Carthage Archaeological Tour: Phoenician Ruins & Village

Walk through five-story Punic house foundations and the twin harbors that challenged Carthage

A guided tour of Carthage's archaeological sites and the village of Sidi Bou Said, departing from Tunis. You visit Byrsa Hill and the Carthage National Museum to see Phoenician settlements from 814 BC, explore the Punic Ports (two ancient basins that reveal Carthaginian naval mastery), and the Tophet sanctuary, then spend time wandering the white-walled, blue-doored streets of Sidi Bou Said perched above the Mediterranean. The tour runs four hours with private transportation, entrance fees and an air-conditioned vehicle. A guide speaks your choice of English, Spanish, Italian, French or five other languages.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Carthage and Sidi Bou Said

• Depart to Carthage
• Explore Punic Carthage ruins
• See Punic Ports basins
• Visit Tophet burial ground
• Travel to Sidi Bou Said village
• Stroll cobbled streets
• Browse boutiques for souvenirs
• Relax at cliff-side Moorish café

The experience

What makes Carthage worth a morning is the layering of what remains: the Phoenician city founded in 814 BC, the Roman destruction in 146 BC, and the excavations that have since uncovered the foundations of five-story Punic houses, each with its own cistern and drainage system. Byrsa Hill holds the earliest settlements, and just below it sits the Carthage National Museum. The two basins of the Punic Ports are the most striking. They show how the Carthaginians engineered their harbor and why Rome found them so threatening. The Tophet, a burial ground and sanctuary dedicated to the deities Tanit and Baal, rounds out the pre-Roman sites.

After the archaeological sites, the tour moves to Sidi Bou Said, a village that sits high on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean. The streets are narrow and cobbled. The walls are white, the doors and window grids a contrasting sky blue. You walk at your own pace through the winding lanes, stop at boutiques for souvenirs, or settle into a Moorish café on the cliff edge. It is a different kind of stop (less excavation, more atmosphere), and it gives the day a rhythm between ruin and living village.

What’s included

• Private transportation and an air-conditioned vehicle.
• entrance fees to the archaeological sites.
• a live guide in your choice of language.
• pickup from your hotel or meeting point.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day13 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 14:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Senior (66 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 36 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by COMPASS TRAVEL & EVENTS

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you're visiting multiple Carthage sites in one morning and want a guide to untangle the Phoenician, Roman and later layers. The four-hour pace leaves your afternoon open.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Russian, Japanese and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the Tophet at Carthage?

The Tophet is a burial ground and sanctuary of the Punic deities Tanit and Baal, part of the pre-Roman Carthage sites you visit on the tour.

Can I see the actual Punic houses at Carthage?

Yes. Recent excavations have revealed the foundations of five-story Punic houses, each with its own cistern and drainage system, visible on Byrsa Hill below the Carthage National Museum.

How long do we spend in Sidi Bou Said?

The tour is four hours total, with time split between the Carthage archaeological sites and the village of Sidi Bou Said. You walk the streets and can browse boutiques or sit at a café at your own pace.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible. Transportation options are wheelchair accessible, and infants and small children can ride in a pram, stroller or specialized infant seat.