Sablettes Promenade

The Sablettes is a stretch of the eastern bay of Algiers that was cleared and rebuilt in the 2010s as a public promenade: several kilometres of walkway, lawns, play areas, cafes and a beach, laid out between the road and the sea in what had been a neglected industrial edge. It has become the main open-air space for the city on summer evenings, when families walk the front and the beaches fill, and it also gives one of the better views back along the bay toward the old city and the hills. A large mosque and its minaret stand at the eastern end of the same shore, visible from most of the promenade.

What you actually see

• Several kilometres of walkway - the rebuilt seafront along the bay.
• The beach and lawns - the public space between road and sea.
• Views back toward the old city - the bay curving west.
• Summer evening crowds - the promenade at its busiest.

When to go

May to September for the beach and the evening promenade. Half a day. Weekend evenings are extremely busy. Winter is windy and empty.

Honest expectations

The beach is urban, crowded and not clean by holiday standards. Traffic on the coast road is heavy and access on foot is awkward. Facilities are stretched in high summer. It is a city park, not a resort.

Nearby

Central Algiers is west; Djamaa el Djazair stands at the eastern end.