Day Tour to Kairouan and Coliseum of El Jem from Sousse
Day Tour to Kairouan and Coliseum of El Jem from Sousse
What about getting camels, carpets, and colossal ruins – all before dinner? Day Tour to Kairouan and Coliseum of El Jem from Sousse is really worth it!
Morning: Kairouan – Holy but Never Humdrum
The day starts in sunny Sousse – beach town, breakfast spot, and launchpad for time travel. After a quick coffee strong enough to wake the dead (and maybe a croissant or three), travelers hop aboard a tour bus, buckle in, and set their GPS to Ancient and Amazing.
First stop: Kairouan – one of the holiest cities in Islam and a place that smells like mint tea, ancient history, and freshly dyed wool. This is not your average pit stop.
Kairouan isn’t just old – it’s seasoned. Think: 7th-century mosques, UNESCO heritage sites, and streets so narrow even Google Maps gives up. The Great Mosque of Kairouan stands proudly with its fortress-like walls and beautifully carved arches, whispering stories of caliphs, scholars, and probably a few mischievous goats.
But don’t worry – this isn’t a place where you have to be solemn and whisper. The carpet souks will suck you in faster than a vacuum cleaner on a mission. One minute you’re admiring the geometric patterns, the next you’re watching a weaver at work, sipping mint tea, and being told this rug is “Berber quality – just for you my friend!”
Spoiler: everyone’s a friend in Kairouan. Especially if you look like you might buy a carpet.
Midday: Let’s Get Colossal – El Jem Is Calling
Just when travelers think they’ve seen it all, the bus rolls into El Jem, home of the best-preserved Roman amphitheater this side of Italy. No, seriously. Tunisia doesn’t like to brag, but El Jem is massive. Picture the Colosseum’s equally dramatic (and slightly less touristy) cousin, standing tall in the middle of a sleepy town that seems entirely unfazed by the fact they have a Roman arena just chilling in the center.
The Coliseum of El Jem could seat over 35,000 ancient sports fans back in the day. Gladiators fought here. Lions roared. And now? Tourists snap selfies while pretending to be Russell Crowe. The echo inside is perfect for dramatic speeches, awkward singing, or yelling, “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!” to absolutely no one.
There’s even a subterranean tunnel system beneath the arena floor. That’s right – spooky stone corridors once used for lions, prisoners, and stagehands. Today, they’re perfect for pretending you’re in an episode of Indiana Jones (minus the snakes, hopefully).
Return to Sousse: Sand, Souvenirs, and Stories
By late afternoon, it’s back to Sousse – sun a little lower, phone gallery bursting with pictures of rugs, ruins, and someone’s inexplicable purchase of a fez.
This day trip offers all the flavors of Tunisia in one glorious package: spiritual wonder, ancient grandeur, cheeky carpet salesmen, and one very large Roman monument that somehow isn’t completely overrun with tourists.
So if you’re in Sousse, don’t just stay by the beach. Go holy, go historical, and maybe go home with a carpet you didn’t mean to buy.
No regrets.
