Tunisia & Carthage Tour with Nouvelair, Hosted by Ahmet Gülmez

The group meets at Istanbul Airport's international terminal and, after passport and customs procedures, flies to Tunis. After landing at Tunis-Carthage Airport and settling into the vehicle, the group visits the ancient site of Carthage, founded by the Phoenicians on a hill overlooking the Gulf of Tunis. The Tunis city tour that follows includes the old town Medina, Bab El Bahar, Zaytuna Mosque, Youssef Dey Mosque, the birthplace of the historian Ibn Khaldun and the Uqba Mosque where he received his early education, the Turbat al-Bey tombs of Ottoman-era governors, and the city's modern face along Avenue de France and Avenue Habib Bourguiba. The day ends with the drive to Hammamet, Tunisia's tourist center, followed by dinner and an overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, the group travels to Kairouan, founded by Uqba ibn Nafi and the first city in North Africa to embrace Islam, to see the Aghlabid Basins, the tomb of the companion Abu Zama al-Balawi, the Mosque of Uqba, and the Well of Barouta. Next comes the third-century amphitheater at El Djem, followed by Sousse, a Mediterranean coastal town and traditional center for olive oil and textiles whose medina was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988; the tour there covers the mosque, the fortress, the narrow streets, and the blue-and-white Tunisian-style marina district of Port El Kantaoui. The day ends with a return to Hammamet for dinner and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, the group travels to Mahdia, an Ottoman-era coastal town on the Mediterranean, to visit the Borj El Kebir fortress, built in 1595 and the largest Ottoman structure in the town, the old town Medina, the Great Mosque of Mahdia, built in 916 under the Fatimids and a symbol of the city, and Skifa El Kahla, the gate to the old town. The group then continues to the coastal city of Monastir to see the Ribat of Monastir, the town's most important building, originally constructed for defense and now a major attraction, followed by a visit to the mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba. The day ends with a return to Hammamet, a walk through the old town Medina, dinner, and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, the group travels to Nabeul, known for its fine ceramics and pottery workshops; after seeing the old town Medina, the group visits the Bardo National Museum in Tunis, founded in 1888 and, thanks to its rich collection, Africa's second-largest museum after the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, often described as the world's largest mosaic museum. After the museum visit, the group explores Sidi Bou Said, a charming hilltop town overlooking the Mediterranean known for its cobblestone streets and blue-and-white houses. The day ends with the drive to Tunis, dinner, and an overnight stay.