Tunisia by motorbike: from Greece to the African continent
December 2022, 5,000 km in 14 days, solo.
A trip to Tunisia can exceed all expectations.
Any biker should visit places like Morocco, Algeria, or Tunisia. This travel blog tells about my solo road trip from Greece to Tunisia, made up of local people, friends, north African history and traditions.
Alberobello, Italy
Leaving from Thessaloniki (near the Turkish border), I reach home, in Italy, precisely in Puglia after the night crossing of the Igoumenitsa - Bari ferry.
After a brief visit to Bari, I head straight to Alberobello.
It is always exciting to walk through its narrow streets and visit the trulli.
Alberobello and its hilly neighborhood Rione Monti has hundreds of these conical stone buildings which are part of the Spontaneous Architecture and declared a World Heritage Site in 1996.
Some of these trulli have remained as they originally were, turning into real museums to visit, such as the Trullo Sovrano which was originally only a country Trullo but which later became the court of Pope Cataldo, and the Casa Rossa which during the Second War was turned into an internment camp.
This enchanted village which is based on the economy of craftsmanship, hosts many festivals during the summer but the best time to visit it is always spring.
Matera
Ranked as one of the oldest cities in the world (Travel 365) its Sassi is also a World Heritage Site and it was Capital of Culture 2019, where Federica and I were present with our old Honda (read Southern Italy).
Here too the stop was short but I had time to revisit the Sassi (Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso), which served as a drainage channel in case of heavy rains. Here too there are museum houses where their story tells of the removal of its citizens from their homes due to the shameful image they gave to post-war Italy but then recognized as masterpieces of building engineering and eco-sustainable life.
The central square overlooks the Murgia Materana Regional Park where you can eat a delicious hot focaccia with ham or the famous Matera bread.
Furthermore, you can visit the rupestrian churches on the edge of the city (to date 155 ascertained), dug into the tuff.
Sila National Park, Catania, Enna and Palermo
The following morning, after breakfast at the hotel, I leave for Villa San Giovanni to take the ferry to Messina. The weather, as throughout the journey, remains beautiful, mild during the day and cold at night.
The Sila National Park is imposed as a point of interest, which remains comfortably off the road and I sling through the curves of this immense wonder that I have wanted to do for some time, unfortunately, the season is not the best as the trees are bare, but the fun and the landscape are insured!
The ferry to Messina takes 20 minutes and can be purchased online through the Caronte app at the cost of 13 euros for 1 passenger and 1 motorcycle.
Before arrival, remember to check in and download the barcode that an employee will check before boarding the ferry.
I'm surprised that Sicily is so close, I imagined it further away, the impossibility of building a connecting bridge almost seems like a joke to me.
Sicily: Messina, Catania, Enna
Arrived in Messina I take the Messina-Catania motorway (cost 3.70), a fascinating stretch that offers the sea on the left and maritime pines that divide the directions of travel, and snow-capped Etna on the right in all its splendor!!
Catania is chaotic but beautiful and it's the Sicily I expected, people in short sleeves, heavy traffic, packed bars and plenty of sunshine.
After the coffee and the Sicilian nutella croissant, I leave Catania passing through narrow streets, markets and small shops where people scream, run and move quickly, and without helmets!
With the overheated motorbike I leave Catania in the direction of Enna, cutting through the hinterland.
In this stretch there are many beautiful roads, curves and greenery, Sicily is slowly making itself known, leading me to my destination after a series of curves that take you to 950 meters above sea level up to Enna Alta.
From here you can choose different panoramic points such as the Belvedere Marconi, which opens to the north including the entire landscape from Etna to the Madonie and also called the living room of the city, the Tower of Federico II, from whose top Enna and the valleys below, in the ancient summer residence of Emperor Frederick.
Palermo, last stop before Tunisia
Arriving in Palermo about two hours later, I go straight to the Hotel Porta Aragonese where I find one of the best rooms of the whole trip, large, clean, with a coffee machine and fresh biscuits. Furthermore, with 10 euros I have a private box for the motorbike under the building.
Palermo did not give me a feeling of tranquility and if I hadn't had a garage I would have looked for a private covered parking. Since the room is in a very central area and 200 meters from the port, I decided to spend the evening in the center and stroll in Via Roma, which is a show especially in the evening. I've only toured this area of the city but it was enough to make me fall in love with this place!
The following morning I finally take the ferry to Tunis, where luckily for me they no longer ask for the obligatory hotel voucher until a few days before.
