Straddling the Mediterranean and the Sahara, Tunisia compresses 3,000 years of history into a small, endlessly explorable country. From Phoenician Carthage and Roman amphitheaters to Arab-Islamic medinas and Belle Époque boulevards, the layers are palpable on every stroll through Tunis. This 7-day itinerary anchors you in the capital and radiates outward on easy day trips to the most storied sites in the north.

Tunis itself is a tale of two cities: the UNESCO-listed medina with its caravanserais, tiled palaces, and spice-scented souks; and the French-era ville nouvelle lined by cafés on Avenue Habib Bourguiba. Just up the coast, the blue-and-white village of Sidi Bou Said hangs over the sea like a painting, while nearby Carthage reveals toppled columns, seaside baths, and Byrsa Hill views.

Practical notes: modest attire is required for mosque courtyards like Kairouan’s Great Mosque, and photography rules vary. The Tunisian dinar (TND) is non-convertible outside the country; bring a debit card for ATMs. For transport, the TGM suburban train connects Tunis to La Marsa via La Goulette and Sidi Bou Said, and licensed taxis are inexpensive—ask drivers to use the meter.

Tunis

Tunis is your perfect base, with the Bardo Museum’s world-class Roman mosaics, the intoxicating medina, and effortless access to coastal Carthage and Sidi Bou Said. In the evenings, sip mint tea beneath bougainvillea or order a brik (a golden, egg-filled pastry) at a lively downtown café.

• Top sights: Bardo National Museum, Tunis Medina (Zitouna Mosque precinct, Souk des Chechias), Avenue Habib Bourguiba, Carthage (Antonine Baths, Punic ports, Byrsa), Sidi Bou Said (Ennejma Ezzahra), La Marsa corniche.
• Where to stay (by vibe): - Inside the medina for old-world romance and quiet courtyards (boutique riads and restored palaces). - Sidi Bou Said/La Marsa for sea views and sunset strolls. - Lac district for modern comforts and short airport transfers.
• Hotel ideas (2025): Dar El Jeld Hotel & Spa (medina, refined), La Villa Bleue (Sidi Bou Said, sweeping bay views), Four Seasons Hotel Tunis (Gammarth, resort-style), Mövenpick Hotel du Lac Tunis (Lac 1, business-friendly). For apartments and riads, browse: VRBO Tunis or vetted hotels on Hotels.com Tunis.
• Getting there: Fly into Tunis–Carthage (TUN). Compare fares on Trip.com and Kiwi.com. Typical nonstop times: Paris 2h30m; Rome 1h15m; via Europe from US East Coast 12–16h with one connection.
• Getting around: TGM train to Sidi Bou Said/La Marsa (~35 minutes, ~1–2 TND); licensed taxis are metered and inexpensive; rides between central Tunis and Sidi Bou Said often 20–35 TND depending on traffic.

Day 1: Arrival in Tunis, first tastes and evening stroll

Morning: Travel day.

Afternoon: Check in and shake off jet lag with a leisurely walk along Avenue Habib Bourguiba, the “Champs-Élysées” of Tunis. Step into the Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul and peek through Bab el Bhar (the old city gate) into the medina’s lanes.

Evening: Dinner in the medina at Dar El Jeld Restaurant for refined Tunisian classics like couscous with lamb and artichokes, or try El Ali for brik à l’œuf, ojja (spicy tomato and egg stew), and a terrace view. Cap the night with jasmine tea or citronnade at Café Mrabet, a storied tea house tucked into a former caravanserai.

Day 2: Bardo Museum treasures and the Tunis medina

Book this half-day guided experience to unlock context and shortcuts:

Half-Day Bardo Museum and Tunis Medina Tour with Licensed Guide

Morning: Meet your guide for the Bardo—home to the world’s richest collection of Roman mosaics—housed in a 15th-century Hafsid palace. Then dive into the medina’s souks: copperware hammering in Souk En-Nhas, traditional wool caps in Souk des Chechias, and the courtyard of the Zitouna Mosque.

Afternoon: Lunch at Fondouk El Attarine for market-fresh salads and couscous under cedar beams, or at El Ali for tuna brik and date-studded tagines. Shop for hand-painted tiles and olive-wood spoons; ask for “authentique fait main” to avoid imports.

Evening: Contemporary Tunis awaits around Lac 1—stop by a pastry counter at Gourmandise for kaak warka or makroud. Dinner downtown at Chez Slah, an old-school favorite known for pristine grilled sea bream, capers, and olive oil. Reservations advised.

Day 3: Carthage ruins and sunset in Sidi Bou Said

See the essentials efficiently on this private tour:

Half-Day Carthage, Sidi Bou Said Private Tour with Licensed Guide

Morning: Explore Carthage: roam the seaside Antonine Baths (the largest in Roman Africa), inspect Punic harbor engineering that once supported Hannibal’s navy, and climb Byrsa Hill for sweeping bay views and museum pieces spanning Phoenician to Roman eras.

Afternoon: Continue to Sidi Bou Said. Lunch at Dar Zarrouk for seafood couscous and lemon-scented octopus, or Au Bon Vieux Temps for delicate meze and panoramas. Snack on warm bambalouni (a local donut) from a street stand near Café des Nattes.

