So here we are in Tunisia after a wonderful two weeks in Tuscany. We’re well rested and ready to explore this ancient country.

Before we left home, friends asked me, why Tunisia, as it’s a country not many New Zealanders have travelled too. The answer is simple. I love an adventure, somewhere a little off the beaten track. I knew very little about the Tunisia, but now I’ve been there, I’m well informed, so here we go.

Where is Tunisia?

It’s the northern most African country, bordering Algeria and Libya. The good news is the Mediterranean Sea is on the north and eastern borders, providing a magnificent coastline with great beaches.

How to get about in Tunisia?

There’s little to no public transport in Tunisia, despite a population of 12 million, which only leaves a couple of options to get around. A bus tour (of which there were many) or to drive ourselves in the traffic mayhem, where local rules prevail. Neither of these options worked for us, so we got a guide/driver, through an international company called Travel Local.

Travel Local connects you directly with travel experts in the destination you want to travel. I worked with our guide, Ali and nutted out our itinerary.

Ali is a Tunisian. He had a wealth of knowledge about his country and was an excellent and safe driver. He met us at the airport, travelled and guided us for 7 days, then delivered us back to the airport, attending to all our needs.

First impressions of Tunisia

Tunisia’s coastline is stunning and the outstanding Roman ruins and many other great attractions make it well worth visiting. It’s people are happy and friendly, and tolerant of different race and religion.

The land mass of Tunisa has played a central part of many civilisations over the last 2000 years including being home to the Carthaginian empire (rivals of the Romans). In more recent times Tunisia has aspired to a more democratic regime. This has come about since the Arab Spring in 2010. A wave of pro-democratic protests and uprisings started in Tunisia and spread to North Africa and parts of the Middle East. The protests challenged some of the regions entrenched authoritarian regimes.

As a result the Tunisian administration was over thrown. In 2019 the current President, Kais Saied was elected. He has been acknowledged for radically improving health and education as well as trying to eradicate corruption.

Progress has been made, but we still saw evidence of corruption. What we observed was people were well fed and generally happy. Employment was plentiful as immigrants from neighbouring countries, came to seek work. However, there is still much work to be done to bring the infrastructure to a modern day standard, with garbage, construction debris and cats littering the the footpaths and roads.

Who are the Tunisian people?

One of the first questions I asked Ali was who are the Tunisian people. He explained they are a mix of Arabs and the indigenous Berber people. Intermarriage over centuries has created a unique race of people, tolerant of differences and religion. It’s not unusual to look over the roof tops and see a Minaret, a Church and a Synagogue, all within the same neighbourhood.

However,  as I mentioned there’s more than just the Tunisian people, in Tunisia. Open borders with neighbouring Algeria, Libya and Morocco mean there are many immigrants, making it a very diverse country.

What drives the Tunisian economy?

There are great sources of phosphate and minerals in South Tunisia. These resources are exported, as is gasoline. In addition, there is good arable, fertile land where crops are grown for export, including grapes, pomegranates, dates and olives. Olive oil is also exported and of a high quality.

The other big earner for the country is tourism. The spectacular coastline and beaches attract tourists, especially from Russia, England and France. Many are on package tours to enjoy the sunshine and beaches.

Food in Tunisia

Tunisian cuisine is tasty and plentiful, resembling middle eastern food both in looks and flavour. There is an abundance of fresh ingredients grown locally, seafood and lamb.

Couscous is the national Tunisian dish and is prepared in many ways, with different flavourings. It’s typically served with braised vegetables (tomatoes, onions, green peppers and garlic) chickpeas or legumes and lamb. A plethora of spices and herbs including harissa and generous amounts of olive oil give it a distinctive aromatic flavour and smell.

Hotels in Tunisia

The hotels we stayed at in Tunisia were advertised as luxury or boutique. Some were boutiquish, but not really luxurious.

At the beginning and end of our trip we stayed in two different hotels in Tunis, the El Jeld and La Menara Sidi Bou Said. El Jeld had a gorgeous roof top restaurant overlooking the city. Both were spotlessly clean with beautifully appointed rooms, however, some of the hotels outside of the capital were not as great. This was mainly because of lack of maintenance.

7 day itinerary of Tunisia

A well as the extensive Mediterranean coastline, the country has a number of magnificent attractions, including the ancient Carthage ruins, Roman ruins at El Jem and Dougga, the Holy City of Kairouan, Sidi Bou Said and the Medinas (historic quarters) in each town. It is at these markets you get a real sense of daily life in Tunisia.

Our trip focused on the northern eastern parts of Tunisia.

