- 2 days ago
Tunisia doesn't attract as many visitors as its North African neighbour Morocco, but this incredible country is full of surprises! In this travel documentary, I set off on an epic road trip across Tunisia, exploring Carthage, El Jem, Monastir before heading south to the Sahara Desert and the traditional Berber villages and fortified ksars of Tataouine and the fascinating underground troglodyte homes of Matmata. With some of the best preserved Roman ruins in North Africa, beautiful Mediterranean beaches, ancient Islamic fortresses and a rich Amazigh heritage, Tunisia is one of North Africa's most underrated travel destinations! Join me as I discover what makes Tunisia such a fascinating place to explore and why it deserves a spot on your travel bucket list.
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00:09Right at the heart of North Africa, between the Mediterranean and the Sahara, is Tunisia,
00:15a country shaped by the people and civilizations that have passed through here for millennia.
00:20But compared to places like Morocco, Tunisia still feels relatively overlooked by travelers.
00:26So in this video I'm traveling across the country, from the Mediterranean coast to the Sahara
00:32desert, to see what Tunisia is really like today.
00:36Its landscapes, its history, its culture and the people who live here.
00:56On the Mediterranean coast sits a vibrant metropolis Tunis, Tunisia's modern capital.
01:02But just outside the city are the remains of a much older power, one that shaped this part
01:08of North Africa long before Tunisia existed as the country we know today.
01:12And this is where I'm starting my journey.
01:15From here, the Carthaginians built a civilization that controlled major trade routes and territories
01:21across North Africa, Southern Europe and the Mediterranean islands, eventually becoming
01:26one of Rome's greatest rivals.
01:29Today Carthage remains a foundational part of Tunisia's national history and the identity
01:34of Tunisians themselves.
01:42I have come to the ancient city of Carthage and this place really is the historical heart
01:49of Tunisia and its very beginnings.
01:52It was founded by Phoenician settlers nearly 3000 years ago and this was the place that gave
01:58rise to the Punic culture, which was essentially a mixing between Phoenician settlers that came from
02:04what's today known as Lebanon and the native Amazia people.
02:09So it was a home of a mighty civilization that ruled across much of the Mediterranean.
02:20Eventually, Rome and Carthage fought the brutal Punic Wars with Rome coming out on top, being
02:26victorious and basically destroying this Punic city.
02:30They then built a huge, powerful Roman metropolis.
02:33So that's why when you come to Carthage today, it is lots of ruins just scattered across this
02:38huge site all along the coast, facing the glittering Mediterranean Sea.
02:55I'm at the Antonine Baths and these are one of the most impressive ruins of Roman Carthage.
03:00They give you a really good idea of how powerful and wealthy Roman Carthage was.
03:06This was a huge, sprawling bath complex, the largest outside of Rome itself and the biggest ever to be built
03:15on the African continent.
03:24You have to use your imagination quite a bit when walking through these ruins.
03:28What I'm walking through right now is essentially the ground floor of the baths.
03:33So the actual bathing rooms would have been built on top of these arches.
03:38So they would have had an amazing view of the coast.
03:41So essentially, it was like a second century luxury resort.
04:05Further south from Carthage is a friendly coastal city of Monastir, with picturesque views overlooking the Mediterranean.
04:12Here, the rhythm of local life is very much in sync with the laid-back vibes one would expect from
04:18a seaside town.
04:20And at the very edge of the Corniche, overlooking Monastir Beach, lies a centuries-old ribat of Monastir.
04:50This is quite the fortress. It was built all the way back in the 8th century AD.
04:56And essentially, it was built to defend from potential attacks from the Byzantine Empire.
05:03Different Muslim dynasties that ruled in Tunisia, like the Agulabids, the Hafsids, the Fatimids,
05:08they all added to the fortress over the centuries.
05:11So of course, it's right in front of the sea, in front of the Mediterranean.
05:15So a prime strategic position to be able to see invaders coming in from the coast.
05:31So the name of this fortress is the ribat of Monastir. So ribat was a fortress.
