Skikda Algeria
Algeria
Frequently Asked Questions
In the port of Skikda, on Algeria's northeast coast. The bay opens in a crescent between two green headlands and the town rises in tiers from the quays : the shopping streets are quickly reached on foot.
Yes for the centre. From the port area the shopping streets climb toward the upper squares, and the corniche is easy to walk. Only the small harbour of Stora, a few kilometres west, needs a taxi.
A typical day : the historic centre and its neo-Moorish facades in the morning, grilled fish at the harbour of Stora at midday, then the corniche and its viewpoints before heading back to the quay.
Stora is a small fishing harbour tucked under the cliff a few kilometres west, one of the oldest anchorages on this coast. Ten minutes by taxi is enough. Blue and white boats crowd in front of a row of pale houses, and the restaurants grill the morning's catch.
Yes. The ancient city of Rusicade prospered on these slopes, and its theatre, the largest in Roman Algeria, still lies partly beneath the modern districts. A few tiers and substructures remain visible for those who like reading a city in layers.
That was the name the town carried in the 19th century under French administration. From that period it inherited a centre of Haussmann style buildings mixed with neo-Moorish ones : arcades, worked balconies and facades weathered by sea air.
Yes. The beaches nearby, long strips of sand backed by wooded hills, fill with family umbrellas in warm weather. Even without swimming, the corniche walk above the rocks is worth the time.
Yes, very often. Visitors who greet people in French are almost always warmly received, and sometimes told a family story between two shops. Mass tourism has not taken hold here.
Distances are short and taxis plentiful. Agree on the fare before getting in, as everywhere in Algeria, and keep small change for coffee.
The Algerian dinar, in cash. Foreign cards are poorly accepted and there is no marked tourist circuit : bring enough cash for the day.
