Tunisia Travel Advice (2024)

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This document was last updated on December 2, 2020

05/05/2024

The second of our final destination guides is here

Exploring El Jem: A Visitor's Guide

PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE AMPHITHEATRE OF EL DJEM A/THE COLOSSEUM, IT ISNT.
COLOSSEUM IS THE NAME GIVEN TO THE AMPHITHEATRE IN ROME

Tunisia's biggest historical tourist attraction is the mammoth, golden-stoned amphitheater of El Jem (also sometimes spelt El Djem) – once the stage for bloody gladiatorial and sea battles (as the arena could be flooded) during the Roman era.
Even for travelers in Tunisia who are mainly here for a sun-and-sea holiday, this UNESCO World Heritage Site, halfway between Sousse and Sfax, is a must-do. Many will visit the amphitheater as part of a tour to the Sahara region from the resorts of Sousse and Hammamet.
The amphitheater's location, looming over the flat, arid countryside, adds to its dramatic appeal.
Wandering through its arcades and then venturing down into the underground passageways and cells below the arena allows visitors a remarkable sense of not only this structure's use, but also of the power the Roman Empire once held across this land.

On This Page:
History of El Jem
El Jem Amphitheatre
El Jem Archaeological Museum
El Jem Archaeological Site
How to Get to El Jem
Where to Stay in El Jem

History of El Jem
El Jem - Amphitheatre
El Jem has been settled since the 3rd century BCE, when there was a Punic settlement here, but it only began to gain prominence after Caesar founded the town of Thysdrus on this site in 46 BCE.
Thysdrus lay amid a large olive-growing region, and since olive oil was in great demand in Rome during that period, the town prospered rapidly to become the leading olive-growing center of North Africa.
With a population of between 20,000 and 30,000, the town accumulated enormous wealth, much of which - as in other Roman towns - was spent on the er****on of both public buildings and private houses.
The amphitheater, begun at the end of the 2nd century CE, was designed to be a symbol of this prosperity.
But while it was still under construction, the decline of Thysdrus set in with a reintroduction of a tax on olive oil in 238 CE.
The tax sparked a rebellion, which spread through Tunisia. A large group of landowners, with the help of the juvenes (a kind of officers' training corps or militia), murdered the imperial procurator, the chief financial official in the province, and proclaimed an 80-year-old proconsul, Gordian, as emperor.
The rising was repressed, and the town sacked, with Thysdrus never recovering from this blow.
Later, the amphitheater was converted into a fortress, and in 699 CE, it served as a refuge for Berber leader El Kahina during her fight against the Arab invaders. After their victory, the town was abandoned, and the site was reoccupied only during the French colonial period.

El Jem Amphitheatre
The Amphitheater
El Jem's mighty amphitheater is the fourth largest in the Roman world, only coming after Rome's Colosseum; the Pozzuoli amphitheater near Naples; and the one at Carthage, of which little survives.
Of colossal size and excellent preservation, it is Oval in form, and is 149 meters long by 122 meters across (compared with Rome's Colosseum, which measures 188 meters by 156 meters). It is also of impressive height (40 meters), which would have been still further increased by the canvas sails (vela) that protected the audience from the sun.
Arena view
It provided seating for more than 30,000 spectators (according to some estimates 60,000), who witnessed the sporting events, bloody gladiatorial contests, sea battles and slaughters of criminals by wild animals staged in the arena.
It was thus too big for a town the size of Thysdrus, and was evidently intended as a demonstration of the city's power and prosperity.
Although the amphitheater was used for centuries as a quarry of building stone, it has managed to survive the centuries better preserved than Rome's Colosseum.
Only two-thirds of the circuit of walls with their three stories of arcades have survived. The northwest side was blown up in 1695 on the orders of the Ottoman Bey to prevent it from being used as a stronghold by Berber rebels, who had frequently entrenched themselves within its walls. Each of the three stories originally had 30 arches, of which there remain a total of 68.
From the entrance, you climb a flight of steps that leads up to the upper tiers of arcades. Although little is left of the seating, from here there are great views over the amphitheater and the plains beyond.
Back on the ground, you can explore the area underneath the arena (which measures 65 meters by 37 meters).
Here, visitors can see two intersecting underground passages (excavated in 1908) through which the wild animals and gladiators entered the arena area. The passages were lined with cages and cells where the animals and people were held before the Roman entertainments commenced.

