Overview
A Phoenician trading post, a Carthaginian land, a Roman colony and then a region under Arab domination, Tunisia remains associated with the successive invasions of which it was the target.
From this troubled past there remains a cultural diversity that is illustrated in particular by the architectural splendors of its archaeological sites, but also in the heart of its cities where the arts and traditions dazzle.
You will be able to follow the imprints of the civilizations that succeeded each other on these places and shaped them: the Phoenicians who founded Carthage, the Romans who destroyed it and colonized all of North Africa, the Byzantines, the Arabs, the Andalusian, the Turks, then the Italians and the French.
The imprints can also be found in Tunisian gastronomy which is at the same time Mediterranean, African, Western and Eastern.
Tunisia is a country of great diversity. There is so much to discover in every region of this country; Contrasting landscapes, a long coastline dotted with archipelagos and turquoise water, desert landscapes of great beauty, diverse traditions and customs and a rich historical heritage.
Itinerary
- Arrival at Tunis airport.
- Pick up and transfer to your hotel.
- Depart for the historic city of Tunis on a guided tour: where you explore the shops, mosques and monuments of the historic medina such as :
• Dar Ben Abdallah: the palace of the medina of Tunis, a magnificent urban space classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers certain similarities and extraordinary diversity.
• Visit Torbet El Bey: The collective mausoleum of the last dynasty that reigned in Tunisia, a seemingly austere moment, where an astonishing atmosphere reigns; Marble tombs, chiselled domes, ceramic lined walls.
- Lunch
- Head to the village of Sidi Bou Said : a village renowned for its Moorish architecture, its colors and its poetic atmosphere, a source of inspiration for painters and artists :
• Visit the Baron d'ErlangerMuseum; a superb residence built at the foot of the village of Sidi Bou Said in a park overlooking the sea by the Bron Rodolphe d'Erlanger.
• Have a coffee at the famous Café des Nattes.
- Back at the hotel.
- Starting the day with the discovery of the Bardo National Museum, the second most important museum on the African continent.
- Lunch.
- Visit to the archaeological site of Carthage: We start with the hill of Byrsa which dominates the bay of Tunis and then the tophet, the great sacred space of the Carthaginians, thePunic portsand thebaths of Antoninus, thecisterns of Maalga and the theater of Carthage.
- Return to the hotel
- Departure to Bizerte
- Arrival in Bizerte: City tour (corniche, cap blanc...), life in Bizerte revolves around the old port, an ideal starting point for visiting the medina, daily markets of vegetables, fruits and fish.
- Lunch.
- Visit the forts of GharelMeleh (Porto Farina): The first naval base during the Uthman period.
- Visit to the archaeological site of Utica: one of the very first Phoenician trading posts established on African soil.
- Return to the hotel to spend the night in Bizerte.
- Departure to Tabarka via Sajnane andNefza: A few stops along the way are planned, especially in Sejnane to admire the Berber pottery (possibility of buying at a low price
- Arrival in Tabarka
- Lunch.
- Visit to the ancient archaeological site of Bulla Regia whose "underground villas" reveal beautiful mosaics
- Head to the hotel to spend the night in Tabarka
- Departure to the Dougga archaeological site which is a major site of Antiquity in Africa due to its size, its state of conservation, its monuments: This site is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Arrival in Dougga; Let's discover this site (the theatre, the capitol, the forum, thetemple of Coelestis, the house of theTrifolum, the alleys)
- Lunch at Dar jdoud: a culinary, cultural and tourist space with panoramic views of the monuments of the Dougga site
- Visit village of Tetour : The Andalusiansoul that is an icon of the Andalusian passage in the North African region
- Continue on the road to Kairouan
- Arrival at the hotel
- Visit the city of Kairouan : One of the holy cities of Islam, called the city of three hundred mosques where we will discover: The GreatMosque, the Barber's Mosque, the Aghlabids' Basins, Sidi Abid Ghariani.
- Then visit to the Medina and tasting the local cake "Makroudh".
- Lunch.
- Visit Raqqadas Museum of Islamic Art which is the largest museum dedicated to collections of Islamic artifacts in Tunisia.
- Return to the hotel.
- Drive to Sbeïtla (sufetula): Discovery of the exceptional archaeological site of the ancient Sufetula (sufetula), one of the few Roman villas to have dedicated three temples to the Capitoline Triad.
- Lunch in Gafsa.
- Continue south.
- Arrival inTozeur, located on the edge of the most important oasis in Tunisia, called the old Ouled elHadef district with the possibility of a horse-drawn carriage ride in the palm tree.
- Accommodation in Tozeur.
