Mediterranean Magic, Tunisia, October 2025

Part 2 of the Maghreb chronicles finds me in Tunisia – a breeze to travel through and noticeably more liberal. Things have taken a distinctly Mediterranean seaside turn.

Forgive me as I didn’t skip my history lesson while I was distracted by the Mediterranean views. The name Carthage is renowned in antiquity- the powerful capital and port of the Phoenician civilisation which controlled all ship traffic through the western Mediterranean. Later it was the strategic capital of the Roman African province and then one of a string of seaside forts of the Arab and Ottoman empires. 

Unfortunately Carthage was destroyed almost completely a millennium ago but the spectacular survivor is the Roman theatre at El Jem which is second only to the Colosseum in Rome in its preservation and magnificence. It lasted almost 2 millennia before some quarreling Ottoman nobles blasted some cannonballs through one side of it. But the photos need no explanation- the ancient sandstone bricks burning bright red under the African sky, it remains an awe-inspiring structure.

The modern charm of Tunisia is definitely embodied by the whitewashed villages perched on the hillsides above the Mediterranean.  Blue studded doors, moorish arches and Arabic balconies are a clue that we’re not on the Greek islands. The Medinas are tangled laneways with splashes of red bougainvillea, vividly coloured doors and turquoise sea glimpses. Add clambering over city ramparts, climbing forts, shopping in the Medina and feasting on seafood and I am perfectly entertained!