El Jem Archaeological Museum
El Jem's amphitheater may be the major tourist attraction, but El Jem Archaeological Museum, a one-kilometer walk south from the amphitheater, is well worth adding to your things to do list while in town.
The museum holds an excellent collection of well-preserved Roman-era mosaics, as well as other Roman artifacts (including terra-cotta pots, coins, and oil lamps), all unearthed from the archaeological site that sprawls behind the museum.
The mosaics, portraying scenes of flora and fauna, as well as geometric patterns, display a high level of artistry and originally decorated the villas of El Jem's wealthy Roman landowners.

El Jem Archaeological Site
El Jem archaeological site sits directly behind El Jem Museum.
Although many of the mosaics excavated from the Roman-era villas of ancient Thysdrus here are now displayed in the museum, some have been left in situ.
The best villa ruins in the site are the House of Sollertiana and the House of the Peacock (also called Maison du Paon), which both display large floor mosaics left in place.
As well as the remnants of grand villas, the site also contains the ruins of a Roman baths complex.
Those with a particular interest in history will also want to cross to the opposite side of the road (and over the railway line) from the museum and main site area, to visit a small amphitheater dating from the 1st century CE.

How to Get to El Jem
El Jem is usually visited as a half-day trip from Sousse, which is 70 kilometers to the north of El Jem, or Monastir, 71 kilometers to the north. All the beach resorts in these two sun-and-sand vacation towns run tours to El Jem.
If you want to visit independently, El Jem is on the main rail line between Tunis and Sfax. Tunisian National Railways runs four trains to El Jem daily. From Sousse, the train journey to El Jem takes 90 minutes. From Tunis to El Jem, the train takes just under four hours.
The town of Mahdia is closer to El Jem than Sousse or Monastir, only 43 kilometers northeast from El Jem. There is regular shared-taxi transport between the two towns.
With your own wheels, or by hiring a private driver, it's also possible to visit from Kairouan, 72 kilometers northwest.

Where to Stay in El Jem
El Jem only has a couple of accommodation choices, but if you do want to beat the tour bus crowds, staying overnight in town is a great option as long as you're not looking for five-star facilities.
The best option in El Jem town is the Hotel Julius , which has well-kept rooms, a restaurant serving typical Tunisian dishes, a small swimming pool, and great views of the amphitheater from many of the rooms. The amphitheater is only a short 600-meter stroll from the hotel.

all information and images are public open source

05/05/2024

The first of our final 2 destination guides is here

Tourist Attractions in Kairouan

Fourth holiest city of Islam (after Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem), Kairouan is an important religious pilgrimage site, and for history lovers, one of Tunisia's star tourist attractions.
This bustling city is jam-packed with sightseeing opportunities and things to do, and contains some of the country's best examples of Islamic architecture, from grand mosques and tombs with ornate decoration to the medina back alleys lined with candy-colored houses.
Kairouan is also a major shopping destination and is famous for the quality of its carpets. When all the craning your neck at mosque minarets and admiring gorgeous tile work gets too much, it's time to hit the souks for a bit of bargaining with the town's many craftsmen.

Plan your time in this historic center with our list of the top attractions and best places to visit in Kairouan.
On This Page:
1. Kairouan Medina
2. Great Mosque
3. Mosque of the Barber
4. Mosque of the Three Doors
5. Aghlabid Basins
6. Zaouia of Sidi Abed el Ghariani
7. Kairouan's Souks
8. Dar Hassine Allani
9. Day Trip to El Jem
10. Kairouan New Town
11. Lalla Rihana Gate and Cemetery
12. Zaouia Sidi Amor Abbada (Mosque of the Sabres)

History of Kairouan
Whilst various sites around Kairouan are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the entire city is listed as being an UNESCO World Heritage Site too making this a truly unique place.

1. Kairouan Medina
Kairouan's medina (old town) is the most atmospheric and best preserved in Tunisia, the tightly packed alleyways giving a taste of the Arab empires. Unlike the prettified old towns of Hammamet and Djerba, the old town here is the real deal, and strolling the lanes is number one on most visitor's things to do list.
The medina is surrounded by a 3.5-kilometer-long circuit of brick walls reinforced by numerous towers built by the Husseinites in the early 18th century. Inside the walls, lanes ramble in a maze of directions. The bestway to explore is simply to throw away the map and wander.
As well as being home to most of Kairouan's tourist sightseeing draws, the narrow roads lined with colorful, paint-peeling houses are attractions themselves.
You could spend hours here just soaking up the old town's beautiful architecture. Even if you're short on time, don't miss spending a few hours just walking around.

