This guide takes you on a journey through the stories and sights of Tunis and beyond perfect for families using one base to explore the country’s treasures. With Verdi Tunis Beach Resort as your comfortable, family-friendly starting point, you can uncover ancient cities, colourful villages and desert legends with ease.
Turning Tunisia’s landmarks into your family story
Tunisia might feel like a living film set for kids, where crumbling ruins, maze-like medinas and golden desert dunes spark the imagination. Many of the country’s most impressive sights are UNESCO-listed, but they’re more than just historic checklists. Here, your children can climb ancient steps, trace mosaics with their fingers, and listen to tales of heroes, merchants and mysterious sea gods.
As Tunisia grows in popularity with UK families, its appeal becomes clearer, sunshine, story-rich experiences and surprisingly affordable adventures. If you’re looking for Tunisia landmarks for families, this journey will help turn your trip into a family storybook come to life.
Why Tunisia’s stories captivate families
Tunisia’s history reads like a storybook, layered with Phoenician traders, Roman emperors, Islamic scholars, and French dreamers. That layered past comes alive in gladiator arenas, palace mosaics, coastal villages, and colourful medinas.
For children, history here feels hands-on and fun: places they can run, climb, taste and imagine. From a Roman mosaic of Neptune to the blue-and-white streets of a village that once inspired artists, everywhere has a tale to tell.
Short flight times from the UK and a growing number of family-friendly hotels make this a smart and soulful choice. In this guide, you’ll discover ‘landmarks with a story’, places where your children don’t just visit, they become part of the tale.
Making landmarks work for every age
Tunisia’s historic sites are flexible and forgiving for families.
- Toddlers & preschoolers: open ruins like Carthage or Dougga are easier than enclosed museums, with space to move and explore.
- Primary-age children: mosaics at the Bardo Museum and medina treasure hunts turn history into play.
- Teenagers: Roman engineering at El Jem, desert landscapes, and Star Wars filming locations often spark genuine curiosity.
Mixing active sites with calmer stops helps keep every age engaged.
Tunis Medina & Bardo – stories in tiles and alleyways
Getting lost (safely) in the Medina of Tunis
The UNESCO-listed Medina of Tunis is a warren of alleyways, souks and hidden courtyards, perfect for a playful treasure hunt. Kids can spot colourful doors, count mosque minarets, and pick their favourite spice smell in the market. You might tell stories of old trading caravans and families who’ve lived in these homes for centuries.
Go early to avoid crowds, agree a meeting point, and keep coins handy for quick treats or souvenirs. Most importantly, stay together, and enjoy getting a little bit ‘lost’ in a place built for wandering minds.
Local tip:
In the medina, ask shopkeepers about their craft, many families have worked the same trade for generations. A short conversation can turn a simple purchase into a story your children will remember.
Bardo Museum – mosaics as storybooks
The Bardo Museum is home to one of the world’s greatest collections of Roman mosaics. Rather than a formal experience, this can be a lively stop with children. These mosaics tell stories of animals, gods and ancient heroes, almost like comic books in stone.
Turn your visit into a game: can they find a sea monster? Invent a story about a hero in the panels? Upstairs rooms tend to be quieter, and you don’t need to see everything, focus on fun, not facts. Photography rules vary, so check on arrival. This is a museum that can be memorable in under an hour, especially when imagination leads the way.
Carthage & Sidi Bou Said – ancient power and seaside colour
Carthage – empires, elephants and seaside ruins
Once a mighty city that rivalled Rome, today’s Carthage is a scatter of evocative ruins by the sea. Kids will love the open space to explore at the Antonine Baths, Roman theatre and ancient harbours. Weave in a story: imagine Hannibal and his elephants preparing to cross the Alps, or Romans plotting their victory.
There’s a combined ticket for many sites, so plan ahead. Bring water, sunhats, and good shoes, Carthage invites exploring, not rushing.
