Publish your tours in Blida

What to see and do — Blida

Blida was founded in the 16th century by Andalusian refugees expelled from Spain, under Turkish protection. The saint Sidi El Kebir, originally from Castile, is the legendary founder. The city prospered thanks to the abundant water of Wadi El Kebir, feeding gardens and mills. The Ottomans made it a janissary garrison. A terrible 1825 earthquake destroyed it (~7,000 dead); it was rebuilt 2 km west. The French occupied it in 1830, turning it into a military center (the Blidean Atlas commands the strategic Mitidja plain). Colonization turned the Mitidja into vineyards and orange groves. During the independence war, the Blidean Atlas was a major FLN maquis. Today Blida is Algeria's 5th city, a university and agro-industrial hub, capital of Algiers' day-trip tourism.

• 📍Chréa National Park — Millennial cedars, ski resort (1,550 m), hiking and cable car from Blida
• 📍El Kebir Mosque — Historic mosque founded by Sidi El Kebir, Andalusian, heart of the medina
• 📍Sacred Wood (Olive Wood) — Urban grove of millennial olive trees planted in the 16th century, legendary among Algerois
• 📍November 1st Square — Central tree-lined square, statue of Emir Abdelkader, traditional cafés
• 📍Historic monument of Sidi El Kebir — Ancient burial site of the founding saint, a regional traditional gathering site
• 📍Mitidja Plain — Lush farming plain, vineyards and orange groves crossed by the RN1