Tunis 3-Day Itinerary: Medina, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and Bardo

Three days in Tunis gives you a seamless sweep across three millennia of Mediterranean civilisation: one day in the medieval and 19th-century heart of the capital, one day riding the coastal railway to ancient Carthage and Sidi Bou Said, and one day pairing the world's finest Roman mosaics with a harbour seafood lunch. Read our practical briefing before setting off.

Day 1: The UNESCO Medina, Rooftop Tea and Avenue Habib Bourguiba

• Morning: start at the freestanding arch of Bab el-Bhar (Porte de France) and climb into the Medina of Tunis to view the 9th-century marble courtyard of Zitouna Mosque before the morning viewing gallery closes, then sip mint tea with pine nuts on a neighbouring rooftop terrace.
• Late morning: weave through the guild alleys of Souk el-Attarine (perfumes), Souk el-Berka (goldsmiths) and Souk ech-Chaouachine to watch artisans felting red woollen chechia caps, continuing up to Place de la Kasbah.
• Afternoon: enjoy a Tunisian lunch in a restored Medina palace, then tour the tiled courtyards of Dar Lasram, the 17th-century Medersa Slimania and the royal mausoleum of Tourbet el-Bey.
• Evening: stroll back down through Bab el-Bhar along ficus-shaded Avenue Habib Bourguiba past the Cathedral of St Vincent de Paul and the Art Nouveau Théâtre Municipal for dinner.

Day 2: TGM Coastal Rail to Ancient Carthage and Cliffside Sidi Bou Said

• Morning: board the TGM suburban train at Tunis Marine across Lake Tunis to Carthage; begin at the circular and rectangular Punic Ports and the Tophet of Salammbô, then climb Byrsa Hill for Punic street foundations and bay views.
• Early afternoon: walk down to the Mediterranean shore to explore the colossal seaside ruins of the 2nd-century AD Antonine Baths (Thermes d'Antonin) and the adjacent Roman Villas quarter.
• Late afternoon and evening: ride the TGM five minutes north to Sidi Bou Said; tour Baron d'Erlanger's musical palace of Ennejma Ezzahra and Dar el-Annabi, eat a hot sugar-dusted bambalouni doughnut, and watch sunset over the Gulf of Tunis from the cobbled cliff lanes before dinner in Sidi Bou Said or neighbouring La Marsa.

Day 3: The Bardo National Museum, Marché Central and La Goulette Fish

• Morning: start early at the wrought-iron halls of the Marché Central to see heaps of harissa, dates and Mediterranean catch, then take Metro Leger Line 4 west to the Bardo National Museum to spend two hours admiring the Virgil mosaic, Ulysses and the Sirens, and the gilded Husainid palace ceilings.
• Afternoon: ride back into town and hop onto the TGM across the lagoon to the harbour of La Goulette for a long lunch of crispy brik à l'oeuf and whole charcoal-grilled sea bream before your onward journey or evening flight.