Day 1   Arrive in Tunis
 
Arrival in Tunis; transfer to our hotel. Situated on a large Mediterranean gulf, (the Gulf of Tunis), the city extends along the coastal plain and the hills that surround it. At the centre of more modern development (colonial era and post) lies the old medina, a dense agglomeration of alleys and covered passages, full of intense scents and colours, and active trade. Overnight in Tunis. Hotel International el Hana or similar. Dinner if required. 
 
Day 2   Tunis: Carthage & the Bardo Museum
 
This morning we depart for Carthage, a place which, according to legend, was founded in 814 BC by Phoenicians from the eastern Mediterranean. Remarkably little is known about the appearance of Carthage, except that it grew up around the ports on the shore and the acropolis on the Byrsa Hill, where today's museum and cathedral now stand. The first detailed accounts come from the Romans, who gleefully describe how thoroughly they destroyed the city in 146 BC. Having left Cathage in ruins, the Romans made Utica capital of their African province, but in 46 BC Julius Caesar refounded Carthage as a symbol of the planned resurrection of Africa, and it grew to huge size--the second city of the Empire after Rome. Estimates of its population range from 200,000 to 700,000, and it was as cultured as it was cosmopolitan, with a large university. As the Empire's moral and military foundations began to tremble, Christianity became the voice of the establishment, but it was too late to halt the decline. Regarded as a typically decadent Roman city, Carthage was a natural target for Christian abuse. Our sightseeing will include a visit to the Carthage Museum, rich with mosaics and antiquities. This afternoon we visit the Bardo Museum. This museum was once the Royal Palace of the Bey, and the Roman mosaics contained within are perhaps the most colourful and vivid images left behind by the Roman Empire. Overnight in Tunis. Hotel International el Hana or similar. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 3   Tunis - Dougga - Bulla Regia - Tabarka
 
We leave Tunis this morning heading south toward Dougga. Grandiose temples and theaters, forum and markets stand in remarkable repair on a mountainside overlooking wheat fields. Imposing Dougga spreads over 65 hectares, its position on the slopes forced Roman builders to renounce their standard city plan and adapt their monuments to the terrain. This site is certainly one of the most beautiful built by the Romans in Tunisia. Some 20 to 30,000 people lived here and their shops, stores and baths, latrines, and gymnasiums bring them to life. Stone streets bear the grooves of chariot wheels and in the silent, wind-swept afternoon one can almost hear their clatter. Our next stop is Bulla Regia, one of the most superb Roman sites to be seen anywhere. We shall see the famous underground villas built for wealthy inhabitants and gaze at the beautiful mosaics they left. Our full-yet-rewarding day ends at Tabarka. Overnight in Tabarka. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 4   Tabarka - Kairouan
 
Our dramatic route this morning takes us into the cork forests of north-west Tunisia, called the Khroumirie Region. The road climbs up to 900m (3,000 feet) as we continue through Ain Draiham, the heart of the wild boar hunting region. Ain Draiham is a quaint little town with one steep, central street. We continue to Kairouan and spend the remainder of the day exploring Tunisia's holiest city, said to be the site of the first mosque in Africa. During medieval times, Kairouan rose to become an important center for trade and crafts due to its presence on the route of pilgrims going from Andalusia and other North African points, en route to Mecca. We will visit the Great Mosque and the Mosque of the Barber. After lunch we visit the Aghlabite basins and the mausoleum of Sidi Sahab. Fed by an aqueduct from the hills to the west, the basins, built at the same time as the Great Mosque, held the city's water supply and were a popular place for the ancient rulers to relax. The mausoleum is part of a larger complex containing an inn for pilgrims, a small mosque and other tombs. Sahab was a companion of the Prophet Mohammed and his tomb is an important holy site for Muslims. Overnight in Kairouan. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 5   Kairouan - Sbeitla - Tozeur
 
Today we travel to Tozeur via Sbeitla and Gafsa. The extensive Roman city of Sufetula is famous for its beautifully restored temples of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Some inscriptions found in the city suggest that the settlement had success along the lines of others in North Africa during the 2nd century AD, reaching great prosperity through the olive industry, whose cultivation benefited from excellent climatic conditions in the region. The olive presses found in the ruins of the city further bolster this conclusion. Our walking tour of the site features some very well-preserved remains, including an olive press and baths with their own heating system. From here we travel along rural scenic routes and continue south via Kassarine and Gafsa, the capital of the region. In the centre of Tozeur, parts of the 14th century quarter still survive. Many visitors to this beautiful oasis region like to explore Tozeur's old town with its many archways and intriguing side streets. Overnight in Tozeur. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 6   Tozeur - Matmata - Gabes
 
