Carthage archaeological site: how to plan your 2026 visit

The ruins of Carthage are scattered across a leafy suburb of Tunis, between the sea and the Byrsa hill. Founded in the 9th century BC by Phoenicians from Tyre, the city was Rome's great rival until its destruction in 146 BC, then rebuilt under the Romans into one of the largest cities of the empire. What remains today is a UNESCO-listed site spread over several kilometres, which is why a plan helps.

The must-see locations

• The Antonine Baths, on the seashore, the largest Roman thermae outside Rome itself.
• The Byrsa Hill and the Carthage National Museum, with the best Punic collection.
• The Punic Ports, the original commercial and military harbours.
• The Roman amphitheatre and the cisterns of La Malga.
• The Tophet, the Phoenician sacred precinct.

How to get there from Tunis

Carthage is about 17 kilometres north-east of central Tunis. A Rumble taxi takes around 25 minutes outside of rush hour. The TGM light-rail line stops at multiple Carthage stations (Salammbô, Hannibal, Carthage Présidence) but walking between sites in summer heat is tiring; many visitors prefer to keep their taxi for the morning and visit two or three sites with the same driver.

Tickets and timing

A single ticket covers the main archaeological zones for one day. Most sites are open from 8:30 to 17:00 in winter and to 18:00 or 19:00 in summer. Avoid the middle of the day in July and August, the Antonine Baths and the Tophet have very little shade.

Suggested half-day itinerary

Start at the Byrsa Hill and the museum to get the historical context, then descend to the Antonine Baths for the dramatic seafront ruins, finish at the Punic Ports for a quieter walk by the water. Combine with lunch and an afternoon in Sidi Bou Said, ten minutes further up the coast, and you have one of the great Mediterranean day trips.

Carthage is not a single ruin but a constellation of them, scattered through a beautiful suburb. The best visits are unhurried, with time for the museum and time for the sea.

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