Tunis
Local hospitality
The Palermo-Tunis ferry takes about 15 hours but the Superfast Ferry went much faster than expected and arrived two hours early. I made the unfortunate mistake of taking a shared cabin and nothing could be more wrong than that! When I arrived, three Tunisians were already asleep, the smell too strong for me and in the bathroom they were hiding about twenty goldfinch birds, perhaps illegally imported. So I left my trunk in the closet and slept on the uncomfortable and cold sofa. Regretful as never before, I promised myself that if I ever go back to Africa on my motorbike, I will either take the seat on the deck or the private room, never the shared room on these types of routes.
Arrived at the port of La Goulette I find the first men who works illegally asking for money to help you but they don't tell you first, they approach you as if they were employees and then ask you for money later. A 20-minute queue for a useless passport and entry visa for a motorbike (not to be missed!) and away with the tarantella thrown around by different operators who checked my passport dozens of times (they have to eat too) and when I they say I'm done with the checks, I put everything away and get on the bike, but before leaving the port I get re-signed for another passport check! What a waste of time and stress! They say Morocco is more efficient at these things.
Finally, after half an hour I manage to go out and reach the house of the family of my Tunisian colleague who will host me for the night. The roads in Tunis are beautiful but smooth as oil and therefore very dangerous if you brake even slightly.
I skirt the sea and enter one of the most exclusive areas of Tunis, "Berges du lac" with its luxury white villas, fancy neighborhoods overlooking Lake Tunis and which houses many embassies, so the security of the area is high .
Arriving home, I find dinner ready on the table which consisted of an excellent homemade couscous with shrimps (the best I've ever eaten) accompanied by the typical spicy sauce called Harissa.
Tunis - Mahadia
230km
The following morning I have the house keys of their second apartment in Mahadia, on the road to go south, overlooking the sea and not very far from Djerba, my third destination.
So I get on the motorbike and leave in the direction of Mahadia. Here too the roads are slippery because they are worn out by traffic and on the street people recognize the Italian license plate and wave to me.
I continue following the GPS on internal streets and alleys, plastic reigns in every corner like a bad disease of society, the smell that reigns throughout Tunisia is precisely that of burnt plastic, day and night.
After about an hour of motion I find myself in the middle of a village market: fresh fruit and vegetables on every corner, live animals for sale, cows' heads hanging here and there and children everywhere. At walking pace, filming with the video camera I can slowly get out of the market and continue on my way. Once I arrived in Hammamet I preferred to continue to relax by the sea.
National Forest of Tunisia
About halfway from Mahadia, I find the entrance to this natural park, which is nothing more than a spit of land that separates a lake from the sea and is famous for its white beaches and crystalline sea, as well as the place where the turtle eggs.
I leave the main road which turns into dirt and follow the track that leads straight to the sea, gradually turning into sandy ground which makes me become familiar with this type of road surface, even if occasionally I have to accelerate due to the presence of dogs strays that will prove to be harmless.
After about 1.5km the road closes because a cactus vegetation with 15cm long thorns has covered the whole area.
Unfortunately I don't have time to find another passage to the sea because in December the days are not very long and therefore I head towards a structure similar to a cathedral, whizzing standing up with the sun on my face and the dust I leave behind.
Mahadia - Djerba
Mahadia, El Jem Amphitheater, Sfax
380km
Mahadia is a super touristic place in the summer, the sea is crystal clear and has colors with incomparable shades, it was a real surprise even if the sun was still low and didn't give the perfect light for beautiful photos.
After a stroll through the colorful alleys I continue to the white cemetery by the sea thinking that I too would gladly rest in this place.
I also go for a tour of the medina (the medina is the historic center so every city has its own medina) and I stop at the Vitamin Bar for a coffee and a crepe. After breakfast I get back in the saddle in the direction of El Jem reluctantly leaving this beautiful place.
El Jem amphitheater
El Jem is not far away, imposed the navigator even if all the signs lead directly there. After about half an hour I arrive at the town which is densely populated and with heavy traffic, as well as children and animals roaming the street.
I park the bike in the shade in front of a bar full of local people, safer than leaving it in the middle of the street for everyone to see, I don't trust it much, this is still my feeling, not for the adults who smile at the tourists but for the many children who out of curiosity can get their hands into the soft side bags.
The day here in the hinterland is sunny and warm, I buy some water and put on short sleeves, I pay the entrance fee 10 Dinars (1 Euro=3.25 Dinars) and I admire this imposing Roman structure called the Colosseum, well preserved and restored. Here you can freely enter everywhere admiring every corner. They have kept this place almost as it was at the time and for them, it is an excellent business card, which also supports the local economy. Before leaving for Tunisia, I knew I shouldn't miss this place, and it was a good thing that I came here.
