El Hamma is the eastern district of Algiers, home to the botanical garden, the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Hamma railway station, and the main university campus. It is a more spacious district than the cramped city centre — the French colonial planners laid it out with wider avenues and larger blocks.
For visitors the main draws are the botanical garden and the fine arts museum, which sit next to each other and can be combined in a half day. The area around the university is lively with student cafes and bookshops. El Hamma is easily reached by tram from the city centre.