Kerkouane
Kerkouane is an ancient Punic city on Cap Bon, with ruins dating to the 6th century BC, that the Romans did not build over. UNESCO inscribed it in 1985. Its houses had private bathrooms and floor mosaics, and its workshops show dye production and metalworking.
- Time on our journeys
- A short visit
- Region
- Cap Bon
- UNESCO World Heritage
- Inscribed in 1985 as the Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis.
- On our journeys
- One of our six private journeys
Visiting Kerkouane
Kerkouane is one of the few Phoenician cities that the Romans did not build over, and one of the best preserved Punic cities. Its ruins date back to the 6th century BC, the height of the Carthaginian Empire, and because it was not rebuilt after its destruction it leaves a rare and unaltered view of Punic urban planning and architecture, without the layers that later cultures added.
The plan is sophisticated, with planned streets and residential quarters in a standardised architectural style. The houses were equipped with features that were advanced for their time, such as private bathrooms and intricate floor mosaics, which points to a high standard of living. Evidence of dye production and metallurgy, and of workshops, shows a city that was an economic centre as well as a place to live. Pottery, tools and inscriptions have been found on the site.
On the twelve day journey Kerkouane is part of the Cap Bon day, after the natural spring at Korbous and El Haouaria and before the castle at Kelibia.
What to see
- The planned streets and residential quarters
- Houses with private bathrooms
- The floor mosaics
- Evidence of dye production and metalworking
Journeys that include Kerkouane
One of our seven journeys visits Kerkouane. The day by day, the hotels and the price are on each journey's own page.
Along the way in Cap Bon
The peninsula pointing at Sicily: hot springs, a Punic town the Romans never built over, and cliffs over the strait.
KerkouaneYou are here. A short visit.
- KelibiaA short visit
- El HaouariaA short visit
- KorbousA short visit
- HammametOne or two nights
Start with Kerkouane.
Tell us it belongs on your route and we shape the rest around your dates. We reply within one business day, US Eastern time. After a twenty minute call, a day by day proposal follows within 48 hours, with the hotels named and a firm price per person.
Starting takes two minutes. We ask for your rough dates, who is travelling and where to reply, and nothing about payment or passports.
Straight to our team in Tunisia.
Your dates, your pace and the budget, in twenty minutes.
The planning guide is free, and it asks for an email address and nothing else. It covers safety in plain terms, when to go, what it costs, getting there from the United States and one sample itinerary.
We reply within one business day, US Eastern time.