Constantine Province · Algeria
Constantine travel guide
Constantine is a city in Constantine Province, Algeria, home to about 465,000 people.
- Best months
- April, May, September and October
- Nearest airport
- CZL10 km · Mohamed Boudiaf International Airport
- Currency
- DZDAlgerian dinar
- Time zone
- Africa/Algiers
- Language
- Arabic, Standard Algerian Berber
About
About Constantine
Constantine (Arabic: قسنطينة, romanized: Qusanṭīnah, Tamazight: ⵇⵙⵏⵟⵉⵏⴰ, romanized: Qsnṭina), also spelled Qacentina or Kasantina, is the capital of Constantine Province in northeastern Algeria. During Roman times it was called Cirta and was renamed "Constantina" in honour of Emperor Constantine the Great.
The city was renamed to "Constantine" in 313 AD by the Romans, in honour of Constantine the Great. The modern Arabic name of the city is derived from the ancient Roman name. As the Arabic writing system does not have unique characters for vowels, common romanizations of the city include Qacentina and Kasantina. Long before the Romans conquered North Africa, a Berber city called Cirta existed on the summit of a plateau surrounded by deep ravines. Cirta was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Numidia (not to be confused with the ancient kingdom of Nubia, in modern-day Sudan).
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Constantine
See
The city is framed by a deep ravine and has a dramatic appearance. The city is very picturesque with a number of bridges and a viaduct crossing the ravine.
- passerelle Slimane Mellah
- Bab El Kantra Bridge
- Gustave Mercier Museum
- Ben-Badis Mosque
- Casbah
- Emir Abdel Kader University & Mosque
- Soumma Mausoleum
- Palace of Ahmed Bey
- Ruins of the Antonian Roman aqueduct
- Emir Abd Elkader Mosque
- Théâtre Régional de Constantine Mohamed Tahar Fergani
- Bois de la Légion d'Honneur
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Constantine
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Constantine are April, May, September and October. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; January is the wettest, with about 79 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Constantine: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mohamed Boudiaf International Airport (CZL), about 9.9 km from the city centre in a straight line; Batna Mostefa Ben Boulaid Airport (BLJ, 74 km) and Jijel Ferhat Abbas Airport (GJL, 82 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Mohamed Boudiaf Airport (CZL). The main airport of Constantine, which is situated 12km from the city centre.
Getting around
There's a long tramline starting south of the city center and passing by the Emir Abd Elkader mosque and gare routière ouest before crossing the river. Tickets should be bought at a kiosk near the stops.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
CZL · Mohamed Boudiaf International Airport
BLJ · Batna Mostefa Ben Boulaid Airport
GJL · Jijel Ferhat Abbas Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Constantine
Stay safe
Constantine is somewhat considered a safe place. And common sense will alleviate 99% of problems: try to look as little like a tourist as possible, do not flash large quantities of cash, and so on. Faux guides are much less of a problem here than in the rest of Algeria and are limited mainly to the area around the city. It is inadvisable to walk alone in Constantine at night. Solo women, as in all Algerian cities, should dress modestly to avoid harassment (which almost always consists of lewd comments, but nothing physical). Pick-pocketing and motor-drive-by theft seem more to be a problem here so hide your valuables!
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Constantine: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Constantine?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Constantine are April, May, September and October. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; January is the wettest, with about 79 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Constantine?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mohamed Boudiaf International Airport (CZL), about 9.9 km from the city centre in a straight line; Batna Mostefa Ben Boulaid Airport (BLJ, 74 km) and Jijel Ferhat Abbas Airport (GJL, 82 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Constantine?
Algerian dinar (DZD).
Nearby
Destinations near Constantine
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.