Sidi Bou Said – blue-and-white village above the sea
Just minutes from Carthage, Sidi Bou Said feels like a painting comes to life. With its blue shutters, cobbled lanes and stunning sea views, it’s ideal for an unhurried family afternoon. Pause for ice cream or mint tea, snap photos of intricate doors, and pop into small art galleries.
Tell your kids how painters and poets once came here for inspiration and let them imagine their own adventures. For younger ones, cobbles and steps might mean a baby carrier is easier than a buggy. Stay for sunset if you can, the light turns everything gold.
Roman Tunisia for mini historians
El Jem Amphitheatre – your own “African Colosseum”
This massive amphitheatre rivals Rome’s Colosseum and often has far fewer people. Kids can climb the stands, peek into underground tunnels, and imagine cheering crowds or the sound of trumpets before a show.
Keep the gladiator stories light and playful: dusty sandals, booming voices, wild animals. The site is open, so plan for sun and bring snacks. From Tunis, it’s a few hours’ drive, best done as a day trip with a stop for lunch nearby.
Dougga – a hilltop city frozen in time
Dougga is one of North Africa’s best-preserved Roman towns and one of the most atmospheric. Families can wander ancient streets, visit a Roman theatre and stand before temples that haven’t changed in centuries.
Invite your children to imagine a Roman family’s day: where they prayed, shopped, and watched performances. There’s space to roam, epic views, and plenty of picnic spots. Footwear matters here, bring trainers or walking shoes for uneven ground.
Kairouan or Sousse – medinas with a different flavour
For a different medina mood, choose between Kairouan and Sousse. Kairouan offers spiritual heritage and the majestic Great Mosque, perfect for stories about scholars and pilgrims. Sousse, meanwhile, brings sea views, ramparts and tales of traders and pirates.
Kids can count arches, look for Arabic calligraphy, or climb the walls for coastal views. Both towns work well as day trips from Tunis with Kairouan best suited to older children due to its reflective atmosphere.
Star Wars deserts and Berber cave homes
Matmata – troglodyte houses and movie magic
Matmata’s sunken homescarved into the earth for insulationare fascinating for families. Some are still lived in today, and visitors are often welcomed for tea. Movie fans may recognise one as Luke Skywalker’s house from Star Wars.
It’s a long trip from Tunis, so best visited on a tour. Respectful behaviour is key: this is a living community, not a film set. If your children love stories about life underground or galaxies far, far away. This is their spot.
Douz and the edge of the Sahara
Douz is known as a gateway to the Sahara and a great place for safe, family-friendly desert experiences. Think short camel rides at sunset, sandboarding on small dunes, or an overnight camp under the stars.
Licensed guides are essential, and you can tailor the experience: some families opt for a simple photo stop and tea, others go all-in on a desert night. Be realistic about heat and travel times, and choose operators who put families first.
Planning your family route from Tunis
Basing your adventure in Tunis means you can mix big days with downtime. A week might include: the Medina and Bardo Museum, a coastal day at Carthage and Sidi Bou Said, one or two day trips (El Jem, Dougga), and an optional overnight trip to the desert.
Tunis is also a great transport hub: trains head south, and tours can take the pressure off planning. Verdi Tunis Beach Resort makes the perfect base, offering family rooms, breakfast, and local knowledge from a helpful team. Balance history-rich days with pool or beach time to keep little travellers happy.
Make Verdi Hotels your story base in Tunis
Tunisia’s landmarks don’t just teach history, they help you create it. When your children climb Roman ruins or wander medina alleyways, they become part of a bigger story. Staying at Verdi Tunis Beach Resort means you’re perfectly placed to explore, from seaside ruins to desert homes.
With welcoming staff, comfy rooms and a central location, Verdi Tunis Beach Resort is a family-friendly hotel in Tunis that turns adventure into ease. Imagine your children sharing tales of gladiators or medina merchants when they get home and start planning your journey today.
