Tipasa

About

Founded by the Phoenecians as a small trading port, Tipasa was recolonized several times over the centuries, with the Romans, paleochristians, and Byzantines all making their mark on the city. These many remodelings make Tipasa “one of the most extraordinary archaeological complexes of the Maghreb” - especially high praise considering it’s coming from UNESCO. Spread across three hills overlooking the sea, walking through the site you’ll find everything from pre-Roman necropolises, Roman ruins including a forum, thermal baths, and a theater, and Christian remains, like one of Algeria’s largest Byzantine basilicas and a cemetery. If you need any further convincing about Tipasa’s historic weight, it even inspired Albert Camus to write a poem - a legacy immortalized by a monument to the writer.