November 2018: As part of a larger two-week trip across North Africa-North Africa | Venture The Planet, my friend Richard and I spent a few days in Tunisia with the goal of visiting the picturesque blue-and-white Mediterranean village of Sidi Bou Said and the best-preserved Roman gladiator arena in the world—without the crowds of the Colosseum.
Tunisia, along with Morocco-Morocco | Venture The Planet, is one of the easiest North African countries to visit, making it a popular destination for European tourists. Because of this, it hadn’t been high on my priority list. However, I was drawn to Tunisia for its role in modern history as the birthplace of the Arab Spring—the 2010 revolution that toppled the dictator Ben Ali and triggered a wave of uprisings across the Arab world, leading to the downfall of leaders like Libya’s Qaddafi and sparking conflicts that would claim thousands of lives.
As Richard and I took a taxi from the airport to Sidi Bou Said, we passed the now-famous square where a fruit vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, had set himself on fire in protest after being harassed by corrupt police who confiscated his cart and fined him. His act of desperation and defiance ignited a revolution, sending shockwaves throughout the Arab world.
During my visit, Tunisia was under a democratically elected government, and there was a sense of cautious optimism among the people. After years of dictatorship, many were hopeful for the future, though the scars of revolution were still visible.
Tunisia location
Richard kindly booked us two rooms in a family-run boutique hotel in Sidi Bou Said, perched above the Mediterranean Sea. The moment I arrived, I fell in love with the village—its charming whitewashed houses, vibrant blue doors, and narrow cobblestone streets exuding a serene, almost dreamlike atmosphere. The blend of Andalusian and North African architecture, set against the backdrop of the endless blue sea, made it feel like stepping into a postcard.
Sidi Bou Said
Sidi Bou Said
Sidi Bou Said
Sidi Bou Said
My room in Sidi Bou Said
View of mediterranea from my hotel-Sidi Bou Said
I woke up early to explore Sidi Bou Said and set off down a small dirt road leading toward the ocean. The further I walked, the more desolate the path became. Along the way, I passed an abandoned guard post and a ruined gate, which immediately piqued my curiosity.
When I finally reached the seaside, I stumbled upon the burnt-out foundation of what had once been a grand mansion. The skeletal remains of the building stood as a silent testament to something significant. Later, back at my hotel, I asked the manager about it and learned the truth—it had been one of the seaside villas of Tunisia’s former dictator, Ben Ali, burned to the ground by furious citizens during the revolution.
Standing there earlier, unaware of its history, I had already sensed the weight of something lost. Knowing its story only made the ruins more haunting—a symbol of the people’s anger, the fall of tyranny, and the deep scars left behind by the Arab Spring.
View of ocean from ben Ali’s former seaside vila before it was burnt down
In the morning, I arranged a taxi for Richard and me to visit El Jem, home to one of the best-preserved Roman Colosseums. A few hours’ drive south, it was a key reason for my visit to Tunisia. Unlike Rome’s Colosseum, El Jem stood largely untouched by crowds, its towering ruins a striking reminder of Tunisia’s Roman past.
Richard, me and our Tunisian driver
In the morning, I arranged a taxi for Richard and me to visit El Jem, a Roman Colosseum a few hours south and a key reason for my trip to Tunisia. Built in 200 AD, this massive gladiator arena once held 35,000 spectators.
Towering over the small town where it stands, El Jem was at the top of my must-visit list. Unlike Rome’s Colosseum, few foreigners venture this far south, making it a quiet, almost untouched gem. During my visit, I practically had the entire site—including its eerie underground gladiator tunnels—all to myself.
El Jem
El Jem
El Jem
Colliseum tunnels where gladiators were kept-El Jem
El jem
Colliseum tunnels where gladiators were kept-El Jem
From El Jem, we drove back to Tunis to wrap up our time in Tunisia before continuing our journey onward to Mogadishu, Somalia-A Visit to One of the Most Dangerous Cities in the World-Mogadishu, Somalia | Venture The Planet.