2. Great Mosque
One of Kairouan's major points of interest, the Great Mosque stands in the northeast corner of the medina, its massive minaret incorporated into the town walls.
This is the oldest and most important Islamic building in North Africa and was originally built by Uqba ibn Nafi, the Arab commander who founded Kairouan in 672 CE.Many of Tunisia's other major mosques, including the Great Mosque of Sousse, took their inspiration from Kairouan's Great Mosque architecture.
The mosque covers a mammoth area, 135 meters long by 80 meters wide, with a vast inner courtyard surrounded on three sides by double-aisled colonnades of antique columns.
Non-Muslims can enter the courtyard area but are not allowed to enter the prayer hall, though the doors are often kept open, so you can have a peek inside.
Address: Avenue Oqba Ibn Nafaa

3. Mosque of the Barber
The Barber's Mosque (also called the Zaouia of Sidi Sahab) is not to be missed on a medina visit.
The complex includes a mausoleum, mosque, and madrassa (Islamic school of learning) and was built between 1629 and 1692 over the tomb of one of Muhammad's (the prophet of Islam) companions, who died in CE 685.
According to legend, Sidi Sahab always carried a few hairs from Muhammad's beard out of reverence for the prophet, hence the mosque's name.
The complex is notable for its magnificent tile decoration, much of which dates only from the 19th century.
You enter through a forecourt, on the left of which are the imam's lodgings, guest rooms, and ablution fountains. Opposite the entrance is the minaret.
The forecourt also gives access to the madrassa, laid out around a small courtyard; the prayer hall beyond it; and (by way of a passage adjoining the minaret) another colonnaded courtyard, off which opens the tomb of Sidi Sahab (not open to the public).
Address: Avenue de la République, Medina

4. Mosque of the Three Doors
One of the oldest buildings in Kairouan, the Mosque of the Three Doors (Mosquée des Trois Portes or Djemaa Tleta Bibane) was founded in 866 CE by an Andalusian scholar.
Its most notable feature is the facade with three doorways, from which it takes its name. There are two friezes of Kufic inscriptions, the lower of which dates to 1440. The minaret also dates from this year.
Non-Muslims cannot enter this mosque, but you're mostly here to see the famed front façade anyway.
Address: Rue de la Mosquée, Medina

5. Aghlabid Basins
To the north of the medina, beyond the Avenue de la République, are the Aghlabid Basins that supplied water for the Aghlabid palace, which once sat on the site of Kairouan's present-day cemetery.
The water was brought by aqueduct from Djebel Cherichera, 36 kilometers away. The smaller basin was a settling tank from which the water flowed to the larger one that had a capacity of 50,000 cubic meters.
In the center of the larger pool is the base of a pavilion, where the Aghlabid rulers used to relax. The pools were restored in 1969, and another pool has been discovered just to the west.
Address: Off Avenue de la République

6. Zaouia of Sidi Abed el Ghariani
This ornate zaouia (shrine) is one of Kairouan's finest and best preserved examples of traditional Arabic ceramic tile decoration and artistry.
The monument is dedicated to Sidi Abed el Ghariani, a 14th-century local holy man.
The sumptuously decorated inner courtyard is a highlight for photographers, completely covered in vibrant, colorful ceramic tiles displaying intricate and beautiful patterns. The tile work has been extremely well preserved, so you can really absorb the dazzlingly beautiful effect of the decoration.
While here, also note the detailing of the stucco ceilings and the fine wood used for the building's interior beams.
A short, 200-meter walk from the shrine is Bir Barouta, a 17th-century well that is another of the medina's major religious sites.
According to legend, an underground channel connects this well with the Zamzam spring in Mecca that, according to Islamic belief, sprang from the desert to quench the thirst of Ishmael (the Prophet Abraham's son). Due to the legend, pilgrim visitors to Kairouan come here to drink this holy water.
A camel makes slow rounds of the well in the room, drawing up the water from the depths by a pulley-system.
Despite the obvious important historic connections of this site, for many visitors, the treatment of the camel, trapped in such a small space and destined to trudge around the well for visitors' entertainment, is enough to avoid a visit.
Address: Rue Sidi Ghariani, Medina

