Chréa National Park is located 50 km southwest of the capital Algiers, and extends to the center of the Atlas Blidéen over an area of 26,587 hectares. There are 816 species of flora within the national park, including 15 protected species (cedars, pines, Aleppo, etc.) The Chréa National Park has a very varied faunal wealth. Statistics show the presence of 394 species including 49 protected species (eagles, monkeys, hyenas, etc.) The Hammam Melouane region is located 32 km northeast of Blida. It is a small locality which is located in a setting that reminds us of the Chiffa gorges with its mountains and its stream. In summer, it is a place of coolness par excellence. Hammam Melouane is also known for its thermal water, at a temperature of 39°C, its water is used for healing against bone and joint diseases, rheumatism, women’s diseases, nerve pain, muscular joints, diseases of the intestines, liver, pancreas and kidneys, chronic malaria andsenility. At 05 km from Hammam Melouane, is the village of Megtaa Lezrag. This site is known for its wild and verdant forests, but also for its calm. The village of Megtaa Lezrag offers young people a hostel full of activities. In Hammam Melouane, there is something for everyone, spa guests have thermal waters for their treatments, families spend pleasant time by the stream, young people find everything they want in Megtaa Lezrag, as for nature lovers. , they will be well pampered. 12 km from Blida going towards Médéa, the road becomes winding, the mountains have steeper slopes, the forest darkens the landscape, and where the landscape narrows, we arrive at the Chiffa gorges. This magnificent site is embellished by multiple waterfalls and the wadi which flows below offering an unforgettable entertainment setting. In summer, the Chiffa gorges are very popular with families who find freshness and tranquility far from the city. Some picnic on the banks of the wadi while children bathe in the water. The major attraction of the Chiffa gorges is the presence of monkeys of the magot race (the Maghrebian monkey) which is also found in Chréa. They approach very close to visitors or people passing through, who stop on purpose to see them, take pictures of them and feed them. They are the stars of the Chiffa gorges, hence the other name of the monkey stream. Each of them attracts attention in their own way with their facial expressions and grimaces, and it’s not just the children who are having fun. Some say that the Chiffa Gorge is a magical landscape, others find them ghostly, but the Chiffa Gorge remains a tourist site of fantastic beauty.
The two oldest districts of the city of Blida, offering a rather important cultural, historical and tourist character are the “El Djoun district” and the “Douirettes” district. These districts date from the Ottoman era, have a typical architecture. Their homes are built in an old style with ogival-shaped entrance doors and have a blind facade. On the other hand, the interior is pure Moorish style with a patio with shaded parts and permanently refreshed by air currents embellished with climbing plants and flowers very popular in the region such as geranium, begonia, carnation, basil, mimosa, wisteria and of course not forgetting the queen of flowers which is the rose
Blida has a considerable number of mosques. Some date from the 15th century like the “Ben Saadoun” mosque, others date back to the 18th century like the “El Hanafi” mosque built during the Ottoman period in the year 1750 and others more recent like the “El Kawthar” mosque. built in 1984.
In Blida there are several cemeteries, including a group of four large areas in the district called “Youcefi Abdelkader (Bouayba)”. there is the Muslim cemetery of “Sidi Halou” and “Ibadites”, that of the Christians and that of the Jews. The cemetery of Sidi El Kebir is half-urban, half-country, there are very simple graves visible. The two main tombs are those of “Sidi Ahmed El Kebir” founder of Blida and his father “Sidi Blekacem”.
Place du 1er Novembre or Place Ettoute, is the pride of the city of roses. It is characterized by the presence of a Moorish-style bandstand built around a palm tree. It is surrounded by a circular basin from which several water jets spring. Beyond the basin, we have reserved a small area like a ring where we have planted several varieties of roses of all colors which add their charm to the kiosk with more smells, colors and beauty for the delight of passers-by. Place de la liberté, which is located at a place called Bab Essebt, is a public square where city dwellers meet daily, it is also the meeting place for children who come to play bikes or football around a jet. of water which stands in the middle of the square. Place de Bab Errahba, which is on the former site of the Ricci fountains. It has a rectangular shape and is characterized by the presence of a long fountain of remarkable architectural beauty. El Djenina, is a small public square, which is in the form of a small garden. This square is the daily meeting place for pétanque enthusiasts who meet up every late afternoon and spend moments of relaxation with friends.
it is a marvelous architectural work dating from the Ottoman era. Following the architecture of the time, there is a large patio surrounded by arcades preceding several rooms. From the terrace, you can admire the surrounding landscape. Dar Azziza has become a cultural and historical site of inestimable value for the wilaya of Blida.
The city of Blida has two beautiful public gardens, the Patrice Loumumba garden (ex jadrin Bizot) and the Mohamed 5 garden (ex sacred wood “Sidi Yakoub”)
Two large popular markets characterize the city of roses, the European market (Placette enessara) and the Arab market (Placette El Arabe). The European market is well known for the ready-to-wear trade. Some merchants specialize in the sale of women’s products, especially for special occasions (weddings, engagements, etc.), as for the Arab market, specializes in the sale of food products, it is a market that brings together merchants. Here there is a corner for grocers, another for butchers, one for fishmongers, and even vendors specializing in the sale of sweets for the holidays and special occasions (weddings, Ennayer (thirteen), ….). The animation of the sellers gives a particular charm to the market and attracts as if by spell to buy their products displayed.