05:37And this is one of the oldest and best preserved Islamic fortresses in the whole of North Africa.
05:48It's incredible just walking around and exploring the different rooms.
05:52For example, from here, you get a view of this sprawling cemetery.
05:56And it's just very picturesque because it's lots of white gravestones
06:00against the bright blue of the sea behind it in the distance.
06:07I'm going to climb up the 100 or so steps to the top of the tower.
06:19Wow, made it to the top of the tower. The views are incredible.
06:26The sea looks stunning. And then on the other side,
06:31you've got views of the city and the old Medina. What an absolutely breathtaking view.
07:10A cross from the ribat,
07:12as the lavish tomb of Habib Bourguiba,
07:14the final resting place of the man
07:17considered to be the founding father of modern Tunisia.
07:20Born in Monastir,
07:22Bourguiba led the independence movement
07:24against French colonial rule
07:26and became the first president
07:27of an independent Tunisian republic in 1956,
07:31ruling the country for three decades after.
07:52Heading west from Monastir
07:54and into Tunisia's interior,
07:56the roads are lined with thousands of rows of olive trees,
08:00one of the area's main sources of economic activity.
08:04A short journey leads to Kairouan,
08:06considered the fourth and most holy place
08:09in the Islamic world,
08:10the Great Mosque of Kairouan lies at its centre
08:13and is the oldest existing Muslim place of worship
08:16in North Africa.
08:36It really does feel so peaceful
08:38in the courtyard of this mosque
08:40and just knowing that it was the first ever mosque
08:43to be built in Tunisia,
08:45all the way back in the 7th century AD.
08:48I really think it's quite unique
08:49in terms of the architecture
08:51because it's all kind of exposed stone.
08:55So it's got quite a fortress-like feel to it
08:58which is very different.
09:11The cemetery is just beautiful.
09:14All of these arches in stone and the columns,
09:19a lot of it was built using the ruins
09:20from ancient Carthage.
09:30This door looks amazing.
09:32It's all made of wood,
09:34beautiful designs and carvings.
09:36It's just incredible.
09:37What an amazing entrance to the mosque.
09:41The inside of the mosque,
09:42you can just see hundreds of horseshoe arches
09:45and again the use of these recycled Roman
09:48and Byzantine columns.
09:49So it's just an amazing blend
09:51of Islamic architecture
09:52and then Romanesque style architecture.
10:16The Kasbah or Islamic fortress
10:18is still surrounded by thick stone walls
10:21which encircle the ancient Medina
10:23where people have lived and worked
10:25for a thousand years
10:26and a walk through its narrow streets
10:28reveal glimpses of its rich history.
10:32This Medina is fascinating
10:34when you walk through it.
10:36You really feel like you've gone back in time.
10:38It's pretty quiet at the moment
10:40because it is the hottest time of the day
10:43but I just love coming across things like this
10:46which was probably an old fountain.
10:48So you've still got the original mosaics
10:50which are beautiful.
10:51I must say it's very different
10:53to the Medina of Tunis
10:55because it's characterised
10:56by these white small buildings
10:59with bright blue shutters and doors.
11:02So it's got a very Mediterranean feel to it actually
11:05and I suppose it's really great
11:06for the heat to have everything in white.
11:09It is one of the holiest cities in Islam
11:11so actually if you come here
11:13it's said that you've done already
11:14one-seventh of the pilgrimage to Mecca.
11:16So it's a very holy place for Muslims.
11:46So you've got lots of artisans
11:49that still weave these carpets.
11:51so you can see him using his feet.
11:54Oh.
11:57Wow.
11:58So you can see the silver thread
12:00making the lines.
12:02Wow, it's sports, sports.
12:04Hard, it's hard.
12:07Tiring, right?
12:10How long for this?
12:12Duzel.
12:13Duzel.
12:14Duzel.
12:15Two hours and this is a scarf or a dress?
12:19Shard.
12:19Shard.
12:20Shard.
12:21But like this?