A bit of history:
"The El Jem amphitheater was built by the Romans under the control of the proconsul Gordian I, who has acclaimed Emperor in Thysdrus, around 238 and was probably used for gladiatorial shows and chariot races (as in the film Ben-Hur) There is also the possibility that construction of the building was never completed.
Until the seventeenth century, it remained more or less intact. From that moment its stones were used for the construction of the neighboring village of El Jem and the Great Mosque of Qayrawan and, in a period of tension during the conflict with the Ottomans, the Turks used cannons to flush out the rebels hidden in the inside it. The ruins were declared a World Heritage Site in 1979.
In 1996 the amphitheater was the location of the video of a famous Nike advertisement, entitled "Good vs Evil", in which ten footballers sponsored by the multinational were seen - including Eric Cantona, Ronaldo, Paolo Maldini, LuÃs Figo, Patrick Kluivert, and Jorge Campos - face and defeat an evil team, commanded by Satan, who intended to cancel the game of football" Wikipedia
Leaving the huge amphitheater, I head towards Sfax, an industrial city on the sea where Youssef, a childhood friend of a work colleague, is waiting for me, who hosts me at his fast food restaurant.
Once the motorbike is parked on the sidewalk, there are always many curious looks, among them there is that of Youssef and his wife, 30, who immediately prepare the table for me. While I'm talking to Youssef and his wife, we decide to deliver sandwiches together to the Sfax stadium, whose famous team wears the Juventus colors.
I'm missing the last 2-3 hours for Djerba and as long as there's light I want to take advantage of it, so I drive fast toward my destination. Coming from the north I choose to get on the ferry while tomorrow I will go south where a paved road built on the sea connects the island with the mainland.
Along the way, when you arrive at any village, a series of high bumps begin which, if taken at high speed, really risk flying. For this reason, I chose the highway, fast, and cheap and the asphalt is perfect. Safety is never too much here, in fact it happens to come across cars on the wrong way, children crossing or playing on the side of the road, and entire bazaars made of wooden or sheet metal huts along the roadside. Service stations or service areas are to be forgotten so I was forced to leave after a hundred km.
Arrived at the port of Jorf, I skip the line and rush in front to buy the ticket, an SUV with 4 guys lets me pass and while we chat I pay for both and jump on the ferry (60 cents in total!). On the ferry, I meet an Italian-Tunisian couple who will keep me company for the whole 20 minutes.
Arrived in the evening at the Hotel Menzel Caja of Michela, a nice Italian lady from Padua who moved to Tunisia many years, in the company of her three dogs.
She tells me that she has a guest from Riccione but unfortunately she had already gone to sleep (in fact I arrived when it was dark). After chatting for a good hour we take our leave. But I spend ten minutes under the bougainvillea reviewing some photos, I have a chat with a French girl and then straight to my room.
The next day I wake up at 7.30, prepare all the luggage on the bike and have breakfast under the usual fuchsia bougainvillea which is a sight during the day! The day is sunny again today and the weather promises this climate until my return home.
While I'm having breakfast, two Parisian girls arrive, and a French lady with whom I make friends and have breakfast together. It's time to say goodbye to Michele and the other guests, today the real Africa begins.
Djerba-Ksar Ghilane
Tatouine and the Sahara desert
285km
After breakfast at Michela's I leave for Tatouine going out to the south of the island, where I have the opportunity to use the paved road that crosses the sea for the first time (it is not a bridge) and then met Lukas, a Polish boy who left from Krakow with his now destroyed Suzuki 650 Vstrom.
We meet in a bar in Tataouine where we eat mini sandwiches filled with anything. Lukas and I are lucky enough to share the same interests and want to visit the same places so we plan today's route which includes a visit to the old troglodyte village, also famous for some Star Wars scenes. The city of Tatouine is known for its Berber architecture. Even the name is Berber and means "the sources".
We actually don't find the old troglodyte village in Tatouine as we thought, it's the whole area of the Governorate that houses more than 150 ruins! In the end, we decide to leave the city and the navigator takes us to the surrounding mountains where, once here, we choose to have fun doing the heavy off-road on the rocks, difficult for me given the size of the bike, but which gave us a beautiful panorama with city view.
Since time was running out, we decided to continue towards the oasis of Ksar Ghilane passing through Ghomrassen and Bani Kheddache.
