The North African country of Tunisia has been popular with summer holiday-makers for years. Many visitors to this sun-soaked country do no stray far from the resort and beach, which is a shame as this region offers some fascinating insights to the ancient civilizations that ruled this area 2,000 years ago.
Many airports have flights to Tunisia, and although most go to the airport at Sousse, this is only a comfortable two-hour train journey from the capital. It is close enough for people to stay near to the airport on a short break and use the train to explore the country.
Carthage
The capital of the Punic Empire was Carthage, which sits just to the east of the modern-day capital city of Tunis. This charming UNESCO World Heritage site contains the ruins of a city that rose to prominence twice before being destroyed in the ancient past. In 202 BC, the famous general Hannibal led an invasion of Italy that threatened the Roman Empire itself. The Romans defeated Hannibal and eventually destroyed the city in 146 BC before they rebuilt it and made it into their fourth most important city. It remained an important city until it was destroyed by the Muslim conquest in 609.
El Djem
Further south in the country lies El Djem, the site of the largest Roman amphitheatre in Africa and some of the most complete Roman remains. This spectacular building is visible for miles around in the desert, and it held 30,000 people. These spectacular ruins have found fame recently as a set for “Monty Pythons Life of Brian” and “Gladiator”.
Other Empires
Since the time of the Punic and Roman Empires, Tunisia has been a Muslim country and most towns have ancient mosques and towers that are hundreds of years old. The best of these are in Kairouan, which many Muslims consider to be the fourth holiest city in Islam.
No mention of Tunisia is complete without thinking about Star Wars, with several scenes from “Star Wars” and “Phantom Menace” filmed near to the town of Matmata in the desert. Visitors can enter the caves used as the Skywalker homestead.
Tunisia is a popular destination for longer summer holidays, but it also makes a great destination for a short break. Visitors can relax on the beach or tour this small country and see some amazing historic sites that span over 2,500 years of civilization.
