Tipasa Roman Ruins

Tipasa was a Punic trading post that became a Roman colony and an important early Christian centre. Today its remains, a theatre, forum, basilicas, villas and cemeteries, are scattered through pine woods along the cliffs above the Mediterranean, one of the most beautiful archaeological settings in North Africa. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The writer Albert Camus loved the place, and a stone inscribed with a line from his essay 'Nuptials at Tipasa' stands near the sea. Combine the park with the small archaeological museum in town and a seafood lunch by the harbour. The trip takes 1h15–1h30 each way, so it suits a full port day and is usually done on a ship excursion or with a pre-booked driver who knows the visa and police-checkpoint routine.