Leaving Tatooine we come across a first ruin on top of the rocky mountain called Ksar Beni Barka, a ruined fortified village that was built by North African Berber communities to repel attacks by Bedouin tribes. The building consists of a group of rooms used for housing and storage of grain and crops. We read on the internet that evening parties with music and colors often take place here. It was also the location of other scenes from the Star Wars movie.
Once you reach the top of the village, you can visit the well-restored old houses or warehouses and take a tour around the whole village, free of charge. Along the perimeter wall, the surrounding landscape can be observed for km and the other ruins present in the area can also be glimpsed. In fact, in addition to Ksar Beni Barka, you can find dozens and dozens of villages like this, such as Ksar Tounket, Chinini Tataouine, Ksar ElMourabitine, Hafsa (Maisons Troglodytes), Marshal Erwin Rommel (yes, that Rommel!).
After the tour we continue to Ksar Ghilane, passing from Ghomrassen to Bani Kheddache where we find one of the best panoramic roads in Tunisia that wind through the rocky mountains We did it from South to North, and the whole landscape around us was pure desert rocky, full of curves but with a good altitude. The road is paved but this type of asphalt is too rough and makes the road less safe especially when cornering.
Along the way you can see a life-size silhouette of a dinosaur scanning the horizon. It is not marked on the map but it is located on this stretch of road. I later read that the University of Bologna together with the Tunisian team have found entire skeletons of dinosaurs dating back to 110 million years ago as well as other various finds in the Tatouine area.
I wanted to stop and ride my motorbike to the dinosaur but when I rang Lukas didn't hear me at all, so we continued until we stopped at the Café la vague de sable D'or to stock up on muffins and croissants, where I then played the whole time with a tiny red kitten.
From Bani Kheddache to the oasis of Ksar Ghilane the road is all paved but with several stretches covered in sand that is easy to cross (or at least in our case there was no wind), also because they are not sand dunes but a carpet of about 10- 15cm.
The best part was the spectacle of nature in which we were immersed. It is thrilling to drive and be surrounded by an endless void, an infinite flat space as far as the eye can see, sand and rock that would have turned into sand dunes and camels grazing everywhere.
The last 30km from the oasis I had to do it quickly on my feet and with a dark visor because the sun was setting right in front of me, blinding me (I recommend not trying the experience).
After yet another police checkpoint (they are friendly and just want to have a chat), we arrive at the oasis where the campsites can accommodate hundreds of people. We enter the oasis surrounded by thousands of towering palm trees, manicured gardens, grass, vegetable gardens and huge steaming pools of water, a real oasis!
Our campsite was called the l'Oasis and I was the one overlooking the Sahara desert, allowing us to admire endless sand dunes and numerous camels.
Once the motorbikes are parked at the Reception, they assign me the booked room (inside there were 3 single beds attached with never washed blankets, in fact, I slept dressed) and a private bathroom. To reach the Oasis campsite there is a small stretch of sand that can be crossed with any motorbike. Nothing is missing from these oases, they have bars, restaurants, Toyota 4x4 off-road vehicles, and hundreds of quads to entertain tourists, in fact the first thing you notice upon arrival are the tourists whizzing by on the quads.
While Lukas was setting up the tent (he followed me but without having any reservations) we opted for dinner at the campsite, at the cost of 10 euros each, which included the show of this gentleman preparing a sort of enormous bread in the shape of a pizza, placed on a piece of wood, and then cooked under the boiling sand previously heated by the fire, moving the ashes before hiding it underneath.
Wow, the show leaves you speechless also because within 20 minutes it is ready, even if the faces of the people hinted that we would also eat the sand. But no, the sand of the Sahara is so fine that it looks like flour, so with two or three handfuls the cooked dough was totally clean.
This is the food of the Bedouins, which they originally prepared while crossing the desert, and it was very good!
Once the bread is ready, they make us sit inside the restaurant, bringing pieces of the still warm bread to each table, then following a waiter who has brought a stone-cooked vase, turning the whole inside in a pyrophile, i.e. mutton/lamb stewed with vegetables, good and tasty. Finally, they bring us the dates picked from the palm trees outside. Highly recommended as an experience.
In the evening Lukas has the tent ready but the temperature is dropping considerably so I lend him a heavy blanket and a pillow for the night borrowed from one of the beds I had in the room. In fact, the temperature drops below zero at night, Lukas is almost frozen and I too had a nice ice cold despite having the air conditioner at 32 degrees in the room. In the morning I photographed the ice on the bike due to the temperature difference.
