Discovering Constantine, the city of bridges

Few cities make such an entrance. Coming from the airport, you suddenly see Constantine standing on a rock, its old town wrapped by the gorge of the Rhumel river, and bridges thrown across the void like threads. For more than two thousand years, this natural fortress has been one of the great cities of North Africa.

Cirta, Constantina, Constantine

As Cirta, the city was the capital of the Numidian kings, including Massinissa. Destroyed in a civil war in the early 4th century, it was rebuilt by Emperor Constantine and took his name. It later became a major city of the Hafsid and Ottoman periods; the last bey, Ahmed Bey, built a palace here shortly before the French conquest of 1837. Today it is Algeria's third city and the cultural capital of the east.

Walking the bridges

Constantine's bridges are the city's signature. Start with the Sidi M'Cid suspension bridge (1912), which hangs about 175 m above the gorge — the view down to the river is dizzying. Continue along the edge to El Kantara, built on Roman foundations, and the stone arches of Sidi Rached, one of the largest stone bridges of its time. The modern cable-stayed Salah Bey viaduct (2014) closes the panorama. A path along the gorge and the Monument to the Dead on the cliff give superb viewpoints, especially at sunset.

Palaces, mosques and museums

• The Ahmed Bey Palace — courtyards, gardens, painted walls and tiles in the heart of the old town.
• The Emir Abdelkader Mosque — a vast modern mosque with twin minarets and an Islamic university.
• The Cirta Museum — Numidian and Roman archaeology, including finds from Tiddis.
• The old medina — narrow streets, coppersmiths and traditional pastry shops.

Music and food

Constantine is the home of malouf, the Andalusian classical music of eastern Algeria, played at weddings and festivals. At the table, look for chakhchoukha (torn flatbread in a spiced sauce), trida (small square pasta), djari soup and the city's famous pastries such as baklawa and kalb el louz. Copperware and gold embroidery are traditional crafts.

Day trips from Constantine

• Tiddis — a red hill town of Numidian and Roman remains, 30 km away.
• Djémila (UNESCO) — Roman Cuicul on a mountain ridge, about two hours away.
• Timgad (UNESCO) — the grid-planned colony founded by Trajan, near Batna.
• The Medracen — a Numidian royal mausoleum on the road to Batna.

Read more in 5 archaeological sites to discover.

Practical tips

• When: March to June and September to November. Winters can be cold, with occasional snow.
• Getting there: flights to Constantine Mohamed Boudiaf airport, or train and road from Algiers.
• How long: three days allow the city plus Djémila and Timgad.
• Safety: check your government's latest advice for the wider region — see our safety summary (checked 19 October 2026).

Our circuit Constantine, Djémila & Timgad combines the city, the Roman sites and the Aurès mountains. See also the Constantine destination guide.