Those who have opted for a vacation in a country that is the pearl of North Africa want to know what to see in Tunisia, where they can go diving, appreciate the beauty of local beaches and the quality of services in thalassotherapy centers.
Holiday season in Tunisia
The most suitable period to visit Tunisia is May-October. Favorable conditions for diving and beach pastime appear in June-September, and for excursions in March-June and September-November. As for the winter months, it is better to devote them to spa tours, especially since at this time hotels with thalassotherapy centers reduce prices for wellness programs and accommodation. And in winter they rush here to celebrate the New Year, namely to the south of Tunisia and the island of Djerba.
Prices in Tunisia, although they are moderate, but in the high season, which coincides with the beach season, they rise noticeably.
Top 15 places of interest in Tunisia
Carthage
The ruins of Carthage are in scattered places, but the most important objects occupy a site with a length of 6 km. From the capital of Tunisia, it will take less than half an hour to reach the ruins. It is advisable to inspect the ruins from south to north. What exactly to see:
- Tophet (altar-burial; burial steles of 8-2 centuries BC are installed here);
- Baths of Antonin (according to the preserved supporting structures and underground premises, and the layout of the baths, tourists will be able to get an idea of their former greatness; it is worth noting that one of the columns was restored with the restoration of its original size);
- Roman amphitheater for 36,000 spectators and Malga water cisterns (used to supply all of Carthage with water);
- Quarter of Roman Baths;
- Birsa Hill with a church dedicated to St. Louis and the Carthage Museum at the top.
Gazi Mustafa Fortress
Gazi Mustafa's fortress (Djerba's landmark) is located on the Khumt-Suk embankment. It is best to look at the fortress at sunrise and sunset, when it is most beautiful. Climbing its walls can also admire the Mediterranean Sea, and those walking in the courtyard can visit an exhibition of ceramics.
There is a memorial sign at the entrance to the fortress - until 1848, a tower of skulls stood in its place, and there is also an open amphitheater, where performances and concerts are held in the summer months. If you go to the fort from the city on Monday or Thursday, then everyone will be able to find themselves in a colorful market, where they sell a variety of goods. Important: the fortress is closed for visits on Fridays.
Amphitheater in El Jem
The amphitheater in El Jem, 65 m long and 39 m wide, was built in the likeness of the Roman Colosseum and can accommodate 30,000 people. Those who decide to look at this object will be able to try on the role of the emperor, sitting in the box, the gladiator, entering the arena (in its far corner there is a square lattice - previously there was an elevator for lifting animals and gladiators), and the viewer, sitting on the podium.
Everyone will be able to walk through the underground rooms and galleries of the amphitheater (the entrance is on the south side, from where the whole structure is best viewed; from the same side there are stairs leading to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th tiers), and in July -August - visit classical music concerts.
Bardo Museum
Visitors to the Bardo Museum will be able to admire its interior (alabaster carving, painting on ceramics and wood), and exhibits in the form of ancient Roman, Roman and Byzantine mosaics (of interest are “Head of the Ocean”, “Cyclops”, “Triumph of Neptune”, “Odysseus floating past the island of sirens”and other mosaics) in the halls of Sousse, Carthage, Duggi and others, as well as marine atlases (images of underwater inhabitants). It is worth walking around the hall, the exposition of which, represented by candelabra, bowls, bronze items raised from the seabed, will acquaint visitors with the Mahdian shipwreck.
Opening hours: from 9 am to 5 pm (May-September) or from 09:00 to 16:30 (October-April); ticket price - $ 4.55.
Sahara Desert
Those who decide to get acquainted with the Tunisian Sahara, it makes sense to go on a journey lasting at least 2 days: they will explore the dunes on camels (it will take 1 hour), admire the ruins of the Tisawar fort, Mount Tembain and the Zemlet el-Borma dune, ride a map or ATV, see oases and desert during a flight on a motor hang-glider (flight duration - 5 minutes) will be located in Douz (staying there for a couple of days, you can order an overnight stay in the Sahara).
Those who wish can visit the motorcycle and auto rallies taking place in the Sahara, and stay in one of the campsites, for example, Yadis Ksar Ghilane, which has its own thermal spring and oasis.
Hammamet Fort
Fort Hammamet is interesting with ancient Turkish cannons (their location is the courtyard), the tomb of Saint Sidi-bu-Ali (he lived in the fort in the 15th century), residents hurrying to the mosque, as well as busy preparing couscous or hanging clothes on the roof for drying), a gift shop (here they will be able to acquire curious handicrafts), a museum of the history of the fort (it will be possible to study it from archival documents and photographs).
For visits, the fort (entrance costs about $ 3) is open in April-mid-September from 8 am to 8 pm, and from mid-September to March - from 08:30 to 18:00.
Djerba lagoon
The Djerba lagoon pleases tourists with the opportunity to meet pink flamingos (most of them are here in the winter months, and you need to watch flamingos very carefully, since the birds will be scared and retreat deeper into the lagoon), relax on the shore of the bay with almost always absent sea waves and meet a sunset there, admire the date palms and olive trees that are not found anywhere else in Tunisia, go kite or windsurf at the exit from the Lagoon to the open sea, photograph the lighthouse at Cape Ras Taguermes.