Ksar Ghilane-Tozeur
Sahara door, Chott el-Jèrid, il Magic Bus, Route transversale tunisienne
290km
The next day we have no breakfast, but we don't worry about it, I have protein bars and juices behind me so we'll manage. Last walk on the dunes, some usual photos and a quick stroll around the oasis. The tour takes a couple of hours, we walked among marvelous palm groves, with lots of grass on the ground, and then followed these concrete canals which are nothing more than sewage that is filtered and boiled so as to be reused for services, for water the fields and the palm trees, that's why everything shines here! The same black water that is boiled was found by Lukas in the form of a small lake where bathing is possible, and he, no less than that, undressed and dived in while I drank a coffee.
Once ready we take the motorbikes, we get out of the sand with less ease and we take the asphalt again in the direction of Douz.
As a first stop, we want to visit the "Door of the Sahara" where the Tunisian Sahara begins. Here you can also take your own vehicle to take a ride on the sand where shortly after I planted myself with the motorbike, but in the end, I got out.
Historically Douz has always been an important stop for caravans passing between the Sahara and northern Tunisia and every year in November and December the "Sahara Festival" takes place which attracts the nomadic tribes of Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and Egypt. filling the city with tourists from all over the world.
To get here, you take a road surrounded by palm trees, and often in Tunisia, you come across such roads, which are spectacular.
We head towards Tozeur, so we go back on the main road accompanied by a few camels, we still notice many beautiful colorful huts that serve as cafes or restaurants (I would have gladly stopped but we were late), we also pass next to a super oil refinery guarded and we take the road that cuts Chott el-Jèrid in half, a huge salt lake where we can frolic and look at a flat landscape without end.
We ride standing on the motorbikes and before the salt lake ends in the north, we enter with the motorbikes (the earth was super beaten) and we follow the track that leads to the abandoned Bus.
Sunset is coming, and the photos and videos we take of each other while we ride the bikes are perfect, I would have camped here if I had a tent, but it's really cold at night. I would also have liked to bring the drone but here it is illegal as is binoculars as they are classified as military equipment.
The story of this bus is that it was abandoned after shooting scenes for a film, but there is not much news about it on the internet. But we had fun reaching it and getting on it, but soon it was time to say goodbye to reach Tozeur before dark.
Before definitively leaving the salt lake, we see on the map this point of interest called Route transversale tunisienne (which we think was the name of the road that cuts through the lake), but which instead turns out to be a pool of water surrounded by lots of salt, surrounded by small boats sailboat of a thousand colors. Here too, on the other side of the road, there are stalls and kids trying to sell you everything.
If you buy something then a friend arrives too, and a friend's friend so they all become a bit annoying.
The last km to reach Tozeur was easy but chilly as the sun was already low. As always we get petrol the night before to be ready the following morning, then I reached my accommodation which turns out to be a beautiful villa of a wealthy and very kind Tunisian man, located in the city center.
In Italy, he had called me to propose dinner where his wife would prepare typical Tunisian dishes. Dinner was delicious even though I was very little hungry.
I paid 58 euros for this b&b and 16 for dinner, which is not cheap to be in Tunisia, but I needed a clean room where I could rest normally.
The only rip-off is that they asked me for another 10 Dinars because the Tunisian non-alcoholic beer was not included (but how with 16 euros it is not included??)
Tozeur-Sbeitla
Salt desert, Chott El'Gharsa, Star Wars: Mos Espa, Ong Jmal
300km
Once I left the b&b, I mistakenly enter some small village on the road, finding barefoot and poor children playing happily in front of houses built up with mud and bricks, but all smiling.
Leaving here I take the main road and follow the navigator towards Nafta, after a few km I turn towards Star Wars: Mos Espa where a slightly downhill paved road opens up in front of me in the shape of a long snake, with white sand on both sides which gives this place a unique touch. I travel the road at speed, enjoy the gentle curves, greet some people walking down the street and arrive at the prearranged place.
I decide to visit the movie facilities still intact but I'm too curious to go to Ong Jmal original location of Tatooine, Luke Skywalker's home country of Star Wars universe and filmography
Although for many we are in the middle of the desert, in reality it resembles a real salt lake in which there is a kind of canyon that gives the sensation of being on a different planet from Earth.
I then ride the track left by the 4x4 off-road vehicles and some of these, full of tourists, overtake me at full speed while I suffer from the jolts of the bike due to the too hard terrain and the dry uneven mud. Every now and then the "roads" intersect and if I change direction they will take me to the sand, so I continue straight on bypassing the Canyon, arriving at the Ong Jmal site in a short time.
The territory is lunar, nothing for km and km, and it is beautiful, it leaves you speechless.
