La Goulette (Tunis)

La Goulette is the port for Tunis, about 15 minutes by taxi from the capital. The port area itself has a 16th-century Ottoman kasbah and a waterfront with fish restaurants. But the main excursions head inland. Carthage, the ancient Phoenician city that rivalled Rome, has scattered ruins including a Roman amphitheatre and the Punic Tophet. The Bardo Museum in Tunis houses one of the world's best collections of Roman mosaics. Sidi Bou Said, perched on a cliff overlooking the Gulf of Tunis, is a village of white houses with blue doors and window frames. It's photogenic, compact, and has tea houses with views over the water. Back at the port, the souk near the kasbah sells spices, carpets, brass lanterns, and red chechia hats. Bargaining is the norm. Taxis are plentiful but agree on a fare before getting in. The currency is Tunisian Dinar.