The Sidi El Houari quarter, on the lower slopes between the city centre and the port, is the old medina of Oran — pre-Ottoman, pre-Spanish — and the most atmospheric part of the city. Narrow streets, blue-painted doors, small mosques tucked into impossible corners, the Bey's Palace, the Hassan Pasha Mosque, the tomb of Sidi El Houari himself.
The area has been the subject of a long, intermittent restoration programme; some streets are beautifully renovated, others are crumbling. Walking is safe in daylight; guides can be hired through the local association. Combine with a visit to the Bey's Palace and the Pasha Mosque.