12:22Oui.
12:23Wow, amazing.
12:24Merci beaucoup.
12:24Very interesting.
12:26Aishik, Aishik.
12:27Very interesting.
12:28Yeah.
12:39Kairouan is also the birthplace
12:41of Tunisia's emblematic sweet snack
12:43the Makroud
12:45and the Baruta Souk
12:46is the best place to find them.
12:48These delicious pastries
12:50are made of semolina,
12:52dates,
12:53sugar,
12:53water
12:54and lemon
12:54and they've been made in Kairouan
12:56for centuries.
13:00Shukran.
13:02So,
13:03you've got this syrupy pastry
13:05and it's got
13:06almond?
13:07Almond.
13:08Almond.
13:08Oh, this one, no.
13:10Dat.
13:11Dat.
13:12Dat.
13:12Dat, so dates.
13:14Mmm.
13:15It's so good.
13:16It's incredibly sweet.
13:19Absolutely delicious.
13:20I'm getting an assortment
13:21of makrouds
13:22because they have all different types.
13:24This is a variety
13:25of all makrouds.
13:27The almond,
13:28noir,
13:28they're all very syrupy
13:30and very delicious.
13:42Don't forget to join
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13:44for access to bonus footage
13:45from my trips
13:46and personal Q&As with me
13:48where I answer your questions
13:49like where I'm from
13:50and how I got started
13:51with content creation.
13:52The link to join
13:53is in the description box below.
13:58Just southeast of Kairouan
14:00is the city of El Jem,
14:02an unassuming town
14:04at first glance
14:05with a familiar scene
14:06of locals
14:07going about their day
14:08in the busy market streets
14:10as daily life unfolds
14:12around the main mosque.
14:13But it's not long
14:14until the impressive outline
14:16of El Jem amphitheatre
14:18starts to emerge
14:19at its very centre.
14:21Built in the 3rd century AD
14:23by Emperor Gordian,
14:24it's the 3rd largest
14:26Roman amphitheatre
14:27in the world.
14:50Wow, this is absolutely
14:52incredible.
15:03This has got to be
15:05the biggest surprise
15:06for me yet
15:07during my trip
15:08throughout Tunisia.
15:09I had no idea
15:11that it hid
15:11one of the best preserved
15:13Roman amphitheatres
15:15in the Mediterranean.
15:16And just standing here,
15:18it is absolutely
15:19breathtaking.
15:31All forms of entertainment
15:33that were popular
15:34in the Roman Empire
15:36like gladiator fights
15:37were held here
15:38and it's thought
15:38that the amphitheatre
15:39held around 35,000 spectators
15:43and even today
15:45they have events
15:46for various artistic performances.
15:48So it's really amazing
15:49because it's a continuity
15:50between ancient history
15:52and modern traditions.
16:01What's great
16:02about this amphitheatre
16:04is the fact
16:04that you can actually
16:05come underground
16:06and explore underground
16:09which you can't do
16:10in the Rome Colosseum.
16:20Oh my God,
16:21this is unbelievable.
16:23This is where
16:24they would have
16:24essentially kept
16:25wild animals
16:27and gladiators
16:28caged up
16:29and they would have
16:30been lifted
16:31straight up
16:32by a pulley system
16:33into the arena floor
16:35ready to fight
16:36just thinking about
16:37what was to await them.
16:52Wow, from down here
16:54essentially the arena
16:56just looking up
16:58you can just imagine
17:00thousands of spectators
17:02watching you
17:03and the brutal fights
17:04to the death
17:05of the gladiators.
17:07It's just crazy
17:07to imagine the events
17:09that would have gone on
17:10on this stage.
17:33The nearby archaeological museum
17:36is a fascinating glimpse
17:37of what the ancient city
17:39of Elgem
17:40would have been like.
17:41with vibrant
17:42highly detailed mosaics
17:43that were found
17:44in local villas
17:45during excavation
17:46now on display
17:47at the museum.
17:55This really brings to life
17:57how wealthy
17:58the Roman city
18:00of Elgem was.
