A small cave in the Belouizdad neighbourhood of Algiers, traditionally identified as the hiding place where Miguel de Cervantes took shelter during one of his failed escape attempts from captivity in the city. The author of Don Quixote was held as a slave in Algiers from 1575 to 1580, and the cave has been a minor literary pilgrimage site since the 19th century.
The cave itself is modest — a shallow grotto set into the hillside, now enclosed behind a gate and marked with a plaque. A small garden surrounds it. It is not a major attraction, but for anyone with an interest in literary history it is a remarkable connection to one of the great writers of the Western canon. The fact that Cervantes spent five years in Algiers is surprisingly little known outside specialist circles, and visiting the cave brings that chapter of his life into focus.
The site is in a residential area and can be hard to find — ask locally for "la Grotte de Cervantes." It is a short taxi ride from the centre of Algiers.