We arrived early in La Goulette, the port of Tunis, greeted by a stunning sunrise. After two days at sea aboard the Costa Pacifica, I finally felt completely rested — which I definitely needed after three days of walking nonstop in Barcelona. I’ve already written to you about that. And honestly, I was glad I had booked a balcony cabin, because I ate my breakfast out there during our day at sea, with nothing but the open water in front of me.
I have to admit something: Europe is not America. There aren’t many people on the ship, and I really don’t understand why. Maybe it’s just us Americans who are such dedicated, borderline-obsessed cruisers. But that’s not the point of today’s story.
The ship docked at the La Goulette Cruise Terminal, which turned out to be surprisingly elegant. It’s designed like a kind of artificial village, with plenty of space for vendor stalls where locals sell souvenirs. Many of the items are mass-produced, but here and there you’ll find truly unique, handmade pieces. I’m glad I listened to Victoria and booked my guide through GetYourGuide in advance — here’s the link if you ever need it. Since this tour is almost private, we shared it only with an older Spanish couple, so we could explore everything entirely at our own pace.
The tour lasts eight hours, exactly the amount of time the ship stays in port.
Our first stop was Carthage, one of Tunisia’s most significant historical sites. The name appears in almost every Western civilization textbook, and with good reason. It was once the center of a vast Phoenician empire, later destroyed and rebuilt by the Romans, and today it exists as a scattered field of ruins embedded within one of Tunis’s residential neighborhoods.
Carthage isn’t a single archaeological park with one ticket office and a neat system of paths. It’s a collection of separate sites spread across a walkable area, each one showing a different layer of the city’s long history. You’ll find Roman baths, ancient cisterns, crumbling villas, and traces of the Punic harbors that once made Carthage a dominant force in the Mediterranean.
The ruins don’t tower above you like the Colosseum; instead, they stretch wide. You walk through them rather than look up at them, and beyond the stone walls the sea is almost always in view.
Next, we headed to nearby Sidi Bou Said, where the bright blue trim and whitewashed buildings came into sight. This color scheme is no coincidence. In the early 1900s, a group of artists and architects standardized the look to preserve the town’s aesthetic, and it has remained strictly protected ever since. The result is a visually cohesive, photogenic environment that looks like it belongs on a travel poster.
Walking through Sidi Bou Said doesn’t feel like following a checklist of sights. There is no list of “must-see” landmarks. The experience lies in the town itself: cobblestone alleys turning between vivid blue doors, cascades of bougainvillea, tiled staircases that suddenly open onto breathtaking views of the Mediterranean. It’s the kind of place where you slow your pace, stop for a mint tea with pine nuts, and watch the sea stretch endlessly in front of you.
Afterward, our guide Sana Jaziri took us to a restaurant visited mostly by locals. Tunisian cuisine blends Mediterranean ingredients with North African spices. We had couscous with lamb and harissa. Harissa is a fiery red chili paste made from peppers, garlic, olive oil, and spices. It’s a foundational part of Tunisian cooking and often served as a condiment. You’ll probably find it on your table even if you’re just having a quick lunch.
After we ate, a walk felt good as we made our way toward the Bardo National Museum, one of the most important museums in North Africa. We admired its remarkable collection of Roman mosaics, discovered at archaeological sites across Tunisia and considered among the best in the world.
Next came the Medina. If you visit only one place in Tunis, make it the Medina. This UNESCO World Heritage Site sits in the historic heart of the city and offers an immersive, slightly chaotic experience that stays with you long after your trip is over.
The Medina is not a sanitized tourist zone. It is a living, breathing part of the city where people work, pray, shop, and live — and you see that instantly. Narrow alleys twist in every direction, lined with vendors selling spices, scarves, ceramics, leather goods, and sometimes completely random household items. One corner carries the scent of jasmine, the next of grilled meat, perfume oils, or motorcycle exhaust. It’s loud, raw, and real.
Sana guided us through both the commercial souks — the traditional Arab markets — and the residential quarters of the Medina. She pointed out houses hidden behind heavy wooden doors, some decorated with symbolic carvings such as the Hand of Fatima, a protective emblem common throughout North Africa. Bargaining here is absolutely necessary, and I could not resist the handmade rugs in one of the workshops. Sana helped with the bargaining, and whether I need it or not, I’ll carry my handmade rug back to the ship on my back if that’s what it takes. It’s coming home with me, and it will soon decorate my New York bedroom.
The port of Tunis may not be the most charming or refined stop on a Mediterranean itinerary, but that’s exactly what makes it so memorable. This is a place where you step into living history, not a staged postcard scene, and the experiences you have here are unlike any other port in the region.