18:01So they've got
18:02lots of mosaics
18:03that were excavated
18:04from these Roman villas
18:06and it's just
18:07really interesting
18:08to see some of the designs
18:10that they had
18:12in their homes.
18:13I mean,
18:13these were very luxurious
18:14Roman villas
18:15so probably very wealthy people
18:17that were living here
18:17and you still have
18:18some of the ancient Roman ruins
18:19at the back of the museum.
18:21It's fascinating.
18:38Heading further south
18:39towards the Sahara,
18:41the landscape becomes
18:42more arid.
18:43There is little vegetation here
18:45except for the sporadic palm oases
18:47suggesting a spring nearby.
18:50Mat Marta is one of many
18:52troglodyte villages
18:53found in this part of Tunisia.
18:55Built by the native
18:57Amazir people,
18:58these homes were dug underground
19:00and represent
19:01a highly sophisticated
19:02architecture
19:03designed to maximise security
19:05and survive
19:06extreme weather conditions.
19:08Although most families
19:09now live in the new part of town,
19:11some still choose to live
19:13in their ancestral homes.
19:29So from up here,
19:30you can really appreciate
19:32how they have dug
19:34into the earth
19:35like at least 10 metres deep
19:37to basically make
19:38a central pit
19:40or a courtyard.
19:41This is so unique
19:42to see the sort of subterranean
19:44living out here
19:46in the desert.
19:47I've never seen
19:48anything like it before.
19:53I'm going to go
19:54and have a look around
19:55inside this troglodyte settlement
19:58but what's very interesting
20:00are the symbols.
20:01The Amazir had a lot
20:02of different symbols.
20:03I think the fish
20:04was one of the ones
20:05they had above the front door
20:06to ward off the evil eye.
20:11You can see the way
20:12to the central courtyard
20:14is via this tunnel
20:16that they have dug
20:17parallel to the courtyard
20:19and it's already so cool
20:21which is why they built it
20:23deep into the earth
20:24because actually
20:25even though it's so hot,
20:27earth is like a natural insulator
20:29so it actually keeps
20:30the temperature regulated.
20:32Oh, look at the little cat
20:33having a nice sleep.
20:36Wow, so this is
20:38the courtyard.
20:39You've got all the rooms
20:41and the openings
20:42around the courtyard
20:43so this would have been
20:44all the different rooms
20:45to sleep, cook in,
20:46to store things
20:48like dates,
20:48olive oil, honey.
20:53So this is a storage room
20:55and you can see
20:57this is perfect
20:58for storing things
20:59like olive oil.
21:00It actually smells
21:00very strongly of olives
21:02in here
21:02but because the room
21:03is cool
21:04a lot of the food produce
21:05would have been fine
21:06and it wouldn't have gone off.
21:07This room also seems
21:08to be the preferred room
21:09of this group of cats
21:11and kittens
21:12which is taken
21:12to just sleeping here.
21:14I mean, it's so nice
21:14and cool.
21:15I don't blame them.
