The tour of Tunisia is the newest addition to our collection of itineraries. This very intriguing country in Northern Africa is a treasure trough of antiquities and natural beauty. Anyone who did not doze off during their history classes in middle school obviously learned about Ancient Rome and its arch nemesis, Carthage. Anyone familiar with the origins of the Christian Church should also be familiar with the names of Cyprian, Augustine, Tertullian, and the courageous female martyrs Perpetua and Felicity. All of them lived in the towns and cities of modern-day Tunisia, and many of those places are phenomenally well preserved.  Whether you are a history and archeology buff or simply love to see more obscure places not frequented by the hordes of mass-tourism, join us on this special and one-of-a-kind journey into Antiquity. You will enjoy immensely!  

Arrival to Tunis-Carthage International Airport. (Airport code: TUN).

Transfer to the hotel. Check-in and rest. Welcome dinner and orientation. Overnight in the capital of Tunisia, Tunis.

The day will start with the visit to the Bardo Museum and Medina of Tunis. The national Bardo Museum is a jewel of Tunisian heritage. It is housed in an old Beylic palace dating back to the 19th Century. It is one of the most important museums in the Mediterranean region and the second museum of the African continent after the Egyptian Museum of Cairo by richness of its collections. It traces the history of Tunisia over several millennia and across several civilizations through a wide variety of archaeological pieces. The museum houses one of the largest collections of Roman mosaics in the world, thanks to excavations in various archaeological sites in the country. The museum also has a very important and large collection of Christian artifacts that include couple complete Baptisteries, great many funerary mosaic epitaphs and images, clay tablets with Christian religious imageries, reliquaries and fragments of the basilicas’ interior décor.

The term medina is applied to the old Arab or non-European quarter of a North African town. The Medina of Tunis is the largest and the most representative medina in the whole of Tunisia. The narrow alley and small squares filled with dozens of different stores, cafes, and restaurants. To a visitor it looks essentially like a big and very picturesque market. We will remain overnight in Tunis.

We will start our day with the Divine Liturgy at the local Orthodox Church. 

Today we will explore one of the most important sites in Tunisia and, likely, in Antiquity, the city of Carthage. The city quickly developed from a Phoenician colony into the capital of a Punic empire due to its convenient location along the trade routes. Carthage became one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classical world. It dominated large parts of the Southwest Mediterranean during the first millennium BC. The Romans conquered Carthage in 146 BC after a three-year siege. The Punic city was destroyed, but the Romans rebuilt the city in their style and it became the most important city of Roman Africa. Time was merciless toward Carthage, and it is difficult to appreciate its former grandeur in full. However, we will be able to see the excavated and well-preserved parts of the harbor, Roman baths, and the eerie Tophet of Carthage, a large cemetery where thousands of children sacrificed to the gods were buried. We will visit the Amphitheater of Carthage, the site of the martyrdom of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, two young Christian women martyred by the Romans in the third century AD. We also will visit the site of the largest Christian Basilica in North Africa, complete with a Baptistery and the Martyrium. We will interrupt our exploration of Carthage at midday for lunch at the picturesque village of Sidi Bou Said that is known for its beautiful blue and white houses, cobblestone streets, and spectacular views of the Mediterranean. For an overnight we will return to our hotel in Tunis. 

Today we will explore Bulla Regia and Dougga - two very important ancient sites, located south-west of the capital. Bulla Regia was a Berber, Punic, and Roman town. The name Bulla Regia is Latin for "Royal Bulla". The epithet refers to its status as the Numidian capital. It was re-established at the time of its elevation to colony status and formally named Colonia Aelia Hadriana Augusta Bulla Regia, after its imperial sponsor Hadrian. Its surviving ruins and archaeological site are noted for their Hadrianic-era semi-subterranean housing, protection from the fierce heat and effects of the sun. Many of the mosaic floors have been left in place, and more may be seen at the Bardo Museum in Tunis. 

Dougga or Thugga was a Berber, Punic and Roman settlement. UNESCO qualified Dougga as a World Heritage Site in 1997, believing that it represents "the best-preserved Roman small town in North Africa". The site, which lies in the middle of the countryside, has been protected from the encroachment of modern urbanization. Dougga's size, its well-preserved monuments and its rich combination of Numidian-Berber, Punic, ancient Roman, and Byzantine history make it an exceptional site for a visit.  For a dinner and overnight we will arrive to the city of  Kairouan. 

