Welcome back everyone and welcome to my first solo trip for 2026! Living the retired life ain't half bad ya know.
Tunis and nearby Carthage offer a striking contrast between ancient history and living culture. On one side, the ruins of one of the most powerful cities of the ancient world; on the other, the vibrant streets, markets, and architecture of modern Tunisia’s capital. Together, they create a unique destination where Roman ruins, Phoenician history, and North African culture sit side by side..
Back to day 1. I'm staying at the Ibis Tunis which is about 20 kilometers South of Carthage so I hired a guide to drive me around and explain the history. So, pick up at 9am by Noureddine Boukari (here's the plug... WhatsApp (+216) 24 332 451 and boukari.noureddine@gmail.com).
First stop was the highest point in Carthage, the location of the Cathedral of St Louis IX who died in 1270 and was buried in Carthage. His body was disinterred in the 1800's when Tunisia was a French colony. Fun fact, well interesting maybe not fun, Louis led the seventh crusade. You know, those pesky little escapades organised by the church and European nobles!
Three Layers of History
What makes this site particularly impressive is that there are three distinct layers of history:
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Punic period (814–146 BC): Carthage at its peak, including the Punic Wars and Hannibal’s famous march across the Alps with elephants.
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Roman period (146 BC–533 AD): After Carthage fell to Rome in the Third Punic War.
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Byzantine period (533–698 AD): Eastern Roman control from Constantinople.
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| View from the Byzantine level |
My hat has now been to 20+ countries
The level I am standing on is Byzantine, and the lowest visible remains are Punic. Unfortunately, very little survives from the Punic period due to destruction and reuse of materials.
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| Looking down to the Punic layer |
If you walk to the rear of the Cathedral you'll find a sort of relic garden where they have collected ruins. There's also a statue of St Louis IX and his, now empty, sarcophagus. I've attached a photo of the sarcophagus and a picture of a tiny version. So, horrible history time, the tiny ones were used for the ashes of the first born son. Apparently, the Phoenicians required that first born sons be sacrificed. This continued until a general refused, he sacrificed a slave which led to his son growing up to be Hannibal!
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| St Louis IX sarcophagus |
A smaller version is also displayed. These were associated with burial traditions—some Phoenician tombs were later interpreted as containing remains of first-born children, a topic still debated by historians.
Cathedral Views
Although I wasn’t there for modern architecture, the Cathedral itself is very striking, so I’ve included a few photos below.
Travellers Hint
You’ll find a lot of stalls at the major sites selling similar items—small mosaics, mini statues, etc.
Be careful as prices are often inflated and haggling is expected. Some vendors take offence if you don’t engage.
Also, don’t assume everything is authentic—Punic coins are commonly sold, but genuine 2,500-year-old coins at 40 dinar is very unlikely..
Second Stop – Roman Amphitheatre
A short drive brought us to a Roman amphitheatre used for executions.
Built around the 1st–2nd century AD, it is associated with the martyrdom of early Christians, most notably Saints Perpetua and Felicity, who were killed by wild animals in 203 AD.
The site was buried for centuries and only excavated in the last hundred years.
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| The center is where the animals were kept |
Roman Aqueduct
Next stop was part of the Roman aqueduct system.
The Romans were master engineers, and this system is a good example of their scale and complexity.
In Tunisia, the aqueduct stretched 134 km and fed a system of cisterns supplying around 30,000 people.
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| Aquaduct cistern |
Roman Theatre
By now it was getting very warm—no surprise in North Africa.
Carthage actually had two theatres:
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a winter theatre (smaller, lower site near the cathedral)
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a summer theatre (larger, designed for shade in the afternoon)
The theatre is still occasionally used today, with only parts of the seating and stage original.
It has hosted acts such as Kool & The Gang, and Churchill also gave a speech here in 1943 to the 8th Army.
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| Stunning view from the theatre |
Great views!
Roman Baths (Antonine Baths)
Next stop was the Roman baths—second largest in the world.
The site was built over part of a Punic necropolis, though little remains of that earlier period.
The baths were started under Hadrian in 117 AD and completed under Antonius in 165 AD. Roman baths consisted of four chambers.
Roman bath structure included:
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Apodyterium (changing rooms)
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Tepidarium (warm room)
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Frigidarium (cold plunge pool)
The scale is larger than the famous baths in Bath, England.
Ok, by now I was starting to flag. Being old and tired, spent most of the night chasing mosquitoes 🦟, plus it being around 25c pretty much did me in.
Travellers tip: Don't open your hotel window unless you like 🦟. There's a salt lake at the edge of the city. The government has reclaimed some of the land and are aggressively building there, including a new USA embassy. However, despite their efforts, they haven't got rid of the mozzies.
Back to the hotel with a quick stop for supplies and a bite to eat, a 'Brik' which is a deep fried savoury pastry made from thin mollsouka dough...like filo pastry, and filled with cheese (you can tuna and egg but that just sounds nasty).
All in all a good outing. Tomorrow is a visit to the Medina for some shopping and haggling.
Day 2 begins…
Started out less than ideal due to a last-minute flight change caused by a strike in Germany. I’m now flying back via Paris on Air France.
Medina of Tunis
The Medina was the main focus of the morning.
It was lively, colourful, and full of jewellery and craft stalls.
Compared to Moroccan medinas, it felt less aggressive and more relaxed, which made it easier to explore.
I will be going to the American WW2 cemetery later this afternoon, more of an update later.
Ok, went out to do some more exploring. My guide yesterday mentioned the American Cemetery on the outskirts of Carthage so I asked my airport driver if he'd accommodate and, as I was paying, he kindly agreed. What a beautiful site. I have to say the American Battlefield Memorial team always do a fantastic job commemorating those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This site was commissioned in 1960 and is the burial site for 2,883 soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians including a Medal of Honor winner and a member of the USA 400m relay gold medal team from 1936.
Sidi Bou Said
Final stop was Sidi Bou Said, the blue-and-white clifftop village.
It’s often compared to Santorini but was extremely busy due to a national holiday.
Not usually my kind of scene, but the views were still excellent.
And of course, I had to try a bambalouni—a large doughnut-style street food.
Final Thoughts
All in all, a very full trip combining ancient history, Roman engineering, colonial layers, and modern Tunisian culture.
If you could visit just one site in Tunis or Carthage, which would it be—and why?