7. Kairouan's Souks
Traditonal rugs in the souk quarter of Kairouan
The medina's souk quarter was built mainly in the 17th and 18th centuries and is still occupied by the traditional craftsmen of Kairouan. It's an interesting place to visit, even if you're not a shopper, as you can see many of the craftsmen – including metal workers, wood workers, and potters – busy at work in their workshops.
To reach the souk district, head down Rue Ali Belhaouane. After passing the El Bey Mosque on your right and the El Maalek Mosque on your left, Bab el Tounes (Tunis Gate) comes into sight. The souk streets all ramble off from here.
Address: Off Rue Ali Belhouane

8. Dar Hassine Allani
Snug within the medina muddle, this dar (traditional medina house) is both guesthouse and museum, meaning its wonderfully preserved and restored interiors can be viewed even if you're not staying here.
Knock on the front door, and the welcoming family who live here and run the guesthouse will give you a tour (in either French or English) of the rooms, highlighting the original architectural and interior features, as well as the history of the house.
Features such as alcoved beds and seating areas set behind ornate carved frames, stained-glass detailing in doors, and colorful wall tiles allow visitors to get a sense of family life and domestic architecture within the medina over the centuries.
Tours usually end on the rooftop terrace, which has great views over the medina.
Address: 37 Rue Kadrouine, Medina

9. Day Trip to El Jem
El Jem Amphitheater
Although most day trippers to El Jem arrive from coastal resorts, such as Sousse or Monastir, Kairouan is also a good base from which to visit.
El Jem's Roman amphitheater is Tunisia's most famous historic attraction, built during the 2nd century, when Thysdrus (modern-day El Jem town) was thriving and prosperous thanks to being a major olive-growing center for the Roman Empire.
The amphitheater is the fourth biggest in the world, and with the preserved sections of the seating tiers rising to 40 meters, it's one of the most impressive Roman-era monuments still standing. El Jem is 71 kilometers southwest of Kairouan, making a day trip from town an easy prospect, particularly if you have your own wheels or hire a driver for the return trip.

10. Kairouan New Town
Kairouan's bustling new town area has its main axis on Avenue Habib Bourguiba, a busy pedestrian street lined by coffeehouses and souvenir shops that leads in a straight line to Bab ech Chouhada (Porte des Martyres), built in 1772.
Originally this gate was known as Bab el Jalladin (Gate of the Leather dealers). It provides access into the medina. Stones recycled from Roman sites have been built into the inner side of the gateway.
In front of the gate is Place Muhammad el Bejaoui (Place des Martyrs).

11. Lalla Rihana Gate and Cemetery
A large cemetery with some interesting tombs dominates the east side of Kairouan's Great Mosque.
The Lalla Rihana Gate (named after a local holy woman) sits on the eastern side of the mosque, projecting from the mammoth mosque walls. It is a square structure in Hispano-Mauresque style, built in 1294.
Inside the cemetery itself are multiple rows of whitewashed tombs. For photographers, the cemetery is a good place to get interesting shots of the mosque complex with the rows of tombs in the foreground.
Address: Off Avenue Oqba Ibn Nafaa

12. Zaouia Sidi Amor Abbada (Mosque of the Sabres)
The Mosque of the Sabres (also known as the Zaouia Sidi Amor Abbada) was built in 1860 as the tomb of a local blacksmith, also revered as a holy man.
With its five ribbed domes, the zaouia is one of the principal shrines in the city and is regularly visited by pilgrims who come here to pay respect to the holy man and to pray.
Around the tomb are examples of the craftsman's skill: sabres, stirrups, anchors, and chests are all on display, together with wooden tablets inscribed with the holy man's prophesies.
Address: Rue Sidi Gaid, Medina

History of Kairouan
In 671 CE Uqba ibn Nafi, commander of the Arab army, which was thrusting into North Africa, established his headquarters here in the middle of the steppe country.
The site was chosen on strategic grounds, for there were neither Roman nor any earlier settlements in this waterless area. Kairouan then became the base from which the victorious Islamic forces advanced westward through North Africa and into Spain.
Its great days were in the 9th century, when the Aghlabids made it their capital. But this heyday did not last long, for the leading role in North Africa passed to Mahdia after its foundation in 916 CE and to Cairo after its conquest by the Fatimids in 973 CE.
The final decline began with a raid by the Beni Hilal nomads, who sacked and destroyed Kairouan in 1057, though sparing the religious buildings.
In the 14th century, the Hafsids rebuilt the town, and in the early 18th century, the Husseinites extended it.
Although Tunis was now the uncontested political capital of Tunisia, Kairouan retained its religious importance for the Muslims of North Africa. Seven pilgrimages to Kairouan are regarded as equivalent to the prescribed pilgrimage to Mecca.

all information and images are public open source

04/05/2024

THINGS TO SEE IN AND AROUND

Mahdia
Mahdia (Arabic: المهدية al-Mahdīyahⓘ) is a Tunisian coastal city with 62,189 inhabitants, south of Monastir and southeast of Sousse.