The city of Kairouan was founded by the Umayyads around 670AD. Soon after its foundation, Kairouan becomes an important center for Sunni Islamic scholarship and Quranic learning, attracting Muslims from various parts of the world. The Great Mosque of Kairouan, also known as the Mosque of Uqba is the largest Islamic monument in North Africa. From the outside, the Great Mosque of Kairouan is a fortress-like building with the massive outer wall and the massive corner towers. Still, despite the austere façades, many buttresses, countless columns of the yards, and cupolas give the sanctuary a sense of striking grandeur. The Uqba mosque, along with the medina of Kairouan have been added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage in 1988.

The archaeological site of Sbeitla (Roman Sufetula) is among the most important archeological remains in the country. The city still preserves a grid of the streets, and it contains the best preserved Roman forum temples in Northern Africa. Instead of constructing only one temple dedicated to the three most important Roman gods (Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva), the inhabitants of the city built separate temples for each one. The city also has a few Christian basilicas, some of them completed with the fanciful Baptisteries, found to date only in North Africa. Sufetula was the theatre of the great confrontation between Byzantines and Arabs in 647AD, setting the stage for the later Muslim conquest of the diocese of Sufetula and further conquests in southern Europe. After the exploration of the ruins of Sufetula, we will have a lengthy transfer South to the town of Tozeur.

Today will be dedicated to the exploration of the natural beauty of Tunisia. First, we will visit Chebika, where refreshing water rushes over an imposing waterfall to form a gorge surrounded by palm trees at the bottom. After just a short drive we will visit Tamerza, barricaded by its mountain range as if suspended on the side of a vast canyon with commanding views over the vast plains. Tamerza is the largest mountain oasis in Tunisia that was known already to Romans. It has a canyon and an abandoned old town. The town was abandoned after the river flooded in 1969. It is located north of the salt lakes and receives fresh water from nearby as there are many water cascades and springs in the area. Our last stop will be at Mides, the westernmost and arguably the most impressive of these oases which overlook a breathtakingly high canyon. In ancient times, Mades had a Christian population and its bishop Petrus participated in the synod of Carthage in 484AD. We will return to our hotel in Tozeur for dinner and overnight

Our first visit today will be to the village of Matmata. It is a small Berber speaking town in southern Tunisia. Some of the local Berber residents live in traditional underground "troglodyte" structures. These structures, typical for the village, are created by digging a large pit in the ground. Around the perimeter of this pit artificial caves are then dug to be used as rooms, with some homes comprising multiple pits, connected by trench-like passageways. Our next stop will be at Douz a town known as the "gateway to the Sahara." It has been called the "ultimate palm oasis", because it has over 500,000 palm trees in the area, and it is a major producer of dates. In the past it was an important stop on the trans-Saharan caravan routes. Today, it is a destination for tourists who are interested in seeing the desert, and a starting point for various desert treks. Our last stop of the day will be at Chott el Djerid, a large endorheic salt lake. The bottom of Chott el Djerid is located at an elevation of over 50 feet above sea level. The lake's width varies widely; at its narrowest point, it is only 12 miles across, compared to its overall length of 160 miles. At times, parts of it appear in various shades of white, green and purple. It is the largest salt pan of the Sahara Desert, with a surface area of over 50000 square feet. Overnight in Djerba. 

Today we will explore the island of Djerba. First, we will visit the village of Erriadh, renowned for the Djerbahood - a street art event in which artists from all over the world gathered to create 250 mural paintings.  (Part of the name comes due to the giant letters THE HOOD installed at the entrance of the village). The organizers chose Erriadh for its traditional architecture, and thanks to Djerbahood, the village became an attractive destination for tourists. In fact, the whole island, which had suffered from mismanaged garbage collection after the 2011 revolution, benefited because of this project. Our next visit will be to the pottery village of Guellala. This village is one of the few where the Berber dialect is still used. The name of the village, Guellala, comes from Goulla (jar) or Gallal (the person who makes jars). This profession dates back to the time of the Greeks and Phoenicians and continues today as it is inherited from father to son and represents the way of life, the history and the specialty of the region. Our last stop today will be at Houmt Souk that literally means: "The Market neighbourhood". It is a commune and the main town of the island of Djerba. It is also a popular tourist destination that is best known for its traditional souk and the Aghlabid fortress. 

This morning we will depart from the island of Djerba and will head North.  

The road will take a fair amount of time, but what we will see today will be certainly worth it.

Our first stop will be at El Jem, famous for its enormous amphitheater that is counted among the largest in all of Roman Empire. The Roman city of Thysdrus (modern El Jem) was built, like almost all Roman settlements in ancient Tunisia - on former Punic settlements. In a less arid climate than today's, Thysdrus prospered as an important center of olive oil production and export. By the early 3rd century, when the amphitheater was built, Thysdrus was likely the second largest city of Roman North Africa after Carthage. However, following the revolt that began there in AD 238 and after the rebels’ leader committed suicide, the troops loyal to the Roman emperor sacked the city. The mighty construction never saw any games. The destruction lead to the rapid decline of the city. Drifting sand preserved the ruins the market city of Thysdrus and saved many of its ruined structures from later reuse and vandalism. Not too far from the amphitheater is an extremely fascinating museum with a grandiose collection of artistically refined mosaics, a reconstructed Roman villa and a large area of excavated villas of local nobility. 

