What to see in Tunisia: 10 must-sees
Discover what to see in Tunisia: 10 must-see destinations, from Carthage to Medina of Tunis. Predominantly UNESCO heritage and archaeological site; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
UNESCO Heritage(6)
Step into the largest medina in the Maghreb, a 700-hectare labyrinth in the heart of Tunis where the 8th-century Zitouna Mosque, the dar palaces, and the 700 funduqs of Ottoman trade coexist. Wander through the souks arranged by guilds, stop at the artisans' workshops, and visit the Bardo Museum, home to the world's most important Roman mosaics. This ensemble, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition and to a vanished civilization.
Walk the tiers of the best-preserved Roman amphitheater in the Mediterranean, able to hold 35,000 spectators beneath 4 levels of 30-meter arches. Explore the underground galleries where gladiators awaited their turn, climb to the imperial box to take in the whole arena, and note the mosaics in the Amphitheater Museum. El Jem, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, shows how the Roman games were staged in the ancient province of Africa.
Visit the best-preserved Numidian and Roman city in Tunisia, near Le Kef, where the 2nd-century Capitol, the theater, and the baths stand alongside Punic temples and Berber mausoleums. Walk through the 15 hectares of ruins, pause before the mosaics of Venus, and gaze at the wheat valleys surrounding the city. The site, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an exceptional testimony to civilizations that have vanished.
Descend into the heart of Kairouan, the first holy city of Islam in Africa, and tour the 7th-century Great Mosque, the oldest in the Maghreb, with its 304 columns of reused Roman marble. Stop before the mihrab of marble and mosaics, visit the mausoleum of Imam Mossab, and look for the pillar where, according to tradition, the Prophet's lance was thrust. The complex, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, testifies to a vanished civilization and still sets the rhythm of the city, among carpet souks and whitewashed courtyards.
Take in the sights as you walk through the port medina of Sousse, where the 9th-century ribat, considered the oldest Islamic fortress in the Maghreb, towers over the walled city. Climb its watchtower to see the old town from above, stop before the mihrab, and gaze at the port from which Byzantine and Ottoman corsairs set sail for centuries. This ensemble, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an exceptional testimony to a vanished civilization.
Wander among the reed beds beside Tunisia's largest saltwater lake, where more than 180,000 waterbirds gather every year, from flamingos to pelicans. Climb 511-meter Mount Ichkeul to see how the freshwater of winter turns salty in summer, and learn the fishing techniques the Phoenicians already used in these waters. This Bizerte park, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, preserves an exceptional testimony to a vanished cultural tradition.
Archaeological Site(2)
Explore the ruins of the Punic metropolis that challenged Rome for 150 years, where the 2nd-century Antonine Baths — the largest in Africa — stand alongside the sacred tophet and the 20-hectare trading port. Walk up Byrsa Hill, admire the mosaics of the Carthage Museum, and gaze at the bay where Hannibal set sail with his elephants. Explore the archaeological site where ruins, artifacts, and history tell of civilizations that flourished millennia ago. Walk among the stones, admire the remains, and discover the past.
Explore the Punic city the Romans destroyed and never rebuilt, where houses with courtyards, baths, and pottery workshops tell of the daily life of the Phoenicians of the 6th century BC. Walk the main streets, admire the anthropomorphic tombs, and see the purple dye workshop that made Carthage famous. Explore the archaeological site where ruins, artifacts, and history tell of civilizations that flourished millennia ago. Walk among the stones, admire the remains, and discover the past.
Beach(1)
Admire Djerba's white-sand beaches — the island where Homer placed the kingdom of the Lotus-Eaters — and go snorkeling in its waters. Step inside the Ghriba, the oldest synagogue in Africa, and stroll through the bazaar in Houmt Souk among spices, fabrics, and local ceramics. Then explore the 3,000-hectare oasis, where adobe houses with palm-frond roofs rise, and end the day walking along the shore as the sun sets over the Mediterranean.
City(1)
Wander through the blue-and-white village that crowns a cliff above the Mediterranean, where cafés serve mint tea and turquoise façades define every alleyway. Climb up to Café des Nattes and take in the bay of Tunis from its terraces. Pause before the 13th-century Blue Door, then head down to the harbor to watch the fishing boats rocking at sunset. Browse the markets among fabrics, pottery, and spices, and stop to admire the wrought-iron grilles and studded doors that make Sidi Bou Saïd one of the most photographed corners of the country.
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