Canadian Travel Abroad

Tunisia Elite Antiquities Tour • Tunis • Sidi Bou Said • Kairouan • Tozeur

DURATION: 16 DAYS / 14 NIGHTS IN THE DESTINATION • Djerba • Sfax • Port Kantaoui Map of Tunisia

Located at the northern tip of Africa, it is an old country with a young and modern outlook. Its traditional and modern cultures seem to blend perfectly.

Day 1 - Tuesday - TORONTO - PARIS
An exciting journey begins this evening as we board the Air France flight to Paris.

Day 2 - Wednesday - PARIS - TUNIS
Change planes in Paris for our Tunis flight. Afternoon arrival in Tunis, city of contrasts. We will be met and transferred from the airport to the 5 star GOLDEN TULIP CARTHAGE HOTEL, where we will spend the next three nights. Balance of the day is free for relaxation. This evening meet your fellow travellers at a welcome reception followed by dinner at the hotel. (D)

There will be time for an optional lunch before continuing to the ruins of Carthage where superimposed beneath the layers of time, various manifestations of Carthage can be found. Each individual city was located fronting the shoreline and then expanded towards the hills. The site itself echoes its glorious 3000 year history. Mount Byrsa was the Acropolis of Punic and Roman Carthage.

A large Cathedral and seminary for Carmelite Priests was built under the hill during the time of the French Protectorate. The Museum found here today brings together and preserves exhibits collected from the site. The Amphitheater, one of the largest in the Empire was an essential place of entertainment in a Roman city where people from all walks of life mixed together. The Roman Theater at Carthage provides an attractive setting for an international festival that is held in July and August. The remains of the Antonine Thermal Baths found at the water’s edge was amongst the largest in the Roman Empire. (B/D)

Day 4 - Friday TUNIS - SIDI BOU SAID - TUNIS Bardo Museum, Tunis

This morning we focus on a visit to the Bardo Museum, the National Museum of Tunisia housed in a former 19th century Beylical Palace which is intriguing itself. This fairytale palace contains many of Tunisia’s greatest treasures. The Museum is endowed with a unique and splendid collection of mosaics, statues and jewelry from every period of the country’s incredibly rich history.

There will be time for an optional lunch before continuing on to the lovely blue and white village of Sidi Bou Said, where the white houses are gaily perched on the cliffs overlooking the Bay of Tunis.There is a legend that tells of Saint Louis coming to wage war but fell in love with a Berber princess and changed his name to become the patron saint of this village. Here you will find white washed houses with carved stone doorways and delicate window grills accentuated by bursts of magenta bougainvilleas creating a breathtaking picture. The village itself takes its name from Abu Said Kalafa ben Yahia el Temimi el Beji, a 13th century Sufi who decided to settle here after his pilgrimage to Mecca. Sidi Bou Said embraces a multitude of sites of historical interest. Your visit of the village will feature some of the points of interest including the 19th century black and white lighthouse and the former palatial villa built by Baron d’Erlanger which has been converted into a museum. Your tour continues to Dar el Ennabi, a private traditional museum owned by the El Ennabi family. Then return to Tunis to the GOLDEN TULIP CARTHAGE HOTEL for dinner and overnight. (B/D)

Day 5 - Saturday - TUNIS - KAIROUAN Arcade Detail, Barbier Mausoleum

After breakfast we leave Tunis behind as we make our way to the holy city of Kairouan, nicknamed the “town with three hundred mosques” the spiritual home of all Tunisians where the minaret of the Great Mosque looms over the skyline of the city. Kairouan, the former capital of the Aghlabid emirs is a place of tremendous historical significance. The spell binding old town has fascinated its visitors. The Great Mosque, the symbol of Kairouan, dates from the 9th century and has been in use by Islamic worshippers longer than any other mosque in North Africa. It is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture with exquisite wood carved doors and stucco arabesques bearing witness to its past glory. The mosque itself is a virtual fortress. Next is the Barbier Mausoleum, also known as the Mosque of Sidi Sahab. The mosque and its surround complex are still a much venerated pilgrimage site. Most of the existing buildings date from the 17th and 19th centuries. Sahab means companion. Abu Zama El Belaoui, who was buried here was one of the companions of the Prophet, who always kept three hairs of the Prophet’s beard with him and hence the tendency to call him the Prophet’s barber. After the tour check into the 5 star HOTEL LA KASBAH for your two night stay. Time for an optional lunch.