- Starting the day with the resumption of the 4x4s to access the mountain oases that we will visit; Midès, the canyonsoftamarza, the waterfalls of chebeika (Extra).
- Lunch
- Visit of the place called "baskete de Nafta", and its pedestrian walk.
- Then take the road to Ong Djamel (filming location of the "Star Wars: Star Wars» saga) to see the sets of the film. You will be able to watch the sun set over the great dunes of the Sahara.
- Return to Tozeur for dinner and overnight at your hotel.
- Departure from Tozeur to Douz crossing the Salt Lake chott el Djerid : Photo stop to capture the mirages and the white immensity of this "salt desert".
- Arrival in Douz, a crossroads town in southern Tunisia nicknamed the gateway to the desert.
- Lunch.
- Visit to the weeklymarketand especially its typical cattle market.
- Possibility to take a camel ride in the white sand dunes (Extra) to admire the sunset.
- Hotel accommodation
- Departure from Douz to Matmata.
- Arrival in Matmata where you will explore the troglodyte dwellings.
- Lunch.
- Direction towards Tataouine.
- Arrival in Tataouine : visit of the city center with tasting of local pastries.
- Hotel accommodation.
- We start the day with a visit to the Museum of the Memory of the Earth, illustrating the rich dinosaur presence in the area.
- Visit Mausoleum of the 7 Sleepers: an old troglodyte mosque on the way to
Chenini.
- Visit ofChenini, a Berber village adjoining a flank of the djebel.
- Lunch.
- Visit to the KsarHdada, the filming location of the Star Wars movie.
- Visit the Berber village of Douiret, a village distinguished by its troglodyte dwellings dug into the hills.
- Head towards Djerba via the Roman causeway.
- Accommodation in Djerba.
- In the morning visit to the local market Djerba.
Visit the Ghriba Hebrew Shrine: The Ghriba Synagogue is one of the most important Jewish sites outside of Israel and is revered by Jews around the world.
- Visit to the Gallela Museum: This museum located in the village of Guellela offers a captivating insight into local handicrafts, including traditional pottery However, you will be able to admire exhibitions on the history of the island as well as pottery demonstrations made by local craftsmen.
- Lunch.
- Visit the medina of Houmet Souk; where you will immerse yourself in the authentic atmosphere of Djerba, you will find a multitude of colorful souks where you can stroll and discover a variety of local products.
- Return to the hotel.
- Departure to Gabes.
- Visit to the Military Museum of the Mareth Line which allows us to dive into the history of the Second World War.
- We continue to go back in time in Gabes with a visit to the Jara market which is a sought-after place of trade since it specializes in spices and henna.
- Lunch.
- Visit the Amphitheatre of El JemtheancientThysdrus: which is the largest Roman monument in Africa and the 3rd largest in the Roman Empire.
- After visiting the Amphitheatre, head to the archaeological museum which has many mosaics.
- Nearby, a visit to the Villa Africa, which is a reconstruction of a Roman house.
- Direction towards Sousse.
- Hotel accommodation.
- In the morning, visit the marina of Kantaoui, then the medina of Sousse, capital of the Sahel region.
- Lunch
- Visit of the Berber village of Takrouna, a historical site that played a decisive role in the end of World War II in Tunisia.
- Arrival in Hammamet.
- Discovery of Hammamet: its small medina surrounded by high ramparts by the sea, its Kasbah (beautiful view from its summit).
- Hotel accommodation.
- Departure to Nabeul, theancient Roman Neapolis, considered the city of pottery and ceramics.
- Visit the local marketandDar l'Harissa to discover the culinary and social practice of Harissa.
- Head for Kélibia, the town known for its fishing port.
- Visit to the great Byzantine Fort.
- Passing through the ancient Punic city of Kerkouane, which is home to a Punic city and necropolis inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- Departure to El Haouaria; The City of the Falcons, where you will have lunch and visit the artificial caves that were dug by prisoners or slaves under the authority of the Carthaginians and then the Romans.
- Then head for BouArgoub.
- Visit the wine cellar for demonstration and tasting.
- Direction Tunis: Accommodation at the hotel.
- Pick up from your hotel and transfer to the airport.
Includes
- _ Half-board accommodation 5*/ 4*
- _ English/French speaking guide
- _ Daily bottled water per person per day on the bus during the trip.
- _ Tourist Class-Comfort Transport with Air-conditioned Bus
- _ Tourist tax
- _ All entrance fees to museums, tourist sites
Excludes
- _ Lunch
- _ Camel ride $20
- _ Horse-drawn carriage 20 dollars
- _ Jeep 4x4 tour: $50
- _ Quad bike tour 30 dollars
- _ Handicrafts, carpets and souvenirs: you can haggle with the craftsmen under the supervision of the local guide.
