Oran

A dynamic port city, Oran slopes down to the sea like an amphitheatre straddling hills and magnificent landscapes, facing one of the most beautiful bays in the world. So, during your trip to Oran, take the time to wander alon the sloping streets of the old town and discover its soul. Take a stroll through the Kasbah and soak up the gentle way of life in this part of Algeria, and the welcome and spontaneity with which the Oranese greet travellers. And while you're in Oran, take the opportunity to go to the port of Mers El Kebir to discover its welcoming beaches and enjoy a swim.

Oran lives and breathes in its streets, in the almost perpetual bustle of its main thoroughfares as well as in its cultural events. In a city where culture has developed considerably, it is now recognised as the capital of Raï music. In fact, if you're visiting Oran in August, this is when the Raï festival takes place.

Oran also has some delicious culinary specialities, including chorba (a soup with meat) and boureks (rolls of bricks stuffed with meat).

Like to fly to Oran from Montpellier? Then book your plane ticket.

Sites and monuments

• The historic quarter, with a mixture of Spanish, Turkish and French architecture.
• The two historical mosques in the district of Sidi Al Houari: The Pasha Mosque (1797) and the Bey Othmane Mosque (1801).
• Santa Cruz Cathedral and Chapel.
• The Great Synagogue on Kargentha plateau.
• The military forts of Oran including Mers Al Kebir fort: indeed, the city has the largest concentration of military forts in the whole of Africa
• The Spanish Gate in the old Kasbah, an important relic of Spanish architecture in Algeria.
• The Bullring, the only one in the whole of Africa in fact.

Museums

• Ahmed Zabana and Moujahid Museums.

Starters

• Chorba: Soup made with mutton and vegetables
• La Harira: Soup similar to La Chorba with rice and chickpeas
• Bricks: Sheets folded into a square with an egg and mashed potatoes
• Boureks: brick pastry rolls with meat and spinach
• Grilled Pepper Salad
• Carrot salad with spicy sauce

Algerian food 

• Couscous
• Chakchouka: vegetable ratatouille
• Mechoui: lamb roasted on a spit

Desserts

• Makrout: pastries with honey, dates and semolina.
• Kalb el Louz: semolina cake, accompanied by various spices.
• Dziriettes: flour cake, almond stuffing, honey, lemon zest and orange blossom.