This afternoon visit the Aghlibythes Pools which dip down into the porous rocks far below the city. The cisterns are filled by rain that has been collected from courtyards and rooftops. In the 9th century, the city’s water problem was solved by building a 35 km. long aqueduct from the foothills of the Tell. Many of the pools have since been restored and have been equipped with fountains and lights.

Next is the Medina with its imposing walls and monumental gates. Here you will find hundreds of shops where the world famous Kairouan carpets made of pure wool are woven and sold. Since Kairouan is the oldest and most renowned carpet center located in Tunisia, we will stop to admire Tunisian craftsmen as they blend traditional Tunisian patterns. (B/D)

Day 6 - Sunday - KAIROUAN Mosque at Kairouan

This morning after breakfast we head to Sbeitla some 107 kms. southwest of Kairouan to discover the splendor of the ruins of the old Roman town of Sufetula. It has been suggested that the Romans built the town which grew more important after El Jem and Sousse rebelled. Our visit of the impressive ruins features such highlights as the Great Baths, the Theater perched above the dry river bed, the 2nd century Forum and the Amphitheater.

Time for optional lunch before continuing on to Kasserine which derives its name from the two ksours, a reference in Arabic to two surviving Roman mausoleums. The first mausoleum with its two standing walls was built in the early 3rd century by Marcus Petronius Fortunatus. The second mausoleum, that of Titus Flavius Secundus was a 3 storied memorial whose summit was originally crowned with a cockerel. Part of the modern town covers the site of the ancient Cillium, whose ruins have not yet been totally excavated. After the visit return to Kairouan. (B/D)

Day 7 - Monday - KAIROUAN - GAFSA - TOZEUR
Leaving Kairouan we travel to Gafsa, the largest town in the region, the ancient Roman Capsa under the reign of Trajan (AD 98-117). Its strategic position guarding a gap in the escarpment. Gafsa’s history is one of the oldest in Tunisia. At the end of the main street are two Roman pools, deep, well-constructed basins that are filled with water from the hot springs. After leaving the pools, pass the Great Mosque with its distinctive octagonal minaret and the attractive Dar el Bey palace. Continue to Tozeur (Thursos) the capital of the Djerid, the palm country and check into the 5 star DARCHERAIT HOTEL for your two night stay. Time for an optional lunch before continuing your tour visiting the oasis of Tozeur, the main attraction of Tozeur is the largest and most important in the area where over 200,000 palms are watered by natural springs. This evening visit the Dar Chariet Museum, one of the most outstanding exhibits of its kind in the south. This is the first private museum opened in Tunisia. Located behind the light colored brick walls is a replica of a small middleclass house that would be found in the north. Each room within the house evokes the luxurious style in which the beys once lived. There is a series of interconnecting rooms that make up a Turkish bath or hammam, of the type that would be found in a private house. On display is a wonderful collection of traditional Tunisian costumes including an ornate gilded marriage dress. Return to the hotel. (B/D)

Day 8 - Tuesday - TOZEUR Oasis near Tozeaur

Morning departure for Metlaoui, once an important mining center to for an excursion on the Beylical Train known as “the Red Lezard”. This little tourist train makes a round trip tour along the picturesque gorges of the Selja Wadi taking just under 2 hours. The meticulously restored carriages were once used by the Bey of Tunis to travel around the country. The track leads through several tunnels and wild canyons up to 200 m deep. The thin stream of water washes away the phosphate residues from the mines which the train passes through before arriving in Metlaoui. From here continue in 4 wheel drive vehicles to visit the canyons of Chebika and Tamerza. The small oasis of Chebika is an old village built on a narrow promontory bordered by palms lying at the foot of the last range of hills beyond the Chott el Bahiri. This was site of the Roman outpost of Ad Speculum on the Gabes to Tebessa road where signals were sent by mirror (speculum( announcing the caravans en route to Tozeur. The site’s recent claim to fame was that it was the setting of the movie “The English Patient”. Tamerza, the site of a Roman outpost called Ad Turres is one of the most unspoilt of all the Djerid oases. The ruined buildings of this ghost village are spread out on the far side of the El Horchane wadi. The oldest stone houses were abandoned after the floods of 1969 and a new village a kilometer away was built in the traditional Arab style. Not far away is the waterfall where water pours into a broad canyon carved into the cliffs. Time for an optional lunch before we return to Tozeur stopping en route in Nefta, once known as Roman Nepte and according to legends was settled by Kostel, the son of Shem, the son of Noah. It is now one of the most important religious centers in Tunisia linked with Sufism and is the country’s second holy city after Kairouan. To the north of Nefta is the famous site known as the Corbeille, where thousands of palm trees shimmer at the bottom of a massive natural sandbowl. The ridge above the Corbeille is cluttered with whitewashed domes. Overnight at the hotel. (B/D)

