Cherchell

Cherchell stands on the site of Iol, a Punic port that Juba II rebuilt as Caesarea and made the capital of the kingdom of Mauretania, and later the capital of the Roman province of Mauretania Caesariensis. The modern town sits on top of it, so the ancient city appears in pieces: a theatre, an amphitheatre, baths, cisterns and stretches of wall scattered among streets and gardens. What draws visitors is the museum, whose collection of Roman and Greek sculpture, much of it copies of Greek originals commissioned by Juba, and its mosaics, is among the best in Algeria. The seafront and the old harbour give the town its shape.

What you actually see

• The sculpture museum - Greek and Roman work collected by the Mauretanian court.
• Mosaics from the ancient city - pavements recovered from local excavations.
• Theatre and amphitheatre remains - fragments among the modern streets.
• The old harbour - the port that made the city.

When to go

October to May; summer is hot and the sites are unshaded. Half a day. Museum hours are irregular; check before travelling. Closed on some public holidays.

Honest expectations

The ancient remains are fragmentary and scattered through a working town rather than presented as a site. Museum opening is unreliable. Interpretation is limited and mostly in French and Arabic. Photography rules inside vary.

Nearby

Tipasa is east along the coast; Algiers lies beyond it.