From busy Algiers we have moved to the small town of Tipaza, bent along a stretch of rocky coastline. Among honeyed beaches, shady pine trees, and gently rolling hills, the sweeping turquoise sea serves as the backdrop for a layered history of golden ruins overlooking the coastal cliff. We were not allowed to park in the “zone touristique”. So, we moved to the center, where we stopped next to a nice Terazza café, we took some coffee and by chance met the friendly café owner Mounir, who arranged for us the secured parking inside the port and also recommended Nora to be our local guide. She was great, she took us around and invited us to her house for a welcome drink. The next morning, she guided us through one of the most impressive and attractively situated, archaeological sites in Algeria (entrance 100 DZD) listed in UNESCO. Colonized several times over between the 6th century BC and the 6th century AD, Tipasa originated as a trading center for the Phoenicians of Carthage. At that point, the city served as a port from which the population could buy and sell commercial goods with Greece, Italy, and the Iberian Peninsula. But not for long. Over time, the ancient settlement would variably fall under the rule of the Romans, early Christians, and Byzantines, each of whom used the territory as a trading post and/or a launching point for conquests into the kingdoms of Mauritania. After a pleasant visit, Nora and a group of her friends brought us to Cherchel – our next stop on the coast.
Parking location – Tipaza: 36.593816N 2.449425E (💦, 🚻)