Private Tunis Medina, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and Bardo Museum Tour

Sidi Bou Said

Perched on a cliff above the sea north-east of Tunis, Sidi Bou Said is the most photographed village in Tunisia. Its white houses with bright blue doors, window grilles and wooden balconies line steep cobbled lanes, with bougainvillea spilling over the walls. Since the early 20th century, painters and writers have come here for the light and the views, and the whole village is protected so its colours never change.

Your driver-host drops you near the top of the main lane so you can stroll up to the famous café terraces, look out over the sea and the marina below, and browse the craft shops selling birdcages, ceramics and jasmine. Allow about an hour. Many visitors ask how to get to Sidi Bou Said without a car; on this Sidi Bou Said tour, the transfer is simply part of your day.

Byrsa Hill and the Punic ports of Carthage

Carthage was founded by Phoenician sailors in the 9th century BC and grew into the great sea power of the Mediterranean, until Rome destroyed it in 146 BC and later rebuilt it as the capital of its African province. Today its ruins are scattered among the gardens and villas of a quiet seaside suburb and form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On Byrsa Hill, the ancient citadel, you see the remains of Punic houses and a wide view over the coast and the lagoon.

Down by the shore lie the Punic ports, two linked harbours that once sheltered the Carthaginian fleet, including a circular military harbour with a small island at its centre. Your driver-host explains the story in simple terms and lets you decide how many sites to see. A single ticket bought on site covers the main sites of Carthage.

The Roman baths by the sea

The most impressive Roman monument in Carthage is the great bath complex on the seafront, once among the largest in the Roman world. Huge columns and vaulted rooms stand in a park that runs down to the water, and the scale of the foundations gives an idea of the wealth of the city in the 2nd century. Information panels show how the hot and cold rooms worked.

Walking through the park with the sea breeze is one of the pleasures of a Carthage day trip from Tunis, and the visit takes about 45 minutes. Comfortable shoes are essential, as the ground is uneven. Is Carthage worth visiting if you are not a history lover? The setting by the sea and the sense of scale usually win over even casual visitors.

The Tunis Medina and its souks

If you choose the Medina, you spend the afternoon in the old walled city of Tunis, founded in the early Islamic period and listed by UNESCO since 1979. Its heart is the Zitouna Mosque, whose courtyard and minaret dominate the covered souks around it. Each lane traditionally belongs to one trade: perfumes and essences near the mosque, the red felt caps called chechias, copper, textiles and leather further out.

Your driver-host leaves you at the entrance gate and suggests a route through the souks, past old palaces turned into craft shops and rooftop terraces with views over the green-tiled roofs. Visitors can look into the mosque courtyard at set times with modest dress. It is the best place in Tunis to shop for crafts and to taste local sweets and mint tea.

The Bardo Museum

If you prefer the Bardo Museum, you visit one of the world's most important collections of Roman mosaics, displayed in a 19th-century palace of the former rulers of Tunis and in a modern extension. The floors and walls are covered with scenes of gods, sea creatures, hunting, farming and daily life, many found in Carthage, Dougga and the other Roman cities of Tunisia. Punic, early Christian and Islamic collections complete the visit.

Plan about 1.5 to 2 hours. The Bardo Museum opening hours usually run from morning to late afternoon, and it is generally closed on Mondays, so choose the Medina on that day. Entry tickets are bought at the door. The best time to visit Tunis is spring and autumn, when the weather is mild for walking between sites.