Roman, Punic and Islamic Sites in Tunisia

Advice, 31 October 2026. Look up the latest US State Department and UK FCDO advice before you book, because some border and military zones are closed to tourists. The US rates Tunisia Level 2. The FCDO (updated 24 July 2026) says all but essential travel only for Kasserine Governorate, home of the Sbeitla ruins, and no travel at all to Chaambi National Park. The sites listed below are outside those areas.

Tickets first

Fees at national heritage sites changed on 1 April 2026. Foreign adults at the top category pay around 30 TND now, with 45 TND planned from January 2027, while the second category is 20 TND, going to 30 TND. Residents, Tunisians and Maghreb citizens get lower rates, pupils, students and accompanied under-12s pay 2 TND, and photography with your own phone or camera is included. Because categories differ by site, confirm the price at the gate.

Tunis and its suburbs

  • Bardo National Museum. Housed in a beylical palace in the suburb of Le Bardo, reached by Metro line 4. Reopened 15 September 2023. Its Roman mosaics are among the world’s largest collection, and highlights include the portrait of Virgil from Sousse and the Triumph of Neptune. Closed Mondays, and open about 09:30 to 16:30 in winter and 09:00 to 17:00 in summer.
  • Medina of Tunis. Inscribed by UNESCO in 1979 and holding more than 700 monuments. Ez-Zitouna Mosque, dating from 732 AD, can be seen from its courtyard in the morning only, and non-Muslims stay out of the prayer hall.
  • Carthage. A single ticket links seven sites, among them the Antonine Baths, Byrsa Hill, the Punic ports, the Tophet and the Roman theatre. A joint Bardo and Carthage ticket costs 45 TND, rising to 70 TND in January 2027.
  • Sidi Bou Said. Free to stroll. Dar El Annabi, a house museum from the 18th century, charges a small fee.

Beyond the capital

  • Dougga. UNESCO-listed in 1997, this Roman town stands on a hill about 105 km south-west of Tunis. Look for the Capitolium of 166 AD with six Corinthian columns, the theatre for 3,500 and the Libyco-Punic mausoleum.
  • El Jem. The amphitheatre went up around 238 AD for some 35,000 spectators and is about 36 m tall. Walk the underground galleries and then visit the museum.
  • Kerkouane. A UNESCO site on Cap Bon with the foundations of a Punic town and its bathtubs.
  • Sousse. The Ribat dates from 796 AD and has a tower to climb. The kasbah museum displays Roman mosaics.

A site of worship

Great Mosque of Kairouan. Begun in 670 AD, with a minaret 31 m high that is the oldest still standing in the world. Non-Muslims may step into the courtyard and look into the prayer hall, covered at the shoulders and knees, with women’s heads covered. Visiting hours are about 08:00 to 14:00, Saturday to Thursday, and 08:00 to 12:00 on Fridays. Be quiet, as it is in daily use.

Worth knowing

Avenue Habib Bourguiba in Tunis is a colonial-era boulevard from the 1890s. The UNESCO-listed area is the old medina. The Bardo is not in Carthage; they are about 15 km apart. Leave Sbeitla and Chaambi off your list.

Money

Pay in dinars, carry a bank card and keep the slips from currency exchange.

Read more: outings from each city are in the day trip guide , with guided options in the attraction tours guide .

Guided visits and tickets for Carthage are listed on GetYourGuide . Reference pages: Bardo Museum , UNESCO Dougga , Managers.tn fee report and FCDO Tunisia advice .