This morning's departure takes us eastward, travelling via the Chott Jerid, Tunisia's salt lake. The lake was once called the "Lake of Marks" after the palm trunks planted across its normally parched surface to guide trading caravans. We continue to Matmata, a region of troglodyte (subterranean) homes, where our tour will take us inside a couple of the many underground dwellings carved into the soft sandstone. "Trogladyte" is a generic term used to refer to people anywhere who live in caves. Although the landscape here appears deserted, several thousand people live within these cavernous homes. We continue to Gabes. Overnight in Gabes. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 7   Gabes - Djerba - Gabes
 
Today we have a day trip to the island of Djerba. On arrival we will have a tour of Djerba, once a port of call to the Phoenicians and the port where Ulysses and his men were detained on their return from Troy. Djerba is also home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. Our tour includes the Ghriba, one of the oldest synagogues in the world and a famous pilgrimage site where an 8th century Torah is preserved. Our last stop is the main "Houmt Souk" with its original potteries, magnificent carpets and filigree silver. You will have free time in this charming town before we return to Gabes. Overnight in Gabes. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 8   Gabes - El Djem - Monastir - Sousse
 
From Gabes we depart for the Sousse region, one of Tunisia's historic cities and an active trading centre long before the founding of Carthage. En route we pass through an endless landscape of olive groves and soon arrive in El Djem, known in Roman times as Thysdrus. Before visiting the amphitheatre, we will take a close look at the El Djem Museum with its fantastic mosaic collection. Next, we will visit the famous amphitheatre itself, similar to the Coliseum of Rome. As you climb the upper levels you can picture the crowd of 30,000 cheering on their favourite gladiator as wild beasts waited in the chambers below the middle arena. You will have plenty of time here to explore. After lunch we continue northward via the scenic seaside town of Monastir where we will see the Ribat, or Kasbah, as well as the mausoleum of Habib Bourgiba, the first president of independent Tunisia. We arrive in Sousse in the late afternoon. Overnight in Sousse. Breakfast and dinner 
 
Day 9   Sousse - Nabeul - Hammamet - Thuburbo Maius - Tunis
 
This morning we will have the opportunity to visit the small but impressive Sousse Museum before we begin our journey we travel toward the Cape Bon Region, one of Tunisia's richest agricultural regions, first developed by the French for grape growing. We make a stop at Nabeul to visit a small but interesting museum housing both Punic and Roman artifacts. We also stop at the pleasant city of Hammamet for a tour of its Spanish Fort and its small walled medina. We continue to the old Roman city of Thuburbo Maius. Here we see the Forum, the town's great building, built between the years AD 161 and 192; and the Mercury Temple, which was the home of Mercury, god of trade and thieving. This vast site, with its truly magnificent setting, was abandoned before the 8th century and only rediscovered in the late 19th century. Just before our arrival in Tunis we will travel parallel to the ancient Roman aquaduct the once brought water to Carthage from an inland source 80 km (129 miles) away. We will arrive in Tunis later this afternoon. Overnight in Tunis. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 10   Tunis, Tunisia - Valetta, Malta
 
Today we fly from Tunis to Malta. Overnight in Sliema. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 11   Valletta: Harbour Cruise & Walking Tour
 
Today we will witness Malta's gallant past and sail the routes of the Knights of St John and the great Ottoman fleets of Suleyman the Magnificent. We will depart from Sliema and take a guided cruise of the two natural harbours surrounding the city of Valletta. During the cruise, Malta's rich history will unfold, from the occupation of the Knights of St John to World War II. The "Three Cities" and the Marsamxett and Grand Harbour once witnessed the two Great Sieges of 1565 and 1942. The fortifications and bastions, Fort St Elmo, and monuments surrounding the creeks are only fully appreciated from the sea. We will then walk through Valletta, the capital of Malta, and visit the Barracca Gardens. This colonnaded public garden on top of St Peter's and St. Paul's was once a covered play area for the boisterous Italian knights. The gardens offer a magnificent view of the harbour. From the gardens we will visit the Great Hospital of the Order or the "Sacra Infirmeria". The hospital was built before 1575, and was placed on the south-east seafront, so that patients, landed from ships at the mouth of the harbour, could be carried in by an underground passage below the sea wall, "without making a tedious and dangerous circuit of the streets." In winter it was hung with 131 pieces of woolen tapestry, and in summer, with 85 paintings by Mattia Preti. The hospital also cared for the insane and destitute children. Overnight in Sliema. Park Hotel or similar. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 12   Valletta - Marsaxlokk - Ghar Dalam - Hagar Qim
 
