"Tunis" a Tunis Travel Page by Willettsworld

Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, is located at the western side of the Gulf of Tunis in the north-east of the country. It is by far the largest city in Tunisia with a population of 750,000 and estimates of a population of two million in the surrounding area, one fifth of the countries total population. Like the rest of the country, the city has a long history when it was founded by Berbers in the 2nd millennium BC. It was then taken over by Phoenicians from Carthage in the 9th century BC before the Romans destroyed everything in 146 BC. The city was then rebuilt under them and became an important port which it still is home to today.

I started my mini 10 day winter tour around northern Tunisia here. The city has many attractions which can mostly be found in its UNESCO World Heritage Medina that was built by the invading Arabs in the 7th century. Not only can you find the normal souvenir shops you come to expect to find in most Tunisian Medina's but also a large and important mosque, several medersa's (Islamic schools), palaces, other mosques and mausoleums. The modern part of the city known as Ville Nouvelle, which was built by the French in the late 19th century, plays host to several hotels, cafes and restaurants but few attractions. Tunis' other main attraction, the superb Bardo Museum, is located a few kilometers west of Medina and is a must visit even if you're not into Roman history as it houses the world's best collection of Roman mosaics. If, like me, you're a fan of Roman history then head to nearby Carthage which used to be the Roman's most important African city.