Rhapsody Shore & Land Excursions > Tunisia - Tunis > The Bardo & Ancient Carthage

The Bardo & Ancient Carthage

A short drive from the port of La Goulette brings you into Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia. Spread over several hills it is beautifully maintained with wide avenues, impressive buildings and parks. Visit the Bardo Museum, an architectural landmark in itself housing the richest collection of Roman mosaics in the world. Originally a 13th century palace of the Beys of Tunis it has been restored and expanded through the centuries to become a superb example of Arab -Moslem 17th and 18th centuries architectural showcase. On display are artifacts from the Prehistoric to Carthaginian, Roman, Christian and Islamic eras. The hundreds of priceless mosaics adorning the walls and floor of the Bardo bear witness to the wealth and prosperity of Roman Tunisia. Beautiful statues and exquisitely crafted jewelry are among the displays.

Drive outwards to Carthage. Founded by Elissa Dido a Phoenician princess in the 8th century B.C on the hill of Byrsa, Carthage grew to become Rome’s archrival. For a thousand years Phoenicians were the masters of the

Mediterranean, their large number of warships and merchant vessels sheltering in the town’s port. Challenging the might of Rom unleashed an unprecedented violence from the Romans who razed and burned Carthage to the ground covering the land with salt to ensure its barrenness. They returned building a new Carthage on its ruins making the city the administrative capital for Africa, resplended with temples, great buildings, theatres, villas and baths.

Today, declared a national monument, Carthage abounds in Punic and Roman vestiges. Visit the site and see its Punic ports and Roman ruins. The Antoinine thermal baths are one of the largest built under the Roman empire with an amazing cooling room featuring 47 meters long and 15 meters high.

The Roman theatre is still used today during the summer festival of Carthage. See the remains of the Roman Amphitheatre, the Punic ruins of temples, monuments and columns among them the sanctuary of the goddess Tophet with hundreds of funeral steles believed to be a children’s cemetery.

 

Special Notes:
Comfortable clothing and walking shoes recommended. A considerable amount of walking is involved on mostly flat and partially uneven ground within the ruins of Carthage.

Not wheelchair accessible.

Participants must be able to walk and stand relatively long periods of time.

Comfort stops available at site and Bardo Museum.

No photography allowed in the museum.

Tour sequence may vary however all features and inclusions will remain unchanged.

 

Tour Timings:

Tours begin at times suitable for the ship's arrival in port. The breakdown of the excursions is as follows:
00hr00 -> Depart from Tunis Port

00hr00 -> 00hr30 Drive to Bardo Museum
00hr30 -> 02hr00 Visit Bardo museum
02hr00 -> 02hr30 Drive to Carthage
02hr30 -> 04hr00 Visit Carthage

04hr00 -> 04hr30 Drive to the port

 

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