Ancient city of Tunis – a place of history, mystery and romance
In and around Tunis, the stones of antiquity and 21st-century modern life converge in haphazard harmony. In the city experience the exquisitely preserved Medina, a maze of cobbled streets, souk market stalls, mosques and museums, while along the Carthage coast, you’ll find resort hotels, sandy beaches, golf courses, restaurants and cafés. It’s a city of two worlds: the Arab and French Mediterranean.
The starting point for your exploration should be Avenue Habib Bourguiba, the palm-paraded, Parisian-style boulevard at the heart of modern Tunis. Admire some fine art nouveau façades, particularly the sea nymphs riding across the front of the Théâtre Municipal, and duck the heat in one of the many street-side cafés. At the avenue’s western end, the Porte de France marks the transition into the old Arab quarter, the Medina. Traffic disappears as alleys narrow, slope and jog, and bearings are completely lost – glimpses of the minaret of the formidable Zitouna Mosque (founded in 732), the spiritual heart of the Old Town, provide a navigational aid.
Among all the visitor attractions, the Bardo Museum is a must, seen as the Tunisian equivalent to the Louvre. This 19th-century palace houses the best collection of Roman mosaics in the world, featuring scenes of rural life, battling sea gods and nymphs, which once decorated Roman general’s North African villas. (Rue Mongi Slim, +216 71 513650).
The ancient city of Carthage, a landmark of Phoenician and Roman culture, lies in the suburbs of modern-day Tunis, easily accessible by light railway. Byrsa Hill is a good place to start which boasts the National Museum featuring Punic and Roman pots, marble sarcophagi and death-masks, and the Roman amphitheatre. According to Virgil, Carthage was founded in 814BC by Queen Dido. During the Punic War, Hannibal set out from here – with his 38 Alp-climbing elephants – to conquer Rome. The Romans fought back, razing Carthage to the ground in 146BC, later rebuilding it. Poignant reminders of the sheer scale of the settlement are still visible among the ruins, the most spectacular being the Antonine baths, the amphitheatre and the site of the Punic naval port.
Near Carthage is the hill-top village of Sidi Bou Said. Made forever blue and white by Baron von Erlanger at the turn of the 20th century following a decree on the village’s architectural heritage, it is just the place to mingle with locals at sunset, and drink mint tea at the Café des Nattes (Place Sidi Bou Said 2026).
Local history
A truly ancient city dating back 3,000 years, Tunis was once considered the greatest and wealthiest city of the Islamic world developed and inspired by Spanish Moors, French and Turkish immigrants. The legacy today is a multi-cultural Arabic-Berber and French society combining Islamic, Christian and Jewish communities. There is a proud, rich heritage preserved in archaeological ruins, mosques and the Medina, a living museum.
Local politics
Tunisia gained independence in 1956 from France when Habib Bourguiba became president. Education and health care were improved, tourism encouraged and women given equal rights. Under current President, Ben Ali, Islamic Fundamentalism is not condoned to prevent political religious activity. Today, Tunis is an easy-going, tolerant, modern society. The streets are clean, public transport is cheap and reliable – although traffic problems do abound.
