Oran Featured by New York Times Travel on Instagram

New York Times Travel recently featured two striking images of Oran on its Instagram account, drawing significant international attention to Algeria's second-largest city. The post, shared on Friday, October 16, highlighted Oran's cultural renewal and its blend of a rich historical past with a bold, new energy, underscoring Algeria's growing prominence as a tourist destination. This feature reaches an audience of over 1.8 million followers on the publication's social media platform.

The visual showcase included a nighttime view of the Oran Regional Theater and the city's tramway at Place du 1er Novembre 1954. This image captured the theater's illuminated facade with its domes, artistic sculptures, and arcades, alongside a modern red and white tram in motion, portraying a quintessential urban scene. The second image presented a panoramic view of the Santa Cruz Chapel and Fort, iconic monuments situated on Mont de l’Aïdour, with the deep blue Mediterranean Sea providing a vibrant backdrop under bright summer light.

New York Times Travel's description further celebrated Oran as the birthplace of Raï, an Algerian folk music genre that emerged in the 1920s, noting the city's resurgence as a hub for creativity and nightlife. The publication detailed Oran's rich architectural tapestry, which includes Ottoman palaces, Spanish fortresses, and French colonial structures. Among these, the recently restored Oran Regional Theater was highlighted as a century-old architectural gem that now presents a diverse program of contemporary performances.