Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said day trip: the complete guide
A Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said day trip covers the old medina of Tunis in the morning, the Roman and Punic ruins of Carthage around midday and the blue and white village of Sidi Bou Said in the afternoon. The three sit within 20 km of each other, so one day is enough. Leave at 08:00 and you are back at a Hammamet hotel by about 16:30.
Excursion Tunisia team, Hammamet8 min read
On this page
- Is a Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said day trip worth it?
- What does the day look like, hour by hour?
- What should you see in the Tunis medina?
- What is there to see at Carthage?
- How long do you need in Sidi Bou Said?
- How much do tickets cost in 2026?
- Should you take a private tour, a group tour or go on your own?
- What should you wear and bring?
- When is the best time to go?
- How do you book this day trip?
- Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said day trip: your questions
Is a Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said day trip worth it?
Yes, if you only have one day for the capital. A Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said day trip covers two UNESCO World Heritage sites, the medina of Tunis and the archaeological site of Carthage, plus the most photographed village in the country.
What makes the day work is geography. The medina is in the centre of Tunis, Carthage sits on the coast about 15 km north east, and Sidi Bou Said is on the hill just above Carthage. You spend far more time walking than driving, which is rare for a day trip in Tunisia.
The day suits first-time visitors, couples, families with children over six and anyone staying in Hammamet who wants to see the "real" north without changing hotel. It suits people less well if they want a slow day by the sea, or if they would rather spend six hours in one museum. For that, see our guide to the best things to do in Tunis.
What does the day look like, hour by hour?
The route we drive starts with the medina while it is cool and quiet, moves to Carthage for the late morning, and ends in Sidi Bou Said when the light turns soft. These are the real times of our private day from Hammamet:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 08:00 | Your driver meets you at hotel reception |
| 08:15 | Motorway north to Tunis, about one hour |
| 09:15 | Tunis medina: the Zitouna Mosque, the souks and the old palaces |
| 10:45 | Short drive to Carthage |
| 11:15 | Carthage: Antonine Baths, Byrsa Hill and the Punic ports |
| 12:45 | Lunch in Carthage or Sidi Bou Said, paid on the spot |
| 13:45 | Sidi Bou Said: the lanes, the cafés and the view over the gulf |
| 15:15 | Drive back south |
| 16:30 | Drop-off at your hotel door |
Because the car is private, these times are a plan, not a rule. If the souks hold you for an extra hour, the driver shortens the next stop or you get back a little later. Every one of our days ends at your hotel by 18:00 at the latest.
What should you see in the Tunis medina?
Start at the Zitouna Mosque, the heart of the medina since the 8th century, then walk the covered souks that radiate from it. The medina holds around 700 monuments inside its old walls, so you need a plan for 90 minutes, not a list.
- Zitouna Mosque. Non-Muslim visitors can look into the marble courtyard from the visitor area in the morning. The prayer hall stays closed to visitors.
- Souk El Attarine. The perfume market, right next to the mosque, still sells essential oils by the drop.
- Souk Ech Chaouachia. Workshops that have made the red felt chechia hat for centuries.
- Rooftop views. Several carpet shops let you climb to their terraces for a look over the minarets. It is free, and a polite "no, thank you" downstairs is enough.
What is there to see at Carthage?
Carthage is not one site but a scatter of them across a modern suburb. In 90 minutes, focus on three: the Antonine Baths by the sea, Byrsa Hill with its museum and view, and the round Punic military port.
The Antonine Baths were among the largest Roman baths ever built, and the setting on the shore makes the scale easy to grasp. Byrsa Hill is where the Punic city stood before Rome destroyed it in 146 BC. The Punic ports, two linked basins near Salammbô, explain how Carthage became a naval power.
How long do you need in Sidi Bou Said?
Ninety minutes is enough to walk the main lanes, sit at a café terrace and see the view; two hours if you want to visit a house museum too. The village is small, steep and best on foot.
- Café des Délices. Terraces stepping down the cliff towards the marina. Order mint tea with pine nuts.
- Café des Nattes. The old café at the top of the main stairs, with mats on the benches.
- Dar Ennejma Ezzahra. The palace of Baron Rodolphe d'Erlanger, now a centre for Arab and Mediterranean music. It closes on Mondays.
- Bambalouni. The local doughnut, fried to order and dusted with sugar, sold from small counters along the main street.
How much do tickets cost in 2026?