Here you can run around for hours and find yourself lost somewhere.
I park the motorbike and climb the small path that leads to the top of the mountain which looks like a camel where you can admire the grandeur of this place.
As in any tourist place, here too three children approach, holding a desert fox on a leash in their arms, clearly unhappy to be in those conditions.
I love animals and I know that this should be banned but the police will never come to this place to check that any rules are respected, so if you don't change this culture, things will never change.
I took a picture with the fox in my hand so I could pet it gently and made sure with the kids that I treated it well and explained to them how animals should be treated in general. In return they asked me for pens which I gladly gave them.
Here too I get harassed for a camel rides or camel photos. I rejected their insistence several times but I agreed to only have some photos taken on top of the animal and with the bike alongside.
Here too there are stalls, huts that serve as bars, and much more.
Now it's my turn to run in the canyon following the tracks, tracks which slope along the side of the canyon and then descend to the valley, almost as if it were a skater track! I climb the earth dunes and descend the opposite side at full speed, and so on for an entire hour. We could go on like this for days but I have to get to Sbeitla so I decide to follow this beaten path in the direction of the Star Wars tourist point.
After about 2km I see the beaten road on the left that I took on the outward journey, so I cut across the sand that separates us and I walk at least a kilometer like this, stalling a couple of times but still managing to get out and reach the beaten track.
I reach Mos Espa and park the motorbike, curious to visit the whole site, and take two photos of everything still present as a scenic set but in an instant, I am attacked by several people who would like me to taste herbs, ride a camel, sell magnets, etc..
This time I find it hard to push them away so I take a quick picture of the site and run away! Too bad because it would have been really interesting.
Rommel Pista
The next stop is the very famous Rommel Trail: in Tunisia there is a stupendous itinerary that winds through the mountains, an itinerary that preserves the charm of the Second World War and of a general called Rommel, of its legendary track that still exists today, enclosed between the Selja Gorges and combined with the extraordinary beauty of the natural sceneries that characterize the area in which it is inserted.
Built by General Rommel, also called the "Desert Fox", during the Second World War to escape the Allied encirclement.
To fully enjoy its panoramas in general, it is advisable to take the track starting from the North and descending towards the South, flanking the mountain and following the track made of concrete slabs, stopping from time to time to admire Chott, the Sahara and the oases of the mountain below.
For those who don't want to do this off-road track (coordinates N34 22.251 E8 09.919 end of track N34 18.446 E8 10.134), just set Rommel's track on Google Maps to enjoy the paved road that winds through these splendid bare and rocky mountains. Fun is guaranteed and the view is breathtaking!
PS: I only have videos of Rommel's track (@teneroad) but luckily I took some pictures of the road that leads to the track. The mountain range that you see is unique in its kind, the photos do not render, but it has shades of purple, yellow, and brown and you can also see some oases on its slopes, such as that of Chebika.
Once the experience of the Rommel track is over, I continue towards the Chebika Oasis which I don't visit due to the insistence of all the local people and someone who was suspiciously wandering around the motorbike.
I continue towards Sbeitla thinking about how many natural beauties I have seen so far, what this country offers, and how little time I am dedicating to these things.
I meet Lukas halfway and we talk about the experiences of the day, we continue together towards Sbeitla cursing the bumps at each entry into the villages, we continue at a walking pace crossing the market of the village trying to make our way among stalls, animals, hundreds of people who look at us and greet us and, before dark, we stop again to eat grilled mutton, harissa and vegetables.
Sbeitla-Bizerte
Archeological Site of Thugga, Bizerte
310km
The following morning, after a rather poor breakfast at the hotel, I meet a group of very nice Italians from Milan, and I make an appointment with Lukas at the archaeological site of Sbeitla which we will not visit due to lack of time, but from which the inside along the railing because there are no trees or bushes.
Just before leaving, a gentleman approaches and tries to sell us an ancient Roman coin of who knows what value, the same coin that another gentleman has previously tried to sell me at the gas station.
We left with the motorbikes, the climate is slightly colder but the weather is always spectacular, as we go up towards the north the temperature will gradually drop from now on. We stop for lunch in a random village, Lukas made me stop by the side of the road to go on a gastronomical patrol. So he discovers a restaurant with an outdoor grill so we sit down and order grilled fish, harissa as always, grilled mutton, mixed vegetables, bread and water. With 13 euros each, I'd say it's fine, plus the restaurant inside is very nice, covered with photos of tourists with 4x4s, photos of the desert and much more, almost as if it were an annual stop for off-road lovers. Even the internal garden is full of flowers and colorful decorations.