Mahdia is a provincial centre north of Sfax. It is important for the associated fish-processing industry, as well as weaving. It is the capital of Mahdia Governorate.

History
Antiquity
The old part of Mahdia corresponds to the Roman city called Aphrodisium and, later, called Africa (a name perhaps derived from the older name), or Cape Africa. The Catholic Church's list of titular sees includes a no longer residential bishopric called Africa and, since there is no record of an episcopal see in Roman times called by either of these names (nor by that of Alipota, another Roman town that Charles Tissot suggested tentatively might be represented by present-day Mehdia), it is supposed that the episcopal see of Africa was established when the city was held by the Kingdom of Sicily, as a part of the Kingdom of Africa (1147–1160) and when Pope Eugene III consecrated a bishop for it in 1148. An inventory of movable property of the church of Africa (inventarium thesauri Africani) exists in an archive of the Ca****la Palatina of Palermo in Sicily. Robert Favreau identified Mahdia instead with ancient Ruspae or Ruspe, which is more commonly taken to have been at Henchir Sbia (or just Sbia), north of Mahdia, or at the ruins known as Ksour Siad. The most illustrious bishop of this see was Fulgentius of Ruspe. The Catholic Church's list of titular sees, which identifies the see of Africa as Mahdia, identifies Ruspe/Ruspae as Henchir Sbia.

The Mahdia shipwreck – a sunken ship found off Mahdia's shore, containing Greek art treasures – is dated to about 80 BC, the early part of Roman rule in this region.

Islamic era
Muslim Mahdia was founded by the Fatimids under the Caliph Abdallah al-Mahdi and made the capital of Ifriqiya. As the then newly-created Fatimid Caliphate was a Shi'a regime supported by a Berber Kutama military, the caliph may have been motivated to move his capital here so as to put some distance between his power base and the predominantly Sunni city of Kairouan (the traditional capital of Ifriqiya up to that point). Construction began in 916 and the new city was officially inaugurated on 20 February 921, although some construction continued afterward. In addition to its heavy fortified walls, the city included the Fatimid palaces, an artificial harbor, and a congregational mosque (the Great Mosque of Mahdia). Most of the Fatimid city has not survived to the present day. The mosque, however, is one of the most well-preserved Fatimid monuments in the Maghreb, although it has been extensively damaged over time and was in large part reconstructed by archeologists in the 1960s. Fragments of mosaic pavements from the palaces have also been discovered from modern excavations.

In 1087, the town was attacked by raiding ships from Genoa and Pisa who burned the Muslim fleet in the harbor. The attack played a critical role in Christians' seizure of control of the Western Mediterranean, which allowed the First Crusade to be supplied by sea. The Zirid dynasty, which succeeded the Fatimids in the Maghreb, moved their capital here in 1057. Their rule was brought to an end by the Norman conquest of the city in 1148. In 1160 the city came under Almohad rule.

The role of the capital was taken over by Tunis in the 12th century during the Almohad era, which it remained during the Hafsid Dynasty. Later the city was subject to many raids. In 1390 it was the target of the Barbary Crusade, when a French army laid siege to the city but failed to take it.

The city was captured by the Spaniards in 1550. A Spanish garrison remained there until 1553. Charles V then offered the charge of the town to the Order of Saint John who ruled Malta but they refused it deeming it too expensive. The emperor ordered the Viceroy of Sicily, Juan de Vega, to dismantle Mahdia despite it being a strategically important stronghold. The demolition tasks were carried out by Hernando de Acuña. Shortly after Mahdia was reoccupied by the Ottomans, but only to live by fishing and oil-works, and the town lost its logistic and commercial importance. It remained under Turkish rule until the 19th century.

During the N**i Occupation of Tunisia in World War II, Mahdia was the site where Khaled Abdelwahhab hid approximately two dozen persecuted Jews.

