Best things to do in Tunis
Find out more about those top places in Tunis
The city of Tunis, is a top tourist destination in Africa and the most populated city in Tunisia. Sometimes referred to as “Grand Tunis”, it is a city of great history drawing it roots from Roman, Greek and Punic culture. Tunis was one of the largest commercial hubs of the old world and was often the number destination for merchants around the Mediterranean. With it colonial-era buildings, high rising mosques and historical ruins it is of little surprise that the city of Tunis does so well on the tourism scene.
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Bardo National Museum
The Bardo National Museum is the second largest in Africa and one of the most important. Established on May 7, 1888, the museum is located in the suburbs of Le Bardo and holds some the world’s finest and largest collection of Roman mosaics, most of which were found during excavations of archaeological sites in the country. There are also prehistoric artifacts, artworks and jewelry to view.
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Carthaginian Ruins
The ancient ruins of Carthage are a must visit for history lovers. Founded by the Phoenicians and developed into a Punic empire that dominated the millennium. Like all prominent cities it had many battles with neighboring cities and was eventually destroyed by the Roman Republic in the Third Punic War of 146 BC.
Now a major site for tourism, the city used to be a major trading hub of the Mediterranean attracting merchants and buyers from all over the world. Some things sold included weapons, textiles, carpets and food items.
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Keliba Fort
Situated 102 km from Tunis is the historical Keliba Fort. The fort which was built in the 16th century using roman architectural style is easily one of the favorite parts of the city to visit. The Fort sits on a 150 m meters high promontory and now plays host to Tunisia’s national fishing school. After a trip to the Keliba Fort, enjoy some Tunisian coffee from the numerous coffee shops around the historical site.
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Al-Zaytuna Mosque
With Tunis being a predominantly Muslim city, it comes as no surprise that it boasts of a great mosque. The Al-Zaytuna Mosque designed by Fat’h-allah under direction of the Abbasid caliph, al-Nasir is oldest in the city and covers an area of 5,000 square kilometers. The mosque which has nine entrances was the center of learning in the old world and it had a university Al-Zautuna that taught scholars about Islam, theology and medicine. The university was the learning place for famous students such as Imam Maziri and Tunisian poet Aboul-Qacem Echebbi. Non-Muslim visitors might not be allowed in at certain times but it still a structure to behold from the outside.
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Baths of Carthage
The baths were built during the reign of Roman Antoninus Pius; it was one of the largest built in the Roman Empire. Situated a few kilometers from Tunis, it serves as a reminder of the old world's lifestyle, the baths were believed to help fight diseases and decay. Today the baths are part of the Archaeological sites of Carthage on the list of World Heritage sites of UNESCO.
