Tunisia Way

BENI BARKA:

Stones falling down

 Unexpected Roman ruins

 Near Sidi Khelifa lies the ruins of the Roman town Pheradi Maius, which is surprisingly interesting to visit. It has a big triumphal arch, a really fine Forum area, fine baths and a the remains of a temple to Baal.
Sidi Khelifa village may be worth a stop, too. It is an attempt to build a modern village using traditional techniques. There is a multidomed zawiyya here and a well with water of excellent quality. 

The beautiful amphitheatre

Oudna may very well become a great tourist attraction some time in the future at the level of Dougga and El Jem. Its location, between Tunis and Hammamet, makes it ideal for tour groups.
Although quite a lot have been well excavated, much still lies under rubble. But still, you may easily have the whole place to yourself.

Village of the canyon

Mides is little visited, primarily because there are few means of getting here except on an organized trip or with your own vehicle. Mides may be the most attractive of Tunisia's mountain oases, with a stunning gorge stretching for 3 km. The gorge was used as part of the village's natural defence in older days.
The gorge is distinct with its round shapes, and strong contrasts in colour.

Ghurfas standing out

It is a village, but so close to Medenine it has more of a hamlet feeling. Metameur, still strongly dominated by old customs: there are two "families" out here, the Temara, descendants of the local saint, Sidi Ahmad; and the Harraza, who are descendants of his followers.

The difference in status between these two groups will only become evident to people staying here for longer time.

Roman Althiburos

Should you be able to make it out here, Medeina has attractive remains of the Roman city of Althiburos. Back then, the city stood right on the highway between Carthage and Tebessa (now Algeria).
This stands in stark contrast to the present landscape, which is dominated by undulating hills with few inhabitants and vast distances between the villages.

Always controlling the border

Maktar has one of the finest settings of any Roman city in Tunisia, situated on the top of a hill, at almost 1,000 metres, overlooking undulating fields on all sides. Maktar's reason for existence was military, not principally economic. For the Numidians, who founded it, it served as a stronghold against the Carthaginians to the northeast.

Punic ruins

Kerkouane, a bit off the beaten track, has the best ruins after the ancient Carthaginian civilization, far better than Carthage itself. Kerkouane was founded in the 6th century BCE, and was destroyed during the Roman revenge campaign against Carthage after the wars in 146 BCE. But Kerkouane faced much milder treatment, nor was it ever redone into a Roman town. Considering its excellent location, next to the sea (top photo) right here on the tip of Africa,

Elegant in the mountains

Le Kef is clearly one of the most underrated travel destinations in Tunisia, and far too few travllers come here. Not only is the town quite beautiful, charming, but there are plenty of attractions.
At an elevation of 800 metres above sea level, it even offers cool temperatures in winter, and sometimes snow in winter. Colours are white, and the village itself is well-kept. It is situated on a hillside, and offers many good views over rich agricultural land,

The huge border city

Haïdra is the modern name, Ammaedara was the original name for this great Roman city. It is one of the oldest Roman cities in Africa, located as a border city protecting the fertile valleys against the rebellious tribal lords of the Algerian and Tunisian mountains.
Despite its extent and riches, Haïdra is largely unexcavated and free to roam in between cheering locals and grazing sheep.

 Twin ksars

The first (most southern, and the first you come to from the neighbour ksar of Beni Blel) ksar of Gettoufa is the oldest. It is quite modest, far much so than the one of Beni Blel. None of the structures here stretch higher than two floors, and the courtyard is rather small as well.

The historical oasis

Gafsa is the main city of its region, and the centre of the profitable phosphate industry. Unlike the towns closer to the mines, Metlaoui and Moulares, it has not been turned into a dust hell. Gafsa is a modern town, busy and friendly, but without many tourists. Those coming here, most often stay only for the night before they head in direction of the mountain oases of Mides and Tamerza, or travel down to the region around Tozeur.

Hillside cave village

Not unlike Chenini, Douiret is a village that has been cut out of the hillside, and follows the mountain for about a kilometre. Except at the centre, around the white, simple, and beautiful mosque, it's only one street. Douiret is now very much abandoned, and only a handful of the houses are inhabited.

Hillside rock village

Chenini is the most visited of the mountain villages of southern Tunisia. There are mainly three of them, Douiret and Guermessa being the others. These villages are made up of cave houses built on the slopes of a mountain with a white mosque in the midst.
In mornings often large crowds of tourists explore the village. If you want a relaxed visit, do this in afternoons.

City of Marble Mountain

Chemtou is the site of the Numidian, later Roman city of Simitthu, or Simithas. Simitthu was famous for its marble, which has a lively play of orange, red, yellow and pink colours.
Although there had been an important Numidan settlement here, with a temple on top of the mountain, it was the Romans who turned it into a wealthy city. It spread around the mountain, with the free men living to the west, and the prisoners who worked the quarries to the east.

Biggest Byzantine fortress

Near Teboursok not far from Dougga Ain Tounga is often said to have to be finest Byzantine fortress in Tunisia. The fortress was built in the 6th century, and has 5 square towers. One stands at almost its original height. Although little has been done in terms of restoration, the walls still stand high and one tower still stands to its original height. On the other side of this, the wall is complete in its full length between two towers.

Known by the Romans as Thygga, Dougga is one of Tunisia's premiere and well-preserved archaeological sites. The site of Dougga, with its numerous temples, dominates a hilltop of this lush region. At the height of its prosperity around the 2-3rd centuries AD, Dougga only had around 5,000 inhabitants. The number of temples and other important buildings suggests that the city was of great significance and likely was inhabited by Numidian princes.