Transport
Gare Mahdia forms the southern terminus of the metre-gauge Sahel Metro railway line, which runs from Sousse and Monastir.

Laid-back little Mahdia is an old-fashioned and charming town with an unhurried air.
With its lanes full of whitewashed houses and cafés teetering along the rocky cliff edge, this is a place to relax and kick back for a few days, enjoy the fresh sea air on the beach, and wind down while watching local life unfold, rather than do any actual sightseeing.
For those who are itching for things to do, Mahdia is Tunisia's top diving site, with a host of opportunities for underwater aficionados.
The town is also within easy day-tripping distance of two of Tunisia's premier tourist attractions: the mighty amphitheater of El Jem and colorful medina (old town) of Sousse.
Most, though, will be happy to spend much of their time here just wandering Mahdia's medina (old town), taking in the views from the top of the battlements of the Bordj el Kebir, and simply enjoying a few days of tranquil Tunisian seaside life.

Learn about the best places to visit with our list of the top attractions in Mahdia.
On This Page:
1. Black Gate
2. Mahdia Beach
3. Bordj el Kebir
4. Great Mosque
5. El Jem Amphitheater Day Trip
6. Mahdia Old Harbor Area
7. Mahdia Wreck Diving
8. Sousse Day Trip
9. Mahdia Medina
10. Mahdia's Nearby Archaeological Sites

1. Black Gate
Skifa el Kahla (Black Gate)
The entrance to Mahdia's medina (old town) is through the mighty Skifa el Kahla (Black Gate), sometimes also called Bab Zouila.
The gatehouse, with its 44-meter-long entrance passage, was formerly incorporated in the 175-meter-long town walls that crossed the peninsula and is one of Mahdia's most impressive architectural attractions. The present gate is not the original Fatimid structure, having been rebuilt in 1554 using stone from the Fatimid fortress after the Spanish destroyed Mahdia.
Of the original round towers on polygonal bases, which stood at the north and south ends of the wall, only stumps at the north end remain.
From the roof of the gatehouse, tourists can enjoy fine views of the medina, extending to the tip of the peninsula. The steps leading up to the roof are on the inner side of the gate.
The gate leads into Rue Obeid Allah al-Mahdi where there is a small covered souk. On the opposite side of the street is the entrance to Dar el Himma, a former mosque that houses a small silk museum.
Address: Avenue Tahar Sfar

2. Mahdia Beach
Many travelers are simply here for the beach, which trails north along the coast from the center of town. Those in the know rate this narrow but long strip of soft white sand fronting the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean as one of the best in Tunisia.
The water is shallow at the shore, making this a good beach choice for families with little ones in tow.
Most of the big resorts backing the beach have claimed their own private patch of sand. These are the best groomed sections, but the entire beach is noted for its cleanliness.
Sun loungers and shades can be rented by beachgoers, and there are plentiful cafés and restaurants along the beach road for lunch stops and refreshments.
Address: Route de la Corniche

3. Bordj el Kebir
The mammoth square hulk of the Bordj el Kebir sits just a short distance along the seafront from the Great Mosque. Built in 1595, this grand fortress is commandingly situated on the peninsula's highest point and is the town's most recognizable attraction.
This was also the site of an earlier 10th century palace built by Obeid Allah al-Mahdi when he founded the town, though nothing is left of this building except a few fragments of masonry from the original entrance way.
The courtyard of the fortress holds a small mosque. The tower in the fort's southwest corner has two reliefs built into the masonry, which are believed to have come from an earlier building.
The main attraction of a visit to the fort is the magnificent view you have from the battlements. From the top, you have uninterrupted panoramas over Mahdia, the old harbor area, and Cap Afrique.

4. Great Mosque
The Great Mosque of Mahdia
Built in CE 921 by the founder of Mahdia, Obeid Allah al-Mahdi, this was the first Fatimid mosque modeled on Kairouan's Sidi Oqba Mosque.
Originally the Great Mosque was connected on two sides with the town walls, but when the Spaniards destroyed the fortifications, the mosque suffered severe damage as well. Only its north front face survived the attack.
The building that replaced the original mosque was found to be near collapse during the early 20th century and was pulled down in the 1960s.
A careful rebuilding plan was carried out afterwards, raising the Great Mosque again on its old site in accordance with the original architectural plans.
The mosque is entered through a monumental doorway, which was originally used only by the Caliph. Over the doorway is a large horseshoe arch, and on either side are tall niches, shallow at ground level and deeper on the upper level.
The 42-meter inner courtyard is surrounded on three sides by a colonnade with horseshoe arches, and leads onto a nine-aisled prayer hall with the same ground plan as its prototype in Kairouan.
Address: Rue de Borj