Day One – Dougga

From Tunis we headed west, to visit two extraordinary Roman sites, Bulla Regia and Dougga. While both were fascinating, but Dougga was the highlight.

Dougga

Dougga, a UNESCO site, is one of the most important archaeological sites in Tunisia. This town had 5,000 inhabitants and covered 25 hectares with temples, private dwellings, theatres, baths, and connecting streets like a suburb.

There were five slaves for every person, to tend to the fields and maintain the city so on anyone day, there could be 25,000 people in the town. However, the slaves slept out of the city.

The most significant structures were the amphitheatre, capable of holding 3,500 and the Capital.

The public toilets where perfectly preserved as well. Twelve potty seats, in a semicircular shape were connected to the sewage system. There was no privacy. A sponge on a stick, seeped in vinegar as a disinfectant, was the communal bottom cleaning apparatus.

Day Two – Roman Carthage and Sidi Bou Said

Roman Carthage

Day two we headed to Carthage, located near Tunis. It was one of the most important trading hubs and one of the most affluent cities in Roman times. At its peak, it had as many as 300,000 inhabitants and was considered the third largest city in the empire after Rome and Alexandria. The most significant remains at this UNESCO site are the Antonine baths and the amphitheatre. The city extended over 306 hectares. Residents today, living on what used to be Carthage, are reluctant to landscape their gardens as they know they are sitting on ruins. A great example of this was at the remains of Tophet, a religious site once part of Carthage. This large excavated site literally butts up to beautiful residential homes.

Sidi Bou Said

Located about twenty kilometres from Tunis, is Sidi Bou Said, a picturesque village. It’s perched on a cliff overlooking the archaeological site of Carthage and the Mediterranean Sea. The village is unique as the houses all have white walls and blue windows. Frenchman, Rodolphe d’Erlanger, fell in love with the village in the 1920’s and mandated all the homes have white walls and blue shutters.

Day Three –  The Great Mosque of Kairouan and El Jem and

Great Mosque of Kairouan

The Great Mosque of Kairouan is recognized as one of the most significant religious places in Islam. The mosque has great historical importance, because it was the first mosque, in the first Muslim town, in the West.

The mosque occupies an area of over 9,000 square metres and is one of the oldest places of worship in the Islamic world.

Amphitheatre of El Jem

In the small village of El Jem, is the largest amphitheatre in North Africa. It could hold up to 35,000 spectators. It’s modelled on the Colosseum and is the sixth largest amphitheatre after the Colosseum, but is a better designed. It’s more functional and doesn’t  have blind spots for spectators.

Day Four – Ribat of Montastir and The Mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba

Ribat of Monastir

The Ribat of Montastir is a historical treasure in Tunisia. It was built in the eighth century, when Ribats (ancient forts) were acquiring prominence. It’s an outstanding example of Islamic military history and architecture.

The Ribat has an impressive central tower from which you can see the ocean, the medina, the mosque and the Mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba.

The Mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba

The Mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba is very special to the Tunisian people, as he was the father of Tunisia’s independence. He was born in Montastir in 1903 and died in 2000, where he was laid to rest in his mausoleum.

Habib Bourguiba initiated the construction of his own tomb during his lifetime. The structure of the monument is reminiscent of a mosque, with a golden dome, between two green domes, and is framed by two very beautiful minarets 25 metres high. In the mausoleum is a small museum where some of President Habib Bourguiba personal items are on display.

Day Five – Medina of Sousse

Medina of Sousse

Sousse is the third most populous city in Tunisia after Tunis and Sfax. However, it has a relaxed vibe, somewhere between a seaside resort and and Arab town. The gem of Sousse is the Medina, with its wall still intact, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s laid out around the Ribat (the ancient fortress), built by the Arabs in 787. The Ribat has a very dominate southeast tower, that functions as a minaret too.

In the Medina too, is the Grand Mosque of Sousse, built in 851.

We also visited the Archaeological Museum were mosaics from the 3rd to 5th Centuries AD are preserved.

Day Six

Hammamet

Hammamet is south of Tunis on the coast and is a popular beach destination.

Sunbathing and al fresco dining are a way of life in the summer. The medina in Hammamet is also worth visiting where you can buy almost anything including the local pottery.

Day Seven

 Back to Tunis

From Hammamet we headed back to Tunis for a night, before flying home to New Zealand. We enjoyed our time in Tunisia. The Roman and Carthage ruins well exceeded our expectations. But, what should be a thriving country with a growing economy, it is not. It has great natural resourses, but their political system lacks the fundementals of a true democracy and as a result the country is being hindered from reaching its full potential.