Archeological site of Thugga
The site can also be seen from below from the road as it takes up an entire hill and there is so much to see, being a very well preserved Roman area. We park the motorbikes in front of the booth of a very nice boy who asks us about the motorbikes and where we come from. We then buy tickets for the modest sum of 12 Dinars and visit the site.
A bit of history taken from Dougga's website:
"Tunisia was part of the Roman Empire for almost five centuries. The 150 years under the Eastern Roman Empire, which took over with the destruction of Carthage and the consequent victory of the Punic Wars, have rooted a deep Byzantine tradition of which a spectacular architectural heritage has remained.
In the northwestern region of Tunisia, on top of a hill at an altitude of 571 meters in the Oued Khalled valley, is the archaeological site of Dougga, a modern name of the ancient city of Thugga which, before the Roman annexation of Numidia, was the capital of a recognized Libyan-Punic state.
The imposing ruins are today the testimony of a Romanized Numidian city, very flourishing in the Byzantine period, developed in a truly interesting and unique way from an urban point of view: the neighborhoods were arranged in terraces of which the central ones were intended for the most important private houses and to public buildings.
Centuries of history told in 75 hectares. Dougga is in fact today an archaeological site of synthesis between the different cultures that lived there between the 2nd and 3rd century AD, as well as the best-preserved example of an African-Roman city in North Africa. For this reason, since 1997 it has been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Despite the restoration activities of the last century, the level of authenticity remains very high as it has not undergone any particular alterations.
The monumental center consisting of the forum and the market, together with the public baths, the theater and the circus, fully preserved, perfectly reflect the way in which an indigenous population adapted and evolved urbanistically during the Roman period.
The most impressive monument in the Dougga archaeological complex is the Capitolium. Built at the time of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, between 166 and 167 AD, the Capitoline Temple is dedicated to the Capitoline Triad (Jupiter, Juno and Minerva), a real national cult of the Roman people.
The Dougga archaeological site is home to another great monument. We are talking about the Mausoleum of Massinissa, built in honor of his father by Micipsa, the Berber sovereign king of the Numidians, in 138 BC. The Dougga funerary monument is a tower mausoleum consisting of a polygonal plan that supports a multi-level structure, the last of which has a pyramid shape
Dougga, together with Carthage and El Jem constitute an unparalleled artistic and cultural heritage. They represent part of the history of Tunisia, from when it was a fundamental Roman colony for the Empire, also known as the granary of Rome for the fertility of its lands. In Dougga time has stopped: one is surprised with a critical and curious gaze without missing the slightest detail. "
For more information: www.tunisiaturismo.it
Once the tour is over, I say goodbye to Lukas because he continues on to Tunis while I stop for the night in Bizerte which I reach in about three hours.
I follow the navigator that makes me continue in the medina of Bizerte called Dar Warda, inside which the colors are white and blue. I end up with the motorbike in narrow streets, I make my way through the local people who lean against the wall to let me pass and I arrive at the Dar El Kasba Bizerte hotel, in the middle of the medina where I also have breakfast for 43 euros.
Here a kind gentleman welcomes me and makes me park the motorbike in the hall, it is none other than their home. Right now the bike can rest peacefully and I can see it from the inside window of my room, small but nice, incredible!
After a quick shower, I go out until sunset, I walk back through the narrow streets of the Medina and I find myself in the center of the port. Bizerte is beautiful, with all the colorful houses, the sunset that colors the fishing boats, and the classic smell of the port that surrounds the area.
Bizerte should be discovered with a nice weekend but I don't have enough time, they advise me to see the port, the promenade with palm trees and the beaches but I sincerely hope one day to return to Tunisia to see everything again.
I eat a kebab sitting at the port and then drink tea for 1 dinar in the center.
The breakfast the following morning was among the best ever, a pot of coffee just for me, juice, yogurt, a whole baguette with Nutella or jam available, and croissants that you can fill as you like. Even the hard-boiled egg that never fails is useful to plug hunger for a few hours. Even the motorbike kept me company during breakfast.
Bizerte-Tunis
Tunis, Cartagine, Sidi Bou Said
150km
Last day in Tunisia, last day of a crazy trip.
I call Lukas to find out if we would have a chance to meet in Tunis and he gives me the location of his hotel to then visit Carthage and Sidi Bou Said, the most famous and interesting areas of the city.
I meet Lukas who laughs when I tell him the story of the car that lightly rear-ended me at the toll booth of the motorway where even the gendarmerie intervened to calm the spirits, and we go together to this splendid white and blue village called Sidi Bou Said.