21:23I don't blame them
21:25It's me Malini
21:27I'm the other one
21:28My Zezia
21:29My Zezia
21:31Zezia
21:31Zezia
21:31Zezia
21:32Oh, okay
21:32so she's one of the
21:33women who live here
21:35Oh, okay
21:36Wow
21:39Grains
21:40This is the grains
21:41so this is a way that they would grind grains the traditional way it's hard difficult and it's a
21:53heart a heart it's all natural materials which is fascinating because it really shows you you know
22:00back in the days when they didn't have tools and electricity and things like that they still you
22:06know they still do that today I'll try now to my hand that's it it's hard it's difficult it's actually
22:18really quite tough on me on the arms but it makes me realize how hard these people have to work
22:25wow
22:29I shook very kind of salt it's very hot yeah and this is a really amazing such a you know
22:37it feels
22:37like I've gone back in time sitting in this small room with this traditional Amazigh woman thank you
22:44so much as lemma so the family have very nicely laid out a little spread for me and of course
23:03the
23:04native Amazigh people they live off things like olive oil production honey production so see that really
23:13traditional mud brick oven that they use to make their traditional bread so it's made in a very
23:20artisan way and then you just dip it in their local olive oil it's just a great sustenance so nice
23:31coming to a house like this is a really great insight into how the local people live and how they
23:37do
23:37things like they make tea they're making the local harissa spicy red paste visitors can kind of get an
23:45insight into what it's like to live in one of these troglodyte villages okay a chameleon has just appeared in
23:52the courtyard whoa they get angry at each other wow I've never seen a chameleon that was a surprise I
24:03was
24:03not expecting to see a chameleon nearby is the Amazigh village of Tujan a perfect place to rest for the
24:25night staying in one of the troglodyte homes is the best way to appreciate this unique way of living
24:31it's quite an adventurous experience and it's a fascinating place to go for a sunset hike
24:37take in the views and get a sense of authentic Amazigh life
24:44I'm just taking a stroll in the mountains high up above the town of Tujan where I'm staying tonight
24:51from up here you can see the Berber homes and many of them again have been carved into the earth
24:59it's like a real living town it's not touristic so you can really see how people live here it's a
25:05simple and humble way of living there's a lot of livestock because the town is well known for
25:11sheep and goats especially the grilling of sheep and goats but it kind of feels like I've gone back
25:16in time I mean things haven't changed that much in terms of how people live here it's still very much
25:21a
25:21raw way of living where they're living off the land raising their livestock carving their homes into this
25:28natural material it's just amazing
25:54I've woken up to a beautiful view over the mountains here in the Sahara in Tunisia so I'm in
26:01Tujan right now and I've got this amazing breakfast spread it's really great staying in the local Amazigh
26:09homestead like this one and experiencing local life tasting local delicacies so I'm just going to enjoy
26:15this before setting off further south and exploring more of the Sahara I've been dying
26:22to try the local honey here because that's a specialty of the region
26:36continuing further south to the region of Tatahuin the drive is dominated by epic views of the Dehar mountain range
26:43with a unique mix of vast rocky plateaus crumbling cliffs and sharp rocky spurs
26:50one of the most unique features of this part of Tunisia are the Sars found along the way
26:55some of which are very well preserved
27:10I've come to something that is incredibly unique here in Tunisia which is the Sars which is the arabic word
27:17for castle so these are very very unique structures and you'll find them all over the south of Tunisia
27:25around the city of Tatooine and they're essentially fortified Berber villages and they were used to
27:32store grain so to store the whole harvest of the season but also sometimes they were used as living
27:39quarters and you can see the walls are very thick so essentially they're made of thick mud brick and then
27:45the doors they used a kind of heavy palm wood and you actually have some steps that lead up to
27:52the upper floors
28:03it's amazing being able to climb up the Sars just to see the rooms I mean they're empty now but
28:11you can
28:11imagine when it was a fully functioning kind of granary storage place and the views you get from top
28:20360 degree views are amazing from up here
28:30if this place looks familiar it's because it was the setting and one of the filming locations for
28:36Star Wars and many of the movies so they actually used this location as one of the villages in the
28:44fictional planet of Tatooine and actually the town near here is called Tatooine so that's where
28:49they took the name from this is very interesting because this place was discovered a long time ago by
28:55Hollywood probably because of how kind of otherworldly the structures are
29:13i've just climbed up and the views from here are mind-blowing it really does feel like another world
29:20it reminds me of where luke skywalker lived in star wars it is like another planet
29:42traveling through tunisia has shown me just how much variety there is in this relatively small country
29:48from ancient ruins and important religious sites to traditional villages dramatic landscapes
29:55and the communities that still keep many of these customs alive every part of the journey has felt
30:02different but i also feel like i've only scratched the surface there is still so much more of tunisia i'd
30:09like to see and hopefully it won't be long before i'm back to explore more of this fascinating part of
30:15north africa
30:18so
30:25you
30:27you