C3       Cruise Ship Shore Excursion - Tunis Medina & Carthage (approx. 4 ½ hrs)

Available: every day

C4       Cruise Ship Shore Excursion - Tunis Medina & Sidi Bou Said  (approx. 4 ½ hrs)

Available: every day

C5       Cruise Ship Shore Excursion – Tunis Medina & the Bardo National Museum (approx. 4 ½ hrs)

Available: every day except Monday

Price depends on the number of persons

Disembark Cruise Ship at the Port of La Goulette, Tunis at approximately 8.30 am.

I will be waiting for you at the port with your driver and vehicle for the day. We begin the day with a walking tour of old Tunis, with its narrow lanes crowded with markets, mosques, tombs and palaces. This was Tunis until the arrival of the French in the late 19th century, who subsequently built their own quarter – the Ville Nouvelle – just beyond the “Sea Gate” – Bab al Bahr – which today stands in the middle of Place de la Victoire. Here is the Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul, the central market and some fine examples of colonial architecture. On our walk in the medina, we pass through the bustling souks of spices, herbs, carpets clothing and gold. We visit the Souk des Chechias, the area of workshops where the traditional red hats of the Maghreb (since Ottoman times) are still being made by hand. En route, we will see the Great Mosque – Zaytuna Mosque - and the elegant Place du Government in the old Kasbah square.

Add to this your choice of Carthage, Sidi Bou Said or the Bardo Museum.

To Carthage – the legendary city of Queen Dido & Hannibal. We visit the Tophet, or sanctuary of Baal & Tanit. Roman propaganda, hostile to the Carthaginians, stated that the Carthaginians ritually sacrificed their children here to the gods. We continue to the Punic ports, with the remains of its sophisticated naval harbor from which Hannibal set sail, and the merchant harbor from which cargo ships engaged in trade throughout the Mediterranean.  Next are the Roman Antonine Baths; in the 2nd century AD, these were the largest in North Africa and third largest in the Roman world. Our final stop is Byrsa Hill, the ancient acropolis & earliest Phoenician settlement and location of a small museum.

or

To Sidi Bou Said, the beautiful village on a cliff which since the early 20th century, has attracted such illustrious artists & writers as Paul Klee, August Macke, Simone de Beauvoir, André Gide, & Jean Foucault. A brief walking tour will take us through the narrow picturesque streets of this beautiful Andalusian village, famous for its blue & white architecture, colorful doors, and magical views of the Gulf of Tunis.

OR

To the Bardo National Museum, recently re-opened after extensive renovations. The Bardo houses the largest and finest collection of ancient mosaics in the world. These mosaics were discovered in the wealthiest of Roman villas in the many ancient cities found in Tunisia.  Rich patrons commissioned a vast array of subjects and themes, from scenes of gods & goddesses, daily life (hunting, fishing, harvesting), the zodiac, seasons, amphitheater games. From their exquisite details, we can understand why the North African school of mosaicists was the finest in the ancient world, and whose masterpieces are found throughout the Mediterranean. As well, there are also fine sculpture galleries, exhibits of Punic, early Christian & Islamic artefacts, and an exhibition of magnificent bronzes from the 1st BC Mahdia shipwreck.

We return to the Port of La Goulette where you will re-embark your Cruise Ship.

Price Includes:

• Transportation in an official tourism vehicle (car or minivan), full day services of an official guide, all parking and port fees, all entrance fees to sites & museums, photography/camera fees, complimentary water on the bus.

Price Does Not Include:

•  Any personal expenses, any food & beverages, gratuities.