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Though Tunisia is just realising the possibilities of trekking, sports like dune skiing, camel trekking and land yachting are well established. Bird watching is also popular, as Tunisia is an important stopover for migratory birds. Most activities, though, are centred on the country's fine beaches, where the energetic can swim, snorkel and windsurf.
World Heritage-listed and quite possibly the single most impressive Roman monument in Africa, the colosseum at El-Jem was also the third-largest of its kind in the Roman world. At its best at sunset, the colosseum is towering and sturdy but with sufficient sections in ruins to evoke the ghosts of the long-distant past.
In summer, the arena where gladiators once fought for their lives is given over to concerts - we challenge you to find a finer venue.
taxi louage from Tunis or Mahdia
| full | Tunisian Dinar 6.00 |
Ali is an endearing old guy who claims that the cave, supported by a series of stone arches, dates back to Roman times. He'll demonstrate pottery-making as it used to be done, climb into a massive amphora to show how Ali Baba and his 40 thieves were able to hide, and take you to an ancient underground olive press.
| free |
Tunisia's top museum is the Bardo Museum. This magnificent, must-see collection provides a taste of ancient life, housed in a glorious palace. The many incredibly well-preserved mosaics, with their images of gods feasting and farming, are stunning, and include some of Africa's oldest. The most precious of Bulla Regia's mosaics can be found here.
Ave du 2 Mars
(3km NW of city centre)
tel info 71 513 650
underground rail Métro Léger line 4 to Bardo stop
| full | US Dollar 5.00 |
One of North Africa's best preserved ancient Roman cities, Sufetula is awash with temples, monumental arches and bath complexes that speak of an ancient civilization that really knew how to live. With its Byzantine-era basilicas and remote, windswept, end-of-the-earth location, this is as evocative an ancient site as you'll find anywhere.
bus from Tunis via Kairouan
taxi louage (shared taxi) from Tunis
| full | Tunisian Dinar 2.10 |
Founded by Phoenicians and home of Hannibal, Carthage was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. The site retains its natural splendour, with lush vegetation and superb views over the gulf. Highlights are the museum and excavated quarter atop Byrsa Hill, the Antonine baths, the Punic ports, the Roman amphitheatre and the Sanctuary of Tophet.
Despite Carthage's fascinating history and the position of dominance it held in the ancient world, the Romans did such a thorough job demolishing it that the ruins today are something of a disappointment. Most of what remains is of Roman origin. There are six main sights spread out over a wide area. The TGM (light rail) line runs through the middle of the area but you will still need to do a fair amount of walking.
The best place to start is Byrsa Hill to get a good view of the whole site. At its base is the massive L'Acropolium (Cathedral of St Louis), an eyesore built by the French in 1890 and dedicated to the 13th-century saint-king who died in 1270 during the ill-fated 8th Crusade. The National Museum is the large white building at the back of the cathedral, and its recently revamped displays are well worth a look. The Punic displays upstairs are especially good.
The Roman amphitheatre on the west side of the Byrsa, a 15-minute walk from the museum, is said to have been one of the largest in the Empire, though little of its grandeur remains today; most of its stones were pinched for other building projects in later centuries. The collection of huge cisterns northeast of the amphitheatre were the main water supply for Carthage during the Roman era - they're now ruined and hardly worth the scramble through prickly pear cactus.
The Antonine Baths are right down on the waterfront and are impressive more for their size and location than for anything else. The Magon Quarter is another archaeological park near the water, a few blocks south of the baths. Recent excavations have revealed an interesting residential area.
The chilling Sanctuary of Tophet was a sacrificial site with an associated burial ground, where the children of Carthaginian nobles were killed and roasted to appease the deities Baal Hammon and Tanit.
(N Tunisia)
train from Tunis
| full | Tunisian Dinar 6.00 |
This fertile peninsula stretches out into the Mediterranean Sea to the north-east of Tunis. Geologists speculate that it once stretched all the way to Sicily, providing a land link to Europe that sank beneath the sea as recently as 30,000 years ago.
Today, Cap Bon - particularly the southeastern beaches around Hammamet and Nabeul - is Tunisia's primary package tour destination. A summer's stroll down the streets of Hammamet is likely to turn up 10 tourists to every local, and the pace never slackens except briefly during the middle of winter.