Djerba Explore Park
The Djerba Explore park (ticket price - $ 6, 5) includes 5 thematic zones:
- Museum of Folk Traditions "Lella Hadriya" (at least 1000 exhibits in the form of Tunisian jewelry, Berber ceramics, Persian caftans, manuscripts and others in 15 rooms are subject to inspection);
- the complex of Djerba architecture “Heritage” (here everyone will be able to become a weaver or a potter, crush olives in an underground workshop, visit a traditional dwelling “khush”);
- complex with a residential residence, apartment and 5-star hotel;
- crocodile farm (visitors will be offered to watch Nile crocodiles and feed them chicken legs from a special platform);
- a stylized Tunisian village with cafes, souvenir shops and restaurants.
Zitouna Mosque
The Zitouna Mosque, whose history began in 698, is famous for 160 pillars created from Carthaginian ruins. Its courtyard is surrounded by a gallery supported by marble, granite and porphyry columns, and in the northwestern part of the courtyard is a 43-meter square minaret.
To see the Zitouna Mosque with 9 entrances and 184 antique columns in the courtyard, you must plan your visit outside of the prayer hours (Saturday-Thursday from 8 am to noon). It is located in a small square, which can be reached through the narrow streets of the Tunisian medina.
Ishkel National Park
Ishkel National Park is 25 km away from the town of Bizerte. There is a rock mass with a height of more than 500 m, a wetland and Lake Ishkel. Guests of the park will meet swans, flamingos, geese, marble teal, sultanka, water buffaloes, wild African cats, jackals, foxes, visit an eco-museum (exhibits are stuffed animals and birds living in the park), see “folk” hammams (work on hot springs), will reach along a tourist trail (there are two of them: one, 3-kilometer, rings the mountain from the east and leads to the entrance to the park, and the other, 6-kilometer, will take tourists to a thermal spring with a hammam intended for swimming) to a viewing platform for viewing the expanses of Ishkel through binoculars.
Takruna
The location of the Berber village is a rock, 200 m high. Here you can see the mosque (tourists prefer to take photos against the background of the blue door and white walls of the mosque), the mausoleum (its dome is decorated with green tiles) and dilapidated houses, in which 5 families still live, baking bread (in their homes there are primitive ovens), breeding sheep and chickens, as well as admire the valley, the blue sea and olive plantations, visit the museum of Berber traditions (guests will be invited to a traditional house, in the rooms of which you can see the traditional clothes of the inhabitants of Takruna, ancient lamps, dishes, paintings, etc.), buy crafts and jewelry (Berber motifs) in a store, eat in a cafe, the interior of which is made in Tunisian and French styles (do not try the local orange juice and tea).
Great Mosque of Kairouan
The Great Mosque of Kairouan, with an area of 9000 square meters, was founded in the 7th century, and the Roman ruins of Sousse and Carthage were used in the construction of its capitals and columns. The mosque consists of a prayer hall (it is forbidden for non-Muslims to enter, but you can quietly look inside by going to the mosque through the main gate - the entrance is open, so everyone will be able to see the interior with 17 aisles and more than 400 antique columns), a square minaret tower (sometimes travelers are allowed climb the minaret using a long staircase to allow them to admire the beautiful panorama), a marble-paved courtyard.
You can visit the mosque on weekdays from 8 am to 2 pm.
Dancing fountains of El Kantaoui
Dancing fountains are a fountain complex, the jets of which move dynamically to the accompaniment of musical accompaniment. Each time, tourists are pampered with a different show program twice a day (it looks most impressive at night; before the start of the water show, music and colorful lamps are turned on). Since the fountains are located in a picturesque park, you can relax there before the start of the show, as well as satisfy your hunger in the restaurants located around the park (you can find both Tunisian and European dishes on the menu).
Al Zahra Laser Show
Al Zahra is one of the best laser shows in the world, during which guests are shown scenes from Tunisian history (the images are projected on the wall, and in addition, they are played on by the actors on the stage, where about 100 people appear during the entire performance). The fountains, the starry sky, theatrical scenery and symphonic music act as the backdrop for the light performance (the action is accompanied by a voiceover).
It is worth noting that before the show itself, which is held near Sousse, guests will visit an impromptu Berber village: there they will hold a staged wedding ceremony, and they will also be invited to dinner with wine and national dances (dinner + performance will cost $ 50).
Friguia Animal Park Zoo
The zoo's spacious aviaries are home to over 400 species of animals (ostriches, flamingos, elephants, tigers, giraffes, lions, baboons, antelopes).
The entertainment program of Friguia Park is represented by a show in which dolphins and seals take part, and a performance accompanied by Zulu dances (the purpose of the performance is to show guests the cultural life of African aborigines).
Those wishing to visit the zoo (entrance fee - $ 4) can ride a camel, touch goats, donkeys and ostriches, feed elephants, and also buy their own photo at the exit from Friguia Park (photographs are taken at the entrance).
