Getting ashore
La Goulette is about nine miles from the centre of Tunis. The port has two cruise terminals, one for tours only, which is a small building with the immigration desks. Taxis are available, and the port has a displayed price list. Ask for the fare before you set off.
Watch-outs
Many taxi drivers will try to sell you other tours on the way. A polite refusal is enough. Immigration checks can take time, and the tour groups leave on a fixed schedule. Keep your passport and the ship’s card with you.
Carthage
Carthage was the great Phoenician and Roman city. Its ruins include the Antonine Baths, the Byrsa Hill and the Tophet, and the sites are spread out, so a guided tour is the easiest way to see them.
Tunis
The Medina of Tunis is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with narrow lanes, souks and mosques. The Bardo Museum has one of the finest Roman mosaic collections in the world. Dress modestly for the mosques.
Sidi Bou Said
The village of Sidi Bou Said is a hilltop village of white and blue houses above the sea. Its cafés and terraces are a pleasant stop, and it is about 20 minutes by taxi from the port.
Food & shopping
Tunisian food includes brik, couscous and harissa. Mint tea is served in the cafés. Haggling is normal in the souks, and some shops accept only cash.
Money & connectivity
The currency is the Tunisian dinar, which cannot be exchanged freely outside the country, so change any leftover money before you leave. Cards are accepted in larger places, and cash is needed in the souks.
Accessibility & mobility
The terminal is flat, but the Medina and the souks are narrow, uneven and crowded. Carthage and Sidi Bou Said have steep and uneven paths. Ask your tour operator for an air-conditioned vehicle with step access.