Its location at the northern end of the Gulf of Hammamet is a big drawcard, as is its medina. It's also a lively town, brimming with dance clubs, restaurants and colourful shops. Nearby Nabeul has a range of budget accommodation. Nabeul's Friday market is one of the liveliest in Tunisia.
Halfway in between Kélibia and El-Haouaria is the relatively unheralded Carthaginian site of Kerkouane, a town founded in the 6th century BC that existed for less than 300 years before Roman forces destroyed it. It was excavated in 1962. The small town of El-Haouaria is tucked beneath the mountainous tip of Cap Bon. Its main attractions are the Roman caves on the coast, 3km (2mi) west of town.
Compared with most mega-cities elsewhere in the world, Tunis comes across as little more than a large country town. The city centre is compact and easy to navigate, with almost everything important to travellers within the medina and the compact ville nouvelle.
The medina is the historical and cultural heart of modern Tunis and a great place to get a feel for life in the city. Built during the 7th century AD, it lost its status as Tunis Central when the French took over and raised their ville nouvelle around the turn of the 20th century.
One of the oldest of the medina's sights, the Zitouna Mosque was rebuilt in the 9th century on the site of the original 7th-century structure. Its builders recycled 200 columns from the ruins of Roman Carthage for the central prayer hall. Your nose will help you translate the name of the nearby Souq el-Attarine - the Perfume Makers' Souq.
The streets of the ville nouvelle are lined with old French buildings replete with wrought-iron railings and louvred windows. One not-to-be-missed sight outside of central Tunis is the Bardo Museum, housed in the former Bardo Palace, the official residence of the Husseinite beys.
Tozeur is one of the most popular travellers' stops in Tunisia, and has been so since Capsian times (from 8000 BC). Its principal attractions are a labyrinthine old town, a spectacular museum and its enormous palmeraie (palm forest) on the northern edge of the Chott el-Jerid.
Located some 435km (270mi) southwest of Tunis, half the thrill is just getting there: the road from Kebili crosses the chott (dried salt marsh) by causeway. The city's delightful old quarter, Ouled el-Hadef, was built in the 14th century AD to house a merchant clan.
The area is a maze of narrow, covered alleys and small squares, and is famous for its traditional brickmaking methods. There's a small but notable archaeology museum here that's worth a peek.
Apart from Tunis' Bardo, the Dar Charait Museum is the only museum in the country worth going out of your way to see.
Tozeur's palmeraie is the second largest in the country, with around 200,000 palm trees spread over an area of more than 10 sq km (4 sq mi). It's a classic example of tiered oasis agriculture and is watered by over 200 springs producing more than 60 million litres of water per day. The best way to explore the palmeraie is on foot or by bicycle, which you can rent at the entrance.
The Islamic (or Hjira) calendar is a full 11 days shorter than the Gregorian (Western) calendar, so public holidays and festivals fall 11 days earlier each year. Ras as-Sana is the Islamic celebration of the new year. Moulid an-Nabi celebrates the prophet Mohammed's birthday. These celebrations include parades in the city streets with lights, feasts, drummers and special sweets. Ramadan is celebrated during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, commemorating the month when the Quran was revealed to Mohammed. Out of deference, the faithful take neither food nor water until after sunset each day. At the end of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr), the fasting breaks with much celebration and gaiety.
Eid al-Adha is the time of the pilgrimage to Mecca, which each Muslim is expected to make at least once in their lifetime. Streets are decorated with coloured lights and children play in their best clothes. The ritual of Mahmal is performed in each village - passing pilgrims are given carpets and shrouds to take on their journey.
In terms of secular festivals, July and August are the months to remember. The main event on the Tunis calendar is the Carthage International Festival, which fills those months with music, dance and theatre performances at Carthage's heavily restored Roman theatre. The El-Jem International Symphonic Music Festival is held every July. The Dougga Festival of classical drama also takes place in July and August in - you guessed it - Dougga. After the summer heat dies down, the biennial Carthage International Film Festival (concentrating on Middle Eastern and African cinema) takes place in October in odd-numbered years.
1 January - New Year's Day 20 March - Independence Day 21 March - Youth Day 9 April - Martyr's Day 1 May - Labour Day 25 July - Republic Day 3 August - Public Holiday 13 August - Women's Day 15 October - Evacuation Day 7 November - Anniversary of Ben Ali's Accession.
