Daytrip to Kerkouen Unesco Site Kelibia and Houaria Caves

The fort is now one of the main tourist attractions in the city of Kelibia. It is a 16th century citadel built on top of a rocky promontory 150 meters high which dominates the Mediterranean Sea and the city of Kelibia in the governorate of Nabeul, on the northeast coast of the Tunisian peninsula of Cape Bon.
In its oldest parts, this fortress has Roman components, since the Punic period (3rd century BC) a fort stood at this location. Dismantled by the Romans, a new fortification was erected under the Byzantines which was to be constantly enlarged and altered by its successive occupants, especially in the 16th century when the Ottomans faced repeated assaults by the Spanish. A visit to the fortress is an opportunity to enjoy the magnificent panorama that opens from the top of the ramparts: on a clear day, Sicily is visible offshore.

It is one of the most precious archaeological sites in Tunisia, because the only one, until today, whose foundation dates back to the Punic era - perhaps in the 6th century BC. J-C. - and that the Romans did not rebuild after the annexation of Africa to the Roman Empire, bequeathing us an urban space, that of a small city that has not yet been identified, typically Punic.
Apparently abandoned after its destruction by the Roman consul Mr. Atilus Regulus in 256 BC. Before being rediscovered in the early 1950s of the last century, the city had been virtually leveled. But the remains offer us today the plan of a typically Punic city, with the very clear layout of houses equipped with all amenities (baths and ovens included), decorated with pavements of primitive mosaics, one of which depicts the Punic goddess Tanit.

A coastal city, Kerkouane has had a port, some sections of which still remain; it was to engage in trade with other Mediterranean ports to which it exported agricultural but also artisanal products, like fabrics dyed in purple, installations for the manufacture of this substance having been discovered near the coast, same as the shops in a shopping district. A museum gathering some objects discovered on the site, was erected at the entrance.

The oldest of the olive trees of Tunisia is found in Echraf, before the entry of Haouaria and it has impressive dimensions: the roots cover an area of about sixteen meters, the trunk has a circumference of six meters and its age exceeds 2,500 years. This olive tree is protected, maintained and surprised, it continues to produce olives. Each year a small production of olive oil from the Echraf olive tree is distributed like something sacred, in small vials like an elixir with magical powers.

El Haouaria is one of the most beautiful seaside sites in Tunisia, located at the northeast end of Cap Bon, at the entrance to the Gulf of Tunis: crystal clear waters, dolphins, coves and caves ... however the crowds and the lack of civility of summer visitors endangers this once wild place. Its geographical location, its contrasting relief and its mild and temperate climate make it a favorite refuge for a multitude of migratory birds. The Romans also nicknamed the place Aquilaria or "land of the eagle".
Each spring, 40,000 raptors from 24 different species, but also thousands of storks and other smaller birds, stop at the tip of the cape before crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Crystal clear waters, creeks and caves are the main attractions of the place. Three kilometers west of the city, the artificial caves of the Ghar El Kebir site were dug by prisoners or slaves under the authority of the Carthaginians and then the Romans. The blocks of stone which were extracted from it were transported by sea to Carthage, on the other side of the Gulf of Tunis. They were used for the construction of the Punic city, but also for the construction of the forts in the medina of Tunis. These underground quarries have been exploited for almost 1,000 years.