two shops. Mass tourism hasn't taken hold here yet, and exchanges keep a spontaneity that has become rare on Mediterranean shores.

The corniche and the beaches

Skikda has given itself a generous waterfront. The corniche unrolls its promenade above the rocks, punctuated by lookouts where couples come to watch the swell. In fine weather, the nearby beaches, long strips of sand backed by wooded hills, fill with family umbrellas and impromptu soccer games. Even without swimming, a seaside walk offers the best the Mediterranean has to give: bright light, sea spray, cargo ships at anchor and a clear horizon.

Stora, the cove of boats

A few kilometres to the west, nestled beneath the cliff, the little port of Stora is one of the oldest anchorages on this coast. Blue and white boats crowd together in front of a row of pale houses, nets dry on low walls, and restaurants serve the morning's fish, grilled and drizzled with lemon. It's the ideal excursion for a port call: ten minutes by road, an hour at the table, and the feeling of having touched the maritime heart of the region. Photographers linger over the reflections of the hulls in the cove, food lovers over the shrimp from the gulf.

Planning your day

• Morning: historic centre, market and neo-Moorish façades.
• Midday: grilled fish at the port of Stora.
• Afternoon: corniche, lookouts and a leisurely return to the quay.

Distances remain short and taxis plentiful; agree on the fare before getting in, as everywhere in Algeria, and keep some change for coffee.

Back on board

On the way back, the sun sinks behind the hills and lights up the yellow façades of the centre. The port cranes resume their ballet while the fishermen of Stora return, silhouetted against the light. Skikda doesn't try to charm; it simply lives, and leaves travellers who took the time to explore it with the impression of having seen a Mediterranean from before tourism, that of cities working face to the sea.