Day 9 - Wednesday - TOZEUR - CHOTT EL JERID - DOUZ - DJERBA
This morning we cross the salt Chott el Jerid which runs between Tozeur and Kebili. Dominated by distant mountains this vast flat surface seems to be a mirage. In fact, the bottom of this depression is a sebkha (a salty and frequently dry marsh). The meaning of the word “chott” refers to the fringes with a cover of salt tolerant plant life and was once called the Lake of Marks. A short stop for photos then we continue in the direction of Douz, the “Gateway to the Sharara”. Stop for an optional lunch before continuing our drive to Djerba, a semi desert island claimed to be the Land of the Lotus Eaters for our 3 night stay at the 5 star RADISSON SAS HOTEL. (B/D)

Day 10 - Thursday - DJERBA Marketplace, Djerba

A morning tour will take us to see some of the island’s highlights. The architecture of Djerba is very distinctive. The island itself is dotted with whitewashed square houses known as menzels, which look more or less like small fortresses.

We begin at the Houmt Souk, which literally means “marketplace”. Beside the square is the souk with a maze of stalls. In covered alleyways known as qaysariya the most expensive goods were once sold. Next to the souk is the Zaouia of Sidi Brahim, once used for worship and said to contain the tomb of the saint and his followers. Not far away is the Stranger’s Mosque covered with domes and topped by a carved minaret. The most interesting of the mosques is the smaller Mosque of the Turks. Pass the Borj el Kebir, a fortress originally built in the mid 15th century and continue to the village of Guellala with its smoking kilns where hand made pottery is produced. The clay is dug out of the hillside then bleached and cleansed in the sea. Time for an optional lunch before visiting the Synagogue El Ghriaba, claiming to be one of the earliest synagogues in the world and is one of the most holy Jewish buildings in North Africa, the site of a pilgrimage. The present day synagogue was built in the 1920’s. There is a myth that the last Jew on Djerba is charged with locking the synagogue and throwing the key back up to heaven. Djerba’s Jewish community has dwindled substantially over the years. (B/D)

Day 11 - Friday - DJERBA - MEDENINE - TATAOUINE - CHENINI - DJERBA
Morning journey to the small village of Medenine once known as Sar des Touazine which served as the capital of the Ouerghamma confederacy for four centuries. The local people stored grain in ghorfas, a small stone cell with an arched roof 6 metres deep. The cells were constructed on top of another and side by side at times reach up 6 stories. Once composed of a dazzling collection of 35 interlocked ksour rising up to six stories, today the remains of 3 ksours simply amaze historians. A stop will be made to visit the Ghorf of Medenine. Today craftsmen’s shops are found in place of the no longer used grain stores. Leaving Medenine we proceed to Tataouine, a palm oases surrounded by drifting sand. Originally established as a military base and convict camp by the French, the village is now an important administrative and market center. Stop for an optional lunch. Afterwards visit the old Berber village of Chenini perched on the top of a ridge being one of the few Berber villages still inhabited today. Over the years the village has expanded along different levels of the mountainside where low walls outline barns and stables. The houses themselves are dug into the hillside creating a magnificent view. We stop to visit the ksours and the troglodyte houses before returning to Djerba. (B/D)

Day 12 - Saturday - DJERBA- GABES - SFAX
We head for the oasis of Gabes this morning. A wonderful introduction to south Tunisia where palm trees reach to the sea. Our visit takes us to the oasis where 300,000 date palms provide shelter for the beautiful orchards. A stop will be made in Sfax known as the “capital of the south” and the country’s most important port. Time for an optional lunch. Then its time to visit the dramatic Medina where the surrounding walls are in remarkable shape with parts going back to the 9th century. The Aghlabid Ramparts extend for almost 2 kms. and represent a defensive structure that is almost unique in the Arab world. Enter through the Bab Diwan, a triple-arched gate and continue straight to the Great Mosque considered to be the true heart of the city. The three storied minaret is very similar to that found in Kairouan. After the tour head to the 5 star LES OLIVIERS PALACE HOTEL for overnight. (B/D)

