Tunisia is a brilliant vacation spot thanks to its rich historical heritage, with over 20,000 historical monuments and relics of various empires, including the Carthaginian Empire and the Roman Empire. It is because of this heritage that in 1997, Tunisia was given the title of Cultural Capital Region by UNESCO. Below are some of the attractions that visitors to Tunisia must go and see.
The Ruins of Carthage
The city of Carthage has existed for nearly 3,000 years and was once the capital of a Phoenician government; Carthage was also later the capital for the Roman government in the South of the Mediterranean Sea. The ruins contain many fantastic sites such as the former palace and an amphitheatre for performances during the time when the city was under Roman control. Another part of the ruins worth a visit is the remains of the Antoni Baths with its beautiful surrounding gardens.
The Ancient City of Tunis
The capital of Tunisia, Tunis is the country’s largest city, and at the centre of the more modern development lies the Medina. Tunis’ Medina quarter still has the original walls built to keep out invaders and its winding narrow streets will treat visitors to an experience that is quite exceptional. Full of intense scents and colours with local Tunisians selling goods and tourist souvenirs, the Medina of Tunis is also home to the Al-Zaytuna Mosque which is the oldest mosque in the city and hosts one of the oldest and finest universities in the history of Islam.
Bardo Museum
Visitors with an interest in learning more of the history of Tunisia, the Bardo Museum is well worth a visit. The museum is open every day of the week except Mondays and was once the palace of the Bey (the title of the king of the Tunisia).Tunisia’s rich historical heritage means that this museum houses collections that range from pre-historic all the way through to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire.
Hammamet
Hammamet is a fishing town about 60 kilometres east of Tunis and is located on the shore of the Mediterranean. The town is an extremely popular destination for tourists in the summer because of its beautiful beaches and availability of water sports. It has beautiful scenery and fresh sea air making it a fantastic place to relax after exploring the hustling Medina of Tunis.
Nabeul
Located approximately 20 kilometres from the city of Hammamet is Nabeul, a city famous for its amazing handicrafts and in particular pottery. Nabeul, like Hammamet, is a very popular tourist destination in Tunisia as well. Strolling through the medina here will allow the visitor to see the spectacular pottery that the local Tunisians make here, with their bright colours and distinctly Tunisian design while there are various stalls selling different tourist souvenirs.
Sbeitla
Sbeitla is located in the middle of Tunisia and is about 107 kilometres from Kairouan. Visitors to this small town are treated to nearby Roman ruins of Sufetula, which contains the best preserved Forum temples in Tunisia.