Expect to pay 20 dinars at Carthage, a few dinars at the Zitouna Mosque and nothing to walk around Sidi Bou Said. Tunisia raised entry prices for foreign visitors on 1 April 2026, and a second increase is planned for January 2027.
| Site | Since April 2026 | From January 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Carthage archaeological sites | 20 | 30 |
| Bardo National Museum | 30 | 45 |
| Bardo and Carthage combined ticket | 45 | 70 |
| Zitouna Mosque | about 5 | about 5 |
| Dar Ennejma Ezzahra, Sidi Bou Said | about 10 | not announced |
| Sidi Bou Said village | free | free |
Students with an international student card pay a reduced rate of 2 dinars at state-run sites. Tickets are paid in cash at each entrance, so bring dinars: euros are not accepted at ticket offices. The new price grid was published by the Tunisian authorities and reported by Business News in April 2026.
Should you take a private tour, a group tour or go on your own?
From a beach hotel, a private car is the most practical choice for two people or more. From central Tunis, the TGM light railway makes a do-it-yourself day easy and cheap. Shared coach tours sit in between: cheap per seat, but slow and rigid.
| Private day with a driver | Shared coach tour | On your own | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | From 70 € per vehicle from Tunis, 80 € from Hammamet | Per person, varies by hotel | About 2 dinars by train, plus taxis |
| Pickup | Your hotel at 08:00 | Several hotels, often earlier | You get yourself there |
| Group | Only you, 1 to 12 people | Often 20 to 50 people | Only you |
| Time at each stop | You decide | Fixed for the bus | You decide |
| Shopping stops | Only if you ask | Common | None |
| Best for | Families, couples, small groups | Solo travellers on a budget | Travellers staying in Tunis |
If you go on your own from Tunis, the TGM leaves from Tunis Marine roughly every 20 minutes and stops at Carthage Hannibal and Sidi Bou Said. From Hammamet or Sousse there is no simple public route, which is why most visitors book a car.
What should you wear and bring?
Wear comfortable shoes and clothes that cover your shoulders and knees. The medina has a mosque and uneven stone lanes, Carthage has no shade at all, and Sidi Bou Said is built on a slope.
- A light scarf, useful for the mosque and for the sun
- Hat, sunglasses and sun cream from April to October
- At least 1.5 litres of water per person
- Cash in dinars for tickets, lunch and cafés
- A phone with WhatsApp to reach your driver
When is the best time to go?
Spring and autumn are best: March to May and September to November bring 20 to 28 °C and soft light in Sidi Bou Said. Summer works too thanks to the 08:00 start, and winter days are mild and quiet.
- Avoid Mondays if you want to add the Bardo Museum or Dar Ennejma Ezzahra, both closed that day.
- Friday is the main prayer day, so the medina is calmer but mosque visits stop around midday.
- Weekends fill Sidi Bou Said with families from Tunis. A weekday is quieter.
How do you book this day trip?
Choose your pickup city, your date and the size of your group in the booking form on this page; the price updates as you go and you pay nothing online. We confirm within two hours by email or WhatsApp, with the driver's name.
The full Grand Tunis excursion page shows the route on a map and the price for every city and group size. If you are planning several days, our 3, 5 or 7 day Tunisia itinerary shows how this day fits with the rest of the country.
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Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said day trip: your questions
Can you do Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said in one day?
Yes. The three places are within 20 km of each other, so a full day gives about 90 minutes in each with time for lunch. Starting at 08:00 from Hammamet, you are back at your hotel around 16:30. From a Tunis hotel the drives are even shorter.
How much does a Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said day trip cost?
With us, a private day costs from 70 € per vehicle from Tunis and 80 € from Hammamet for up to four people. Larger groups pay a little more for a bigger vehicle. Entry tickets are extra, about 25 dinars per person in total since April 2026.
Is the Bardo Museum included?
Not by default, because adding it leaves little time in Sidi Bou Said. You can swap the medina or Carthage for the Bardo if mosaics matter more to you. The museum is closed on Mondays and costs 30 dinars for foreign visitors since April 2026.
Can non-Muslims enter the Zitouna Mosque?
Non-Muslim visitors can view the courtyard from a visitor area, usually in the morning outside prayer times, for a small fee. The prayer hall is closed to visitors. Cover your shoulders and knees, and expect visits to stop around Friday midday prayers.
Is Sidi Bou Said worth visiting?
Yes, for the view over the Gulf of Tunis, the blue doors and the café terraces. The village is small, so 90 minutes to two hours is enough. Go in the afternoon for the best light, and on a weekday if you can, since weekends get busy.
Book your Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said day trip
Pick your date in the form above, pay nothing online and meet your driver at reception at 08:00 for your Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said day trip.