Tunisia School Group Holiday

This morning you head 100 km due west to the ancient city of Dougga, the best location of any of Tunisia’s ancient ruins set amongst the plains with its picture postcard grand imperial monuments improbably intact. You will have a guided tour of the archaeological sites. The next stop is Bulla Regia where you visit its underground villas. These amazing villas were built by the wealthy inhabitants and many of them still have their beautiful mosaic floors intact. Next you visit the roman site of Chemtou to see the impressive results of ancient industrial archaeology which have been sympathetically displayed and interpreted in a superb museum. Finally head to Le Kef and check into your hotel. Overnight: Hotel Leklil (BLD)

An early start, visiting the spiritual and religious capital of Tunisia, Kairouan. The city was the first base for the conquering Arab Muslim armies from the east back in the 7th century. Still surrounded by its historic town walls,  you visit the Great Mosque and can also visit the Islamic Art museum, time depending. Next, you will venture to to the spectacular El Djem coliseum (approx 3 hours),  arguably Tunisia’s greatest highlight – the Amphitheatre of El Djem. The tiny town of El Djem - little more than a village really - stands at the centre of an extensive plain covered with olive trees. Somewhat incongruously for such a small place, it’s the site of an enormous amphitheatre – the third largest in the Roman world (after the Colosseum in Rome and Capua near Naples), and the largest Roman monument in North Africa. After Emperor Hadrian fostered the planting of olive trees, the town became such an important centre of olive oil production that its population reached 30,000. Quite who took the decision to construct such a huge building remains unknown, but it was never completed. It was obviously a massive undertaking as the nearest quarries are around 30kms away, and although the stone is relatively soft and so easy to cut, it still had to be transported to the site! The amphitheatre remains incredibly intact and you can climb up several storeys for a great overall view. You can even explore the tunnels under the arena itself where the animals and gladiators would have waited before being released into the bright sun to fight for their lives. It is not difficult to imagine what it was like when the Romans enjoyed the spectacle here or the atmosphere as swords clashed.
Finally, arrive in Sousse (approx 1 hour) where you will spend your last night in Tunisia. Sousse wears many hats as it is a commercial port, tourist beach resort and an old fortified medina. It is this last element that interests us most and you’ll spend the morning exploring the narrow twisting alleyways of the old town. Stalls selling everything from spices to trinkets spill out onto the streets; the variety is amazing and really gives a flavour for North Africa.Overnight: Hotel Medina (BLD)