Before heading to the hotel we will explore the Ribat of Manastir.  The word ribat comes from the Arabic word ribāṭ, which means "station", "inn", or "religious house". We can say that a ribat was a fortified Islamic “monastery” that was built on the outskirts of conquered Muslim territories to protect against attacks.  

Founded in 796 by the Abbasid leader, the complex went through a series of changes over the centuries. Many watchtowers were added between 11th and 13th, 17th and 19th centuries in order to accommodate the artillery. The towers are also climbable, allowing visitors to enjoy a view of the city and the beach. In addition to the small rooms dedicated to worship, the ribat has two mosques,  the largest of which hosts a unique collection of medieval articles.

In the morning we will explore second largest museum of Tunisia. The antiquities on display at the Sousse Archaeological Museum date as far back as the 7th century BC. Artefacts from the Tophet of Sousse and the Sanctuary of Baal Hammon invoke Biblical parallels. After all, what was once considered to be Roman propaganda that accused the Carthaginians of sacrificing their own children, archeologically proved to be true. But the museum is particularly famed not for these terrible mementos of the past, but for its remarkable collection of Roman mosaics.  Of great interest to Christians is a stunning baptismal font from Bqalta, lavishly decorated with mosaics. It is certainly one of a kind not only in the region, but in the whole World. Decorative terracotta tablets engraved with Christian motifs complement the display. 

After the visit to the Museum, we will explore the Medina of Sousse, filled with the multitude of different shops and cafes. Then, after a lunch brake we will stop to see the part of the Zaghouan Aqueduct. The Zaghouan Aqueduct or Aqueduct of Carthage is an ancient Roman Aqueduct, which supplied the city of Carthage with water. From its source in Zaghouan it flows a total of 132 km, making it among the longest aqueducts in the Roman Empire. The aqueduct draws on several sources which ran dry at different times. The first and most important source is located near the town of Zaghouan in the Mount Zaghouan, a mountain range about 60 km south of Carthage. In Roman times a sacred fountain structure (nicknamed "Water Temple") was built over the spring, which became one of the most important in ancient North Africa.  It's not a typical temple as such, but still a religious monument dedicated to the mountain-spring source that kept Carthage watered. The ancient fountain is surrounded by arched niches that once held 12 statues depicting the months of the year. 

Time permitting, we will explore the site of Thuburbo Majus. Thuburbo Majus or Colonia Julia Aurelia Commoda, its Roman name, was originally a Punic town, later founded as a Roman veteran colony by Augustus in 27 BC. Military veterans were settled here by Augustus to allow them to start their post-army lives with land of their own. Its strategic location and access to trade routes made it an important establishment. This location has a number of interesting, excavated sites, such as the remains of a forum, the amphitheater, temples, baths, houses, and Christian Basilica. The Bishopric was founded here very early, as the name of the local bishop Sedatus have attended council of Carthage in the mid third century. The Bishopric have survived through the Arian Vandal and Orthodox Byzantine empires, only ceasing to function after the Muslim conquest of North. Thuburbo Majus is important to Christians as the birthplace of Perpetua, a young Christian martyr of Carthage in Africa. For an overnight we will arrive to our hotel in Tunis. 

Breakfast at the hotel and departure from the Tunis-Carthage International Airport. (Airport code: TUN).

If you'd like, you'll be able to participate in an exciting optional add-on day:

Kerkouane is the site of an ancient Punic city in north-eastern Tunisia, near Cape Bon. Arguably, it was one of the most important Punic cities. The city of Kerkouane was likely abandoned during the First Punic War (c. 250 BC) and was not rebuilt by the Romans. As it remains the only example of a Phoenicio-Punic city to have survived until the present day, UNESCO declared the Punic town of Kerkouane and its necropolis a World Heritage Site in 1985. The name Kerkouane was given to the town by archaeologists. Its name in antiquity has not been preserved in any known historical document.

In the afternoon we will visit the Ribat and Medina of Hammamet. The medina of Hammamet is much smaller than that of Tunis, but just as picturesque. It is very interesting to get “lost” in the maze of the narrow alleys, finding a new angle for yet another artistic “Kodak” moment. We recommend you climb the walls of ribat of Hammamet for splendid views of the medina and the Mediterranean. For an overnight we will return to our hotel in Tunis.