Tunis walking route: Carthage ruins to La Marsa seaside
Explore Tunis, Tunisia across a 52.8 km route connecting the city's layered history and vibrant culture. The journey spans from the ancient Carthage ruins and the historic Medina's traditional souks - including the Jewelry and Gold Souk - to modern attractions like Avenue Habib Bourguiba, the Municipal Theater, Marché Central, and the seaside suburb of La Marsa.
- Distance
- 52.8 km
- Duration
- 10 h 34 min
- Mode
- route
- Start
- Carthage Ancient History
- End
- Historic Medina
- Stops
- 9
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Carthage Ancient History — Ruins of the once-mighty Carthaginian empire reveal temples, theaters, and residential quarters that dominated Mediterranean trade for centuries before Roman conquest.
- Jewelry and Gold Souk — An impressive covered market in the medina built in the 15th century originally as a slave market with vaulted ceilings and stone columns.
- 11:47 Southern Tunisia & Sahara
- Ville Nouvelle (New Town) — A grid-like Parisian-style European quarter built by the French next to the historic Arab medina.
- Avenue Habib Bourguiba — A very long avenue in the new part of Tunis named after the first president or prime minister of independent Tunisia.
- Municipal Theater — A building designed in art nouveau style along the boulevard, evoking Paris architecture.
- Marché Central — The central market just outside the old gate of Bab Albad where fresh produce typical of Tunisia is sold.
- 24:23 La Marsa Seaside Suburb — Coastal escape north of Tunis offering Mediterranean beaches, relaxed atmosphere, and waterfront cafés that contrast with the capital's urban intensity.
- Historic Medina — The ancient founding of Tunis created by Arabs in the 7th century AD, featuring traditional architecture and culture.
Useful for your trip
- Timing
- Visit the Medina on Friday when it's busiest and most atmospheric with many locals shopping and the call to prayer from multiple mosques creating an authentic experience.
- Tip
- Enter the Medina through Bab Albad gate, described as perhaps the most famous entrance and the traditional starting point for exploring this ancient 7th-century Arab-founded city.
- Food
- Try Makroud, a traditional Tunisian sweet filled with date paste from the southern Sahara region and nuts like almonds, sold in the Medina souks.
- Food
- Sample Malfuf Chapati, a bread-based traditional Tunisian snack with fillings like chicken, olives, peppers, and spicy sauces available in the Medina.
- Food
- Visit the fish market section of Marché Central for fresh Mediterranean seafood including large prawns and stingray; the market building dates to 1891 and was recently restored.
- Food
- Try Cafeteri, a typical Tunisian snack of minced roasted/fried vegetables (peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, onions) mixed with egg, served with French fries, sausage, salad, haresa paste, and baguette.
- Tip
- Explore the jewelry and gold souk in the Medina, originally built in the 15th century as a slave market with original features like vaulted ceilings and stone columns.
- Tip
- Visit the Al-Zetuna Mosque, the oldest mosque in Tunis and heart of the Medina, where columns were repurposed from ancient Roman Carthage ruins.
- Tip
- Walk through Avenue Habib Bourguiba in Ville Nouvelle (New Town) to see French colonial-era art nouveau and art deco architecture including the Cathedral of Saint Vincent de Paul and Municipal Theater.
- Tip
- Visit La Marsa, a beachside suburb with a more European vibe, to see the modern direction of Tunis development.
- Tip
- Explore residential medina neighborhoods beyond the souks in narrow alleyways and courtyards to see everyday life; look for interconnected buildings with small bridges and colorful historic wooden doors.
Video on this route
TUNIS: A CITY OF CONTRASTS (Tunisia)