Tunisia

Tunisia is North Africa's most compact surprise. In a country you can cross in a long day's drive, you'll find the ruins of Carthage, some of the finest Roman mosaics anywhere, whitewashed seaside villages, holy cities, and the dunes and oases of the Sahara. It's easy to reach from Europe, relaxed to travel, and it pairs deep history with long lunches by the sea.

Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said

Tunis is a capital of two faces: a UNESCO-listed medina of souks, mosques and palaces, and a French-era boulevard lined with cafés. The Bardo National Museum holds one of the world's great collections of Roman mosaics.

A short ride on the light railway brings you to the ruins of Carthage, once Rome's great rival, and to Sidi Bou Said, the blue-and-white village overlooking the Gulf of Tunis.

Roman and Islamic heritage

Tunisia has an extraordinary density of archaeological sites. El Djem's colossal amphitheater rises out of the olive groves, and the hilltop Roman town of Dougga, with its temples, theater and baths, is remarkably complete.

Kairouan, one of the earliest Islamic cities in North Africa, is home to the Great Mosque, whose courtyard visitors can usually see at set hours. Kairouan, El Djem, Dougga, Carthage and the medinas of Tunis and Sousse are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The south and the Sahara

In the south, the landscape turns to salt flats, palm oases and dunes. Tozeur and Nefta sit among date palms, Chott el Djerid shimmers with mirages, and Douz is the traditional gateway to the Sahara's Grand Erg Oriental. The underground homes of Matmata and the fortified granaries, or ksour, around Tataouine are unforgettable, and familiar to Star Wars fans.

Just offshore, Djerba blends beaches with a Jewish community of great antiquity, pottery villages and open-air street art.

How we plan Tunisia

Tunisia works well as a circuit, from Tunis and Carthage through the Roman and Islamic heartland and south to the desert and Djerba, or as a relaxed coastal stay with day trips. We arrange private drivers, expert local guides and a mix of boutique hotels in restored medina houses and seaside resorts. Our Tunisia Coast & Sahara journey is a flexible starting point for your own version.