Hey everyone, following up on my post from a few days ago about our Tunisia 12-days road trip. A lot of people were surprised by the diversity of the country, so for part 2 I wanted to focus entirely on the roman history side, which absolutely blew our minds.
To get around we rented a car right in Tunis, the capital and just drove independently from there. On the other hand, we went to El Djem on our way back after visiting the desert. These photos are from three main historical sites:
- Dougga: the first batch of pics. This place is massive and sits on top of a hill with amazing views of the surrounding valley. You can literally wander through the old paved roman streets, sit in the ancient theater, and check out the huge Capitol Temple for hours. The craziest part is there were almost zero tourists, just us, the wind, and some sheep grazing around the ruins. It's a unesco site but feels completely untouched and authentic.
- Sbeitla: The middle pics. It's a bit further south and the landscape changes completely. While the archaeological site is flatter than Dougga, the main forum is stunning.The three main temples standing side by side at the end of the forum are incredibly well preserved. The blue sky contrasting with that golden stone was beautiful, and you can also walk around the old public baths and byzantine forts scattered around the site.
- El Djem: the last couple of photos. It's basically a massive colosseum sitting right in the middle of a regular, modern town, which gives it a wild contrast. It's actually one of the largest amphitheaters in the world. Walking through the intact underground tunnels where gladiators and animals used to wait, and being able to explore the upper tiers without being pushed around by huge tour groups, was an unreal experience.
If you like history and hate crowds, driving around Tunisia is honestly a great experience. Happy to answer any questions about the roads, driving there or general logistics if anyone is planning a similar route!