Day 13 - Sunday - SFAX - PORT KANTAOUI Collosseum, El Jem

Morning drive to El Jem with its extraordinary amphitheater, the single most impressive Roman monument found in Africa. Built during the reign of Gordian around 230-238 in the form of an ellipse, this amazing structure could once seat between 30,000-45,000 spectators. It was the third largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire after the Colosseums in Rome and Capua.

Our next stop will be in Monastir, once just a fishing port on the Sahel coast and formerly known as Ruspina serving as Julius Caesar’s operation base for his African campaign. A visit will be made to the Castle before departure for Sousse where there will be time for an optional lunch.

The historical monuments of the city are found within the crenellated walls of the Medina and testify to the city’s long lasting importance. The distinctive Ribat begun in 821 is the best preserved example of a type of building peculiar to this era in North African history. Being Sousse’s oldest Islamic monument, it was part of a chain of fortresses found along the North African Coast. For a Muslim to serve in a ribat for a certain number of days was said to guarantee a place in Paradise. We are now on our way to the new marina development known as Port Kantaoui for overnight at the 5 star EL MOURADI PALACE. (B/D)

Day 14 - Monday - PORT KANTAOUI- THUBURBO MAJUS - DOUGGA -TABARKA Roman Ruins, Dougga

Morning journey to Thuburbo Majus, one of the major archaeological sites in the Tunis area, probably Berber in origin where we stop to view the impressive ruins where magnificent temples and baths were built for the every day citizens of this market town. There are still many treasures yet to be revealed.

The ruins that have been discovered so far are very impressive. Of special note are those of the capital with its fluted columns and great stairway. The Forum, an irregular shaped square is larger than those found at Dougga and Bulla Reggia. Built between 161 and 192 AD, a few of its columns are still upgright. The Forum itself is flanked by several temples which include the Temple of Peace and the Temple of Mercury both of which date from the 2C AD. All that remains of the summer baths is a line of gray marble columns and monumental walls. Leaving Thurburbo Majus we now make our way to Dougga, the largest and most spectacular of Tunisia’s Roman sites and containing what most people consider to be the most beautiful single Roman monument in North Africa. It is one of the most striking ruined cities in the area of the Mediterranean and is one of the oldest towns in the Tunisian interior. Time for an optional lunch before we proceed to visit its ruins which include the most complete Roman theater in Tunisia that built in the Greek style and carved into the natural gradient of the hill. Seating 3500, the wide seats at the bottom were reserved for dignitaries. Your visit will feature other sights including the Temple of Augustan Piety, the Plaza of the Winds, the Shrine of Mercury and the Capitol, the star attraction of the site with its carved Corinthian portico. After our visit drive to the little port town of Tabarka with its isolated location on the north coast. Its history dominated by the port since the Phoenicians established the trading post of Thabraca in 800 B.C. The most spectacular monument of Tabarka is the Genoese fort, built by the Lomellini family in the 16th century crowning the hill of what used to be the Isle of Tabarka. Overnight at the IBEROSTAR HOTEL. (B/D)

Day 15 - Tuesday - TABARKA- BULLA REGIA - TUNIS
Following breakfast we are off to visit the ruins at Bulla Regia, one of the most extraordinary Roman sites lying at the foot of Jebel Rabia. The underground villas built by its wealthy inhabitants are unique in the Roman Empire. No one knows the real reason why Bulla Regians went underground, perhaps it was to escape the heat. Here amongst the ruins you will find such interesting remains including the Baths of Julia Memmia, the Theater, the most impressive public building built during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, the Forum and of course, the villas clustered together. Just a few have been excavated and there are more waiting to be discovered. Time for an optional lunch before returning to Tunis arriving at the GOLDEN TULIP CARTHAGE HOTEL for overnight including dinner with wine. (B/D)

Day 16 - Wednesday - TUNIS - PARIS - TORONTO
Breakfast at the hotel then transfer to the airport for Air France flight for Paris and connecting flight to Toronto. (B)