Mar 09, 2018

Top 10 Must See Places When Visiting Tunisia

Small and soft-particle white sand beaches are what attract millions of footprints every year to Tunisia. Sun-sand-and-sea holidays are a great escape from European cold winter.

However, Tunisia has more to offer than its pristine beaches. We have provided the top-10 places to see in Tunisia so that you can have an easier trip.

10. Cap Bon Peninsula

Cap Bon Peninsula has the prettiest beaches in Tunisia. It lies on the north-eastern tip of the country. It is characterized by plenty of sun-drenched beaches, sweet-smelling jasmine flora, clear dark-blue sea, fragrant eucalyptus trees and thermal springs, among others. It is famously referred to as ‘the garden of Tunisia’.

9. The Ruins of Carthage

Carthage represents one of the oldest civilizations in the Maghreb region. It is a place where Phoenicians established their capital city and conquered other North African territories.

Visiting Carthage will enable you to witness Roman ruins of Carthage. Carthage is an important historical center in the Biblical history as some of the famous Biblical writers and figures and many other Christian adherents had their origin in this place.

One of the living historical Christian landmarks is the Acropolium Church, which is one of the oldest and largest churches in North Africa. It is formally known as Saint Louis Cathedral. Carthage was the capital city of Phoenicians and later on the Romans.

It was a Roman palace in the South with picturesque gardens, Antoni baths, and Punica Ports.

8. Bardo Museum

Located in Tunis, Bardo museum houses some of the world’s famous mosaic collections. It has bits and pieces collected from every historical site in Tunisia.

This is a place to visit should you desire to witness the intricate authentic artistry of the Roman and Byzantine eras. Prior to Tunisia's independence, Bardo Museum was a palace of the king of Tunisia.

7. Sidi Bou Saidi

Sidi Bou Saidi is the most famous artistic village in Tunisia. Here you can be able to observe a village designed based on Tunisia’s finest village architecture. Sidi Bou Saidi is a clifftop village exhibiting whitewashed alleys, colorful blue doors, and wrought-iron window frames.

Within it and its vicinity are stalls selling artistic craftwork where you can buy your own souvenir in memory of your visit to this great architectural village. Sidi Bou is named after a famous Muslim cleric.

It is just 10 kilometers to the western side of Tunis. Being on a hilltop area, it affords tourists a magnificent view of the Mediterranean sea.

6. Kairouan

Kairouan is the fourth most important holy city of the Muslim faith. It is a collection of madrassas, mosques, and tombs. Bulky domes and skinny minarets are a testimony of the inspiring Arabic architecture.

The city's medina characterized by its maze-like narrow lanes and colorful near-crumbling ancient houses are a sight to behold. It makes you feel the ancient sensations of a great civilization.

Just 107 kilometers away from Kairouan is Sebetila which is home to Capitoline temple and other Roman relics. It is popularly referred to as Byzantium Roman Culture center.

It attracts tourists across the world, mostly from Europe and those of the Roman Catholic faith. Since it is less than 2 hours drive, most tourists stay at Kairouan while on a visit to the place.

5. Monastir Ribat

Monastir is a beautiful seaside resort city in Tunisia just 160 kilometers from Tunis. It is strategically positioned at the tip of a small protruding peninsula between the bay of Al-Manastir and the Gulf of Hammamet.

It has a long stretch of golden sand beaches waved by restful blue sea. Monastir is reputed for being the ancestral home of Tunisia’s first president Habib Bourguiba and two former prime ministers – Hedi Amara Nouira and Mohamed Mzali.

Monastir was a heavily fortified city in ancient times. Most of the fortified buildings have collapsed except the Ribat fortress. Ribat is among the ancient string of defensive forts that protected the coastline from foreign intrusion.

It is a beautiful thick-walled golden-stoned fort overlooking the harbor. It is one those sites that are sought for filming and features in some of the famous movies.

4. El Djem Amphitheatre

Probably the most cited of all tourist attractions when it comes to advertisements, El Djem Amphitheatre is one of the largest in the world. It is three-tier high Roman amphitheater and has underground compartments. The underground area, once the home of the gladiators, is still intact with its various dungeons and tunnels.

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3. Nabeul, Hammamet

Thousands of tourists flock Nabeul every year. Its main attraction is the plenty of handicrafts. Also, its history as the administrative capital of the ancient

Mediterranean citizens who have been natives since the Roman era attracts many to experience its authentic culture. Nabeul is located just about 20km from Hammamet.

Hammamet itself is a fishing town famous for its beautiful beaches. It is widely known for swimming and water sports. Its spectacular and serene picturesque characterized by green surroundings, fresh air, and soothing ambiance make it highly attractive to nature tourism.

2. Sousse Medina

Sousse is Tunisia’s third largest city after Tunis and Sfax. It is famous for its olives and olive oil production. It is just about 12 miles from Monastir. High nightlife characterized by bombastic nightclubs make it one of the best entertainment tourism sports in Tunisia.

Sousse Medina is a former military port located at Tunisian coast. It is a UNESCO world heritage site dating from the early centuries of Islamic adventure into North Africa.

One famous mosque is the Ftata mosque. Apart from the ancient historical sites, Sousse is well-known for its beautiful, clean and serene sandy beaches.

1. Grand Erg Oriental

Sahara region offers tourists a spectacular view of Sahara Desert. It also gives a glimpse of the nomadic pastoralists way of life. Camels are the most important animals in this environment as they are not only a means of transport but also a means of entertainment during Camel derby.

The contour-patterned sand dunes are just an amazing sight to behold. Scenes from English Patient Star Wars were once filmed from this place. Nefta is an epitome of beautiful sand dunes while Chot el Jerid is a vast salt lake.

Conclusion

Tunisia is a place you would wish not to miss on your trip to Africa and the greater Mediterranean region. It has great attractions that will leave you with unforgettable memories that you will always cherish. Make an effort to have these 10 destinations on your list of places to see in Tunisia.

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