Evening: Ride the TGM to La Marsa for a walk on the corniche, gelato, and a coffee at Le Golfe by the water. Return to Tunis by taxi (30–45 minutes depending on traffic).

Day 4: UNESCO-worthy Roman Africa—Dougga and Bulla Regia (full-day)

Make it easy with transport and expert storytelling:

Dougga and Bulla Regia Guided Tour From Tunis

Full-day excursion (typically 8–10 hours). Dougga’s hilltop theater, Capitoline temple, and paved streets rank among the best-preserved in North Africa. Bulla Regia astonishes with its subterranean Roman villas—underground to beat the summer heat—complete with intricate mosaics left in situ. Expect a countryside lunch stop (your guide can suggest traditional mechouia salad, brik, and grilled lamb). Return to Tunis for a relaxed dinner; La Mamma is a beloved downtown trattoria for wood-fired pizza if you’re craving comfort food.

Day 5: Kairouan’s spiritual heart and El Jem’s colossal amphitheater (full-day)

Cover both icons in one comfortable day trip:

Kairouan and El Jem Private Day Tour

Full-day excursion (about 10 hours). In Kairouan—the fourth holiest city in Islam—visit the Aghlabid Basins, then the Great Mosque’s vast courtyard and prayer hall doors (dress modestly; interior access varies). Sample Kairouan’s signature makroud (date-filled semolina pastries) from a traditional patisserie.

Continue to El Jem to stand amid the third-largest Roman amphitheater in the world; you can descend to the hypogeum where gladiators once waited. Expect to be back in Tunis by early evening; dine at Dar Slah for market-driven seafood or try a modern twist on local dishes at Le Comptoir de Tunis.

Day 6: Cap Bon loop—Nabeul ceramics and Hammamet sea air

Morning: Head to Nabeul, Tunisia’s ceramics capital. The fastest way from Tunis is louage (shared minibus) from Bab Alioua station to Nabeul: ~1h15–1h45, about 10–15 TND per person. Browse pottery workshops for hand-painted bowls, qallaline-style tiles, and woven halfa-grass baskets. Many artisans will pack purchases for travel.

Afternoon: Continue 20 minutes to Hammamet for a seaside lunch. Try Le Barberousse, perched on the ramparts, for grilled dorade and seafood pasta with bright citrus accents. Wander the compact medina’s whitewashed lanes, stopping for mint tea at Café Sidi Bouhdid overlooking the surf.

Evening: Return to Tunis (louage or taxi to the highway stop, ~1h15–1h45). For dinner, book a table at The Cliff (Gammarth) for a dramatic coastline setting and North African-Med fusion, or stay central for hearty couscous and merguez at Restaurant Sidi Bouhdid—Tunis edition.

Day 7: Easy art, last tastes, and departure

Morning: Breakfast at Pâtisserie Masmoudi—try pistachio kaak and pomegranate juice. If you love music and architecture, visit Ennejma Ezzahra (Baron d’Erlanger’s palace) in Sidi Bou Said for ornate mashrabiya, Andalusian motifs, and coastal vistas.

Afternoon: Final souvenirs in the medina: olive oil, harissa, brass trays, and chechia caps. Grab a quick lunch—fricassé tuna-and-harissa sandwiches from a popular street counter or a bowl of lablabi (chickpea stew with garlic and lemon) at a classic café. Transfer to TUN for your flight; check fares or same-day changes on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Evening: Departure day—if you have time, toast your week with almond sherbet or a final citronnade under the jacarandas of Avenue Habib Bourguiba.

Optional all-in-one alternative for Day 2 or 3

If you prefer one comprehensive private day including the medina, Bardo, Carthage, and Sidi Bou Said, consider:

Carthage, Bardo Museum, Sidi Bou Said and Medina Private Day Tour

Eating & drinking short list (save this):

• Dar El Jeld Restaurant (medina): refined Tunisian tasting menus, candlelit courtyard.
• El Ali (medina): brik, couscous, and rooftop tea with medina views.
• Chez Slah (downtown): classic seafood—grilled whole fish, caponata, and citrusy salads.
• Dar Zarrouk (Sidi Bou Said): terrace over the sea; seafood couscous and grilled octopus.
• Au Bon Vieux Temps (Sidi Bou Said): meze and North African dishes with bay panoramas.
• Le Golfe (La Marsa): coffee or dinner at the water’s edge; elegant but relaxed.
• Gourmandise & Pâtisserie Masmoudi: pastry temples for makroud, kaak warka, and seasonal fruit tarts.

Where to book stays again: VRBO in Tunis and Hotels.com Tunis.

Travel tip recap: The TGM train links Tunis–La Goulette–Sidi Bou Said–La Marsa (~35 minutes). Louage minibuses are the fastest budget option to Nabeul/Hammamet (~10–15 TND). Taxis are metered; keep small bills for convenience.

In one week you’ll have walked Phoenician docks, admired Roman mosaics, sipped tea on blue balconies, and traced the call to prayer across medieval rooftops. From the hum of the medina to sea breezes at sunset, Northern Tunisia will linger like the scent of jasmine in your suitcase.