5. El Jem Amphitheater Day Trip
El Jem amphitheater
Mahdia is only 43 kilometers northeast from El Jem so it's the nearest coastal resort town to visit El Jem's mammoth amphitheater, which is Tunisia's most famous Roman ruin.
This huge monument, built in the 2nd century when the surrounding area prospered due to its olive production, is the 4th largest amphitheater in the world and spans 149 meters long and 122 meters wide.
You can easily hire a private driver/taxi to take you on a half-day return trip to El Jem or, if you want to travel to El Jem by public transport, there is a regular share-taxi service between the two towns.

6. Mahdia Old Harbor Area
Ancient ruins in the old harbor area
Wandering between the Bordj el Kebir and the lighthouse (Phare) at the tip of the peninsula brings you to the old harbor area, with the gorgeously situated cemetery and some interesting scattered ruins.
Near the lighthouse are a number of 10th century Shiite tombs, as well as the remains of some cisterns.
The peninsula's south side was the site of the old harbor (Port Fatimide), which was probably used as far back as the Punic era and has a kothon (inner harbor) very similar to that of Carthage.
During Mahdia's heyday in the Fatimid period, two watchtowers (incorporated into the town walls and later linked by an arch) protected the narrow entrance channel.

7. Mahdia Wreck Diving
Wreck diving
Mahdia is Tunisia's best spot for underwater exploration, and fans of wreck diving won't be disappointed.
In 1907, sponge divers off Cap Afrique discovered the wreck of a Roman sailing ship sunk in 86 BCE – thereby proving the harbor had been used from the classical age. Its cargo, which included dedicatory reliefs from Piraeus and large numbers of marble columns, showed that the ship came from Piraeus (now part of modern Athens in Greece).
The items recovered from the underwater excavations are now at the Bardo Museum in Tunis.
Although this wreck itself can't be dived, there are several other more modern (mostly from WWII) wreck dives that can be explored with diving companies in Mahdia.

8. Sousse Day Trip
Sousse medina
Sousse, Tunisia's premier tourist resort and a major historical destination, is 59 kilometers northwest from Mahdia, and it makes an excellent day trip from town.
Home to one of Tunisia's most thoroughly photogenic medina (old town) districts that brims with shopping opportunities for local craftwork within its souks, and with the sturdy, well preserved fortifications of both Sousse's Ribat and Kasbah able to be explored, there is plenty to keep day trippers occupied for a full day.
The quickest way to jaunt between Mahdia and Sousse is by car (or share-taxi if you're taking public transport) but for train travel fans, there is a local train (metro) connecting the two centers.

9. Mahdia Medina
Beautiful street in Mahdia's medina
Mahdia's medina (old town) is a dinky little place of whitewashed traditional houses, narrow lanes, and colorful washing flapping between windows.
A wander here is the perfect way to soak up the seaside character of this quaint town.
The medina hasn't been trussed up for tourists, so you won't find a plethora of souvenir stores here as in Djerba and Hammamet, but its backwater atmosphere is part of Mahdia medina's charm. Instead, this is a traditional district, the heart and soul of a town where locals still live.

10. Mahdia's Nearby Archaeological Sites
The promontory of Ras Bou Tria, 52 kilometers south of Mahdia, is reached using a side road eight kilometers past the town of Melloulèche.
This rather windswept and atmospheric coastal strip is home to the remains of ancient Acholla, and excavations here have uncovered the foundations of Roman houses and the remnants of an amphitheater and bathhouse.
Nearer to Mahdia, only 14 kilometers away and just beyond Ksour Essaf, is the small town of Salakta with the ruins of Ancient Sullectum.
This was probably the port where lions destined to fight in the grand and brutal gladiatorial contests of El Djem were shipped.
The remaining ruins are extremely sparse and probably only of interest to the most enthusiastic of history lovers, but the Salakta Museum inside the site is worth a visit if you're heading on a day trip ramble south of Mahdia.
The museum's most famous exhibits are two Roman-era mosaics, one of which illustrates a three-meter-high lion. Other artifacts on display, such as a collection of burial pottery, were all unearthed from the surrounding site.

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05/05/2024

05/05/2024

04/05/2024

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