Oran runs on a different mood — lighter, more sea-souled. Day one: Santa Cruz morning (the mother view), upper corniche descent, port-quarter fish lunch, then the center (1er Novembre square and theatre, Emir Abdelkader street, Pasha mosque) and waterfront café night. Day two: the old Ottoman quarters, the cathedral-turned-library, Les Andalouses beach afternoon, and the closing Oran prawn dinner the city is remembered by. Fly from Algiers in an hour (multiple cheap dailies) or ride the scenic 4h train.
Frequently Asked Questions
Best season?
May-June and September-October — sun without the local August peak.
Two days enough?
Comfortably for the essentials; a third adds Andalusian Tlemcen for the overflowing.