Tunisia: At the Crossroads of Civilizations

Depart for Tunis on an overnight flight.

TUNIS, TUNISIA

Arrive this morning and transfer to the Four Seasons Hotel Tunis. Guests opting for the suggested flights will be met at the airport and transported to the hotel. Spend the afternoon at leisure and join a welcome reception at the hotel this evening.

TUNIS / CARTHAGE/UTHINA / TUNIS

Gather for an early departure from Tunis and venture to Uthina, a Roman colony during Emperor Augustus’ reign (31 B.C.–14 A.D.). Its ruins cover a vast area, including a fortress, cisterns, an aqueduct, a triumphal arch, a theater, and an exceptionally well-preserved acropolis. Lunch is at a local restaurant.
En route back to Tunis, your expert guide will accompany you to Carthage’s richly mosaicked Roman villas. The second-century Antonine Baths, built during the reign of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, are the largest Roman baths outside of Italy.
A guided visit to the ancient Punic Ports will introduce the maritime legacy of Carthage, once a great commercial power. Later, transfer back to Tunis and gather for a welcome dinner this evening.

TUNIS / DOUGGA / BULLA REGIA

First, join an expert guide at the UNESCO-recognized Dougga, North Africa’s best-preserved Roman city. Originally settled by the Numidians, an Amazigh tribe, Dougga was conquered by the Romans in 46 B.C. Admire its remarkable public buildings, including a 3,500-seat theater, temples, and more.
After lunch, explore Bulla Regia, known for its unique semi-subterranean housing from the Hadrianic era that protected residents from the sun’s heat. The site also features well-preserved Roman polychrome mosaic floors, which conservators maintain in situ. Return to Tunis for dinner at a local restaurant.

TUNIS / ZAGHOUAN / THUBURBO MAJUS

Enjoy a private morning visit to the Bardo National Museum, the palatial home to a collection of Roman polychrome mosaics gathered from archaeological sites across Tunisia, including El Jem, Dougga, and Sousse.
Continue to Zaghouan, known for its natural springs and ancient Roman aqueduct. Take an inside look at the Temple of Waters, constructed in 139 A.D. around a spring, incorporating a network of subterranean chambers and conduits to supply water to Carthage.
After a lunch of local Tunisian cuisine, proceed to Thuburbo Majus. Originally a Punic town, it was transformed into a Roman veteran colony by Augustus in 27 B.C. Explore its well-preserved Roman ruins, including a decorated tetrastyle temple, forum, basilica, and theater. Dinner is at leisure back in Tunis.

SOUSSE / KAIROUAN

After a morning lecture, venture along the Mediterranean coastline to the beachfront city of Sousse, originally the Phoenician settlement of . Wander through Sousse’s UNESCO-recognized medina dating to the Aghlabid perioHadrumetumd (800–909 A.D.). Navigate narrow, winding streets lined with whitewashed houses and markets. Then, join an expert guide at the Sousse Archaeological Museum, which holds the world’s second-largest mosaic collection. View artifacts highlighting Sousse’s blend of Phoenician, Roman, and Christian cultures. Transfer to the hotel in Kairouan, where you will enjoy dinner at leisure.

KAIROUAN

Go behind the scenes in Kairouan, one of Islam’s holiest cities. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Maghreb’s oldest Arab-Islamic cities, Kairouan was founded in 670 A.D. and later emerged as a pivotal medieval center of trade, scholarship, and medicine. With an expert guide, enjoy an early visit to the Great Mosque of Kairouan, built in 703, one of the oldest and most important Islamic places of worship. This early example of a hypostyle mosque incorporates pre-Islamic, Eastern Islamic, Roman, and Byzantine influences.
After a traditional Tunisian lunch, stroll through Kairouan’s medina. Marvel at the engineering of the Aghlabid Basins, ninth-century reservoirs that collected rainwater for the
city. The largest spans 410 feet in length, 118 feet in width, and holds nearly 2.3 million gallons. Return to the hotel for dinner.

KAIROUAN / EL JEM / TUNIS

Travel to El Jem, where you’ll have a guided inside look at the UNESCO-listed Amphitheatre of El Jem, a Roman structure built around 238 A.D. Comparable to Rome’s Colosseum, this massive arena once accommodated 35,000 spectators.
After lunch, visit the El Jem Museum, known for its mosaics, sculptures, pottery, and jewelry. A standout is the African House, a restored Roman villa featuring original mosaics. The group will stop for dinner en route back to Tunis and check in at the Four Seasons.

TUNIS / KERKOUANE / KELIBIA

Journey to the world’s only fully preserved Punic city, UNESCO-listed Kerkouane, on Tunisia’s northeastern coast. Founded by the Phoenicians around 650 B.C., Kerkouane was abandoned during the First Punic War in 250 B.C. and left untouched by subsequent civilizations. With an expert guide, traverse Kerkouane’s streets and defensive walls laid out over 2,600 years ago, examining remarkably well-preserved ruins unearthed since the city’s rediscovery in 1952, including the Mediterranean region’s earliest known private baths. Gather for lunch by the sea, followed by a visit to the Kelibia Fort, a 16th-century Ottoman fortress offering breathtaking views of the Mediterranean. Upon return to Tunis, savor an afternoon wine tasting at Domaine Neferis, one of Tunisia’s finest wineries. Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.

TUNIS / SIDI BOU SAÏD

During a special tour through Tunis’s historic medina, meet local artisans and explore historic sites such as the Zitouna Mosque, the city’s oldest mosque, founded in 734 A.D., featuring columns sourced from Roman Carthage, andthe Dar Ben Abdallah Palace, a stunning 1796 creationfeaturing a beautiful courtyard, fountain, and garden.Afterwards, enjoy a group lunch, then explore the medinaand its markets at your own pace.
Share a celebratory farewell dinner in Sidi Bou Saïd, a cliffside village outside Tunis beloved for its enchanting whitewashed homes with blue doors. In this charming locale, artists Paul Klee, August Macke, and Louis Moilliet made their famous journey in 1914, drawn by tales of an arty European enclave on the Tunisian coast.

TUNIS / RETURN

Depart the hotel early this morning and transfer to the Tunis airport for your flight home.