Tunisian heritage and history 8-day round trip

Tunis

Tag 1: Welcome to Tunis!

Today, your driver will meet you at the airport and take you to Tunis, city of souks and sun-soaked beaches, religious landmarks and ancient monuments. This is a modern capital with deep roots in history.

After checking into your hotel, head to the Medina for a taste of the medieval Arabic way of life: follow the well-placed maps, and discover crafts and souvenirs aplenty, jostling for position with perfumes and spices, as well as precious metals, textiles and leatherwork. Visit the Bardo Museum and glide through cool columned walkways lined with Roman mosaics, halls filled with archaeological remains and galleries displaying Tunisian culture and heritage.

In the evening, relax and enjoy dinner at your hotel. 

Sidi Bou Said - Carthage

Tag 2: Seaside towns and ancient history

After breakfast today, it's time to head for the resort of Sidi Bou Said, with its signature white and blue architecture. For great views and an insight into the history of the town, stroll up the hill to the Mausoleum of Abu Said el Baji, founder of the town; the tomb is a place of modern pilgrimage for Sufi Muslims. 

Carthage is one of those 'must see' world destinations. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Roman ruins across the site are evocative of a distant past, made all the more dramatic by the backdrop of the glittering sea, source of many an attempted invasion.

After lunch, visit the Carthage Museum; perched on Byrsa Hill it provides an excellent vantage point across the whole site. Up close, the Antonine Baths are impressive, alongside the reconstructed Roman Theatre and Roman Villas, while the Sanctuary of Tophet is eerie but fascinating.

Later, head back back to Tunis for dinner.

Dougga - Bulla Regia

Tag 3: Discover the Roman way of life

After breakfast, we visit Dougga, site of impressive Roman ruins including a theatre, temples, mausoleum and the towering Capitole, as well as baths with cisterns fed by an nearby aqueduct. There are also ruins of homes and buildings from more recent Christian occupation in the 5th century. Follow the simple dirt road and paths around the site, passing under the arch of Alexander Severus for the full experience.

After enjoying lunch, we travel to Bulla Regia, principally occupied by Romans but also by Berber and Punic people. The site offers a unique insight into the Roman way of life. Buildings were constructed to be semi-subterranean, providing protection from the sun and heat, and their construction means they are incredibly well-preserved. Underground tours are available of this incredible site.

In the evening we return to dinner in Tunis. 

Makther - Sbeitla

Tag 4: Temples and ancient pathways

After breakfast at your hotel, you'll drive to the strategically important Roman city of Makther. Once highly prosperous, invading Arab tribes laid waste to the city but this was not the first time it had fallen. Its location made it a common target and, as a result, Makther was built on layers of many cultures and civilisations.

After lunch, we head on to the astonishingly well-preserved archaeological site of Sbeitla (also called Sufetula). It comprises three Forum Temples, an impressive gate, arch and other public buildings. Quieter than the other sites, its worth taking time to wander the ancient pathways, explore the ruins and visit the small archaeological museum to view the relics found here.

After a full day of discovery, we continue to the Byzacene Sbeitla hotel resort for some well-earned rest, recuperation and a delicious dinner at the halfway point of your trip.

Kairouan - El Jem - Mahdia

Tag 5: Holy cities and mausoleums

After breakfast, you’ll head to Kairouan, revered as the most ancient holy site in Tunisia, and the fourth-holiest city in Islam. Its Great Mosque, towering above the Medina, is the oldest in North Africa. Meander the streets before following the call the prayer to shaded colonnades. Kairouan is also home to several other important sites and buildings, including the strange 9th-century Aghlabid basins and the evocative former Governor’s House.

After lunch it’s time to visit El Jem, home to the Roman Amphitheatre, one of Tunisia's most recognisable locations. Venture down into the passageways beneath the arena for a true sense of its scale and importance.

Mahdia provides a welcome stopping place for tonight’s dinner and rest but is a worthwhile destination in its own right. Explore the Old Town, visit Bourghiba Mausoleum, then close the day with a stroll along the promenade.

Monastir - El Kantaoui - Hammamet

Tag 6: Golden domes and Islamic art

After breakfast, we’ll head to Monastir, with its well-preserved waterfront Ribat fortress and the golden-domed Bourguiba Mosque. The Museum of Islamic Art and Artefacts offers valuable religious and cultural insights, while the Bourgiba Mausoleum adds some recent history to the picture of this varied coastal resort.

Port El Kantaoui is primarily a purpose-built and popular seaside resort; if it isn't your scene, seek out the nearby historic port of Sousse and the Sousse Archaeological museum. After lunch here, we head to Hammamet, where you’ll spend tonight. The historic resort has avoided the modern high-rises, instead cultivating a relaxed feel. Explore the Medina, stop to admire the Great Mosque and visit the unmistakeable Kasbah fortress. Head out of town a short distance to Pupput, the original Hammamet settlement, with ornate mosaic floors and ancient tombs.

Nabeul - Kerkouane - Tunis

Tag 7: Cap Bon peninsula

After breakfast in your Hammamet hotel, we head to the Cap Bon peninsula. Once the administrative capital of the region, Nabeul was founded by the Greeks in the 5th century and known as 'Neapolis', and it then inevitably passed into Roman rule. The Neapolis museum is small but houses a good collection of artefacts excavated from all over Cap Bon: the locally-discovered mosaics and statues are particularly impressive.

Next, you'll visit Kerkouane, a UNESCO World Heritage site of Punic origin, situated at the tip of Cap Bon. It is known for its Necropolis and the network of homes with individual baths and intact mosaic floors. We'll have lunch in El Haouaria and the nearby Kelibia Fort is worth the detour, if time allows. 

The day ends with a return to Tunis and a last opportunity to soak up the unique blend of Berber and Arabic cultures and traditions here.

Tunis - Tunis

Tag 8: Farewell Tunisia

If time permits on your final day, after brekfast seek out a little of the French heritage that has been a more modern influence on this region of North Africa.

The La Marsa district in the north east of the city has a uniquely french feel and offers an alternative way to end this incredible trip.

Your driver will take you to the airport for your return flight home.