Highlights of Tunis Carthage Sidi Bousaid Bardo from Hammamet

Today, many historians consider that the place called “Tophet” could have been a children's cemetery.
One can imagine, in fact, that Carthaginian parents performed a special ritual there to the god Baal and to the “Lady Tanit”, the great maternal goddess, to dedicate their children who died in infancy to them.
But this, the images imposed by Flaubert were so strong that it took many years to admit it.
The giant statue of the “god Moloch”, the cruel priests, the flames of the stake, the barbaric rituals, the blood, and the cries covered the reality of the archaeological discoveries.
Even today, part of the site of Carthage is called “Tophet” or – more correctly – “Sanctuary of Tanit and Baal”. You can see many engraved stelae that the ancient Carthaginians once deposited when making a wish.

A guided visit on the shape of the legendary ports, the coveted basis of Carthage’s power and prosperity, remains. A narrow channel linked the southern, oblong merchant port to the northern circular naval port. This arrangement meant that the military port was hidden from the outside, but the Carthaginian navy could see out to sea. The military base had moorings for an incredible 220 vessels in dry docks and around the quay-lined edge. The 7-hectare commercial port was bordered by quays and warehouses.

The ports were filled in by Scipio after Carthage’s destruction in 146 BC, but in the 2nd century AD, the Romans reinvented the islet as a circular form, with two temples, and used the port to house their merchant fleet, which shipped wheat to Rome. Rises in the sea level meant the quay walls had to be raised several times. By the end of the 6th century, the harbor had fallen into disuse.

A large complex of Roman baths built in the 2nd century which is today part of an archaeological park.

In the center of the city of Carthage, the national museum of Carthage stands at the top of the hill of Byrsa, a symbolic location, where the ancient Punic city was built: we notice around the vestiges dating back to the 2nd century BC. We take advantage of the passage from the point of view of the surroundings. It is the oldest Tunisian museum since it was created in 1875: it serves as a witness to the important and numerous archaeological discoveries that have been made on the site of Carthage. We rediscover the turbulent history of this city which was the center of a rich civilization.

With its distinctive blue-and-white color scheme, cobbled streets, and jaw-dropping glimpses of azure waters, the cliff-top village of Sidi Bou Saïd is one of the prettiest spots in Tunisia. Named after a 13th-century Sufi saint, its distinctive architecture is a mix of the Ottoman and the Andalusian, a result of the influx of Spanish Muslims in the 16th century. For the French, the sleepy fishing village was a perfect depiction of the Orientalism romanticized by Europeans in the 19th century, and they committed to ensuring that its character – both real and imagined – was preserved (it was given protected status in 1915). Past residents and visitors include artist Paul Klee, author André Gide, philosopher Michel Foucault, and arty British eccentrics Osbert and Edith Sitwell. It still retains a sense of North African fantasia today, both for visitors and interestingly enough, for Tunisians themselves.

Guided tour of one of the most impressive medieval medinas in North Africa and one of Tunisia's great treasures. It's home to numerous covered souqs selling everything from shoes to shisha pipes, as well as bustling cafes, back streets full of artisans at work and residential areas punctuated by grand, brightly painted doorways. Historic palaces, hammams, mosques, and madrassas (schools for the study of the Quran) are scattered throughout, many lavishly decorated with tiles, carved stucco, and marble columns.

Optional for additional cost, your tour will include a guided visit of the interesting Bardo museum