We will return to Valletta to view its most important historical monuments. The Grand Master's Palace is a magnificent building and houses Malta's House of Representatives, the office of the president, several state rooms, and the Gobelins Tapestry. We will also visit the National Museum of Archaeology, one of the finest and most comprehensive museums in Malta. We then head to the southern part of the island to witness some of the prehistory of Malta. Our first stop is Marsaxlokk, perhaps the most picturesque fishing village in all of Malta. The decoration and form of the bright multi-coloured fishing boats which fill the harbour can be traced back to the age of the Phoenicians. We also visit the underground cave of Ghar Dalam ("The Cave of Darkness") which served as the abode of the first neolithic settlers of these islands about 6,000 years ago. Excavations carried out between 1933 and 1937 yielded an enormous quantity of animal bone deposits from the lower strata of the cave's subsoil which confirmed that the Maltese Islands at one time formed part of the European mainland. We will also visit the Tarxien Temple complex, one of the finest megalithic sites excavated to date. This is considered one of the most elaborate groups of megalithic remains, both for its architecture and its internal decoration. Our last stop is the Neolithic temples of Hagar Qim, from 300 BC, and some of the oldest human-made structures in the world. Reminiscent of England's Stonehenge, the temples are built of limestone rock, some towering six metres (20 ft) high and weighing several tonnes. The complex is an impressive maze of corridors, chambers, niches and altars, all carved out of stone using flint. Overnight in Sliema. Park Hotel or similar. Breakfast and dinner 
 
Day 13   Gozo
 
Today we travel by ferry to Gozo, the second largest island of the Maltese archipelago, separated from Malta by a 8km (5 mi) wide channel. Gozo is an island of green hills surrounded by blue sea, where tranquil villages are set onto the sides of the fertile and flat-topped hills. We visit the citadel where we can enjoy a wonderful panorama of Gozo. This citadel dates back to the second century AD, when the Romans once occupied this area. We will visit the capital, Victoria, and its grand Cathedral. In 1897 the capital of Gozo had its name changed from Rabat to Victoria to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. While on Gozo we will visit Xaghra, meaning "a large open space", with the most enchanting village square on Gozo. We will also see the temple at Ggantija, the most impressive of all Maltese Copper Age monuments. According to legend, the huge monolithic stones of the temple were carried great distances on the head of a female giantess. We return via ferry to Malta. Overnight in Sliema. Park Hotel or similar. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 14   Mosta - Mdina - Rabat - Dingli Cliffs - Blue Grotto
 
Our journey today takes us to the 19th century parish church of St Mary's in Mosta. The church boasts the third largest unsupported dome, rivaled only by the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and St Peter's in Rome. Among some of the marvelous interior decorations are the murals painted by Guiseppe Cali. During WWII, a bomb fell through the dome but did not explode; this bomb (defused, of course) is preserved and displayed as a sign of this miraculous occurrence. We will also see some of the finest examples of silver workmanship which testify to the fame of Maltese gold and silversmiths. We will visit one of the smallest and most compact of historic cities, Mdina, (from the Arabic word for "walled city"). Mdina's zenith was during the darker medieval times of the Normans and Spanish. It is truly a Maltese city with the knights' influence restricted to a few fine buildings. Today Mdina has the smallest population in Malta with 420 people. We will visit the Cathedral and Roman Villa, in which a number of beautiful floor mosaics were discovered. Walking through the winding streets we come to the city of Rabat, just outside the walls and separated by a moat from Mdina. We will explore the early Christian Catacombs dating as far back as the 8th century. These Catacombs emerged because of a Roman law that prohibited the burial of the dead within the city limits; for Christians cremation was not acceptable. We continue on to the Dingli Cliffs and Dingli village, the highest on the island on cliffs 260m (858 feet) above the sea. Our journey continues to the Blue Grotto which we will explore by small boat. Legend has it that the Blue Grotto was home to the sirens, the sea nymphs, who serenaded sailors to their destination with soft verse. Later we return to our Sliema hotel. Overnight in Sliema. Park Hotel or similar. Breakfast and dinner. 
 
Day 15   Departure from Malta
 
Departure from Malta. Breakfast. IL-VJAGG IT-TAJJEB!

11/09