I am looking for information and suggestions from anyone who has been to Algeria lately. I am considering a "side-trip" there with my teenage daughter this summer.

I believe that Lonely Planet Algeria will be released in August (at least according to Amazon.com). "Battle of Algiers" is one of my two favorite movies, and I'd really like to visit the Kasbah where a lot of the filming took place (they locked it down when Michael Palin visited in his Sahara series). From where are you considering a sidetrip -- I think the area near the Tunisian border is relatively safe (I don't believe you cannot visit from Morocco).

The border is definitely closed. We will be in Spain for 7-10 days to work on my daughter's Spanish. She is writing her term paper (high school) on the aspects of the historical effect of the French in Algeria. I haven't thought through details yet, but there are no doubt ferries from Marseille and elsewhere, and also some flights. Ideally, I would hire a guide for a couple of days. My daughter and I are both fair/blue eyes and very "American looking" females. I speak passable French, but my daughter does not. I guess you might say that the couple of days would be a "learn about Algeria" side-trip.

Opps -- not sure I got logged in as my daughter on the previous post.

Rosenose

Its much easier to do a side trip to Morocco than to Algiers. Marseille is an interesting city, but its a few hours from the nearest point in Spain.

I realize how much easier it would be to go to Morocco. I am considering Algeria for a specific reason.

bump

Hello
I have just found this forum via passportstamp so am new here. Maybe this reply is too late? But if you are still planning to go to Algiers I can help with general info. I have visited Algeria twice in the last 6 months, with a small group and then alone. Please let me know if I can be of assistance. JanieB