This typical village is located just under 20km from Tunis and is known as a country of artists, in fact artists such as Paul Klee, Gustave-Henri Jossot, August Macke, Saro Lo Turco and Louis Moillet lived here and many other Tunisian artists from Sidi Bou Said who are members of the Ecole de Tunis (Tunis school of painting).
But it was only during the 1920s that Rodolphe d'Erlanger applied the blue-white theme throughout the country.
Walking in these streets reminds me of my Greece, the country where I live, but the Arab tradition can be perceived everywhere. The town is very touristic, there are beautiful shops selling colorful objects, desert roses, souvenirs, as well as restaurants, bars and much more. We ate a kebab in a bar with a very nice internal garden, colored in white and blue and with lots of sun on our faces.
Again, the toilet was closed but the sink for the hands was outside between the tables.
After a half-hour walk among many people we arrived on the side facing the sea (the town is on a hill) and from here the view from above over the Mediterranean and Tunis was something incredible, thanks also to the climate and the clear weather.
Cartagine
We conclude the visit of Tunis with Carthage, so we get back on the motorbike and arrive at its entrance where we are immediately attacked by those who want to sell us everything but even if we refuse this time they remain kind and nice. To get here, you pass in front of the Tunisian presidential house and the Malik Ibn Anas Mosque which is beautiful and well-kept, surrounded by botanical gardens and not even a piece of plastic around.
The presidential building is guarded by a series of gendarmes and policemen with motorcycles alongside, who ring our bells as we pass.
Paid the 12 dinar ticket we enter Carthage, all very nice and well kept.
Carthage is an ancient Tunisian city in the Governorate of Tunis (traveling throughout Tunisia there are often signs indicating the Governorate to which it belongs), located 16 kilometers northeast of the capital. It takes its name from the ancient Phoenician city, then Roman, whose archaeological remains are found within its urban area. Here we find the Baths of Antoninus which are beautifully preserved, the Punic city is also in good condition, the Roman villas are splendid and the Roman Theater.
Thanks to a wonderful time, the sea view from Carthage is very beautiful, the brown of the ruins and the deep blue of the Mediterranean allow for beautiful photos.
After the visit of Carthage, Lukas and I spend the afternoon in the commercial center of Tunis (one at home) where we can spend a few hours before going to the port. His ship leaves at 3 am while mine leaves at 11.30 pm so at a certain time we greeted each other warmly in the underground car park. There was the possibility of meeting again at the port because he too would have had to show up many hours in advance.
My arrival at the La Goulette port was fast, little traffic and a couple of traffic lights. Upon arrival at check-in, you are stopped at the side by 3/4 people who ask you for a ticket, booklet and other documents and immediately go to check-in for you in 2 minutes without you bothering your motorbike. I understood later that they are not officials but people who then ask you for something for a favor. Honestly, in this case, I was happy because I was on the bike without leaving it unattended and in two minutes I had everything I needed.
In the end my ferry left 3 hours late, I met Gianni, a gentleman who is a great traveler on a motorbike who kept me company for the whole way back, otherwise, I would have been bored to death on the ship. I spent the night on the sofa because in the shared room the smell of the people who were sleeping was nauseating, as I said at the beginning, never again in the shared cabin!
Italy
The return from Italy to Greece was fast, I made the journey back from Palermo to Thessaloniki in colder but always sunny weather.
I arrived at the foot of Etna which was covered in snow, I stopped for the second time at Castel del Monte in Basilicata and took the ferry from Bari to Igoumenitsa.
From Igoumenitsa to Thessaloniki I drove from 5.30 in the morning with -4 degrees for the entire four hour journey until I got home exhausted and feverish from the cold.
Conclusions:
a trip well worth a second or third visit. Tunisia offers so much and exceeded my expectations. Honestly, I've never been 100% convinced but I must say that it surprised me in so many ways, from the road network, the beaches, the people, the desert and the really low prices.
Suggestions:
- have a puncture kit with you if you cross isolated areas. There is roadside assistance but you risk losing too much time if your days are numbered or if the sun is going down, the temperature range is dangerous, especially in desert areas
- if you have time, explore even the lesser-known roads avoiding the highways from time to time, you will immerse yourself in nature and discover unexplored landscapes, especially in the area of salt lake and the salt desert
- always useful to have cash, indeed perhaps it is a must if you eat on the street cheaply and it remains the safest form of payment. In Tatouine, when I withdrew from the ATM with one eye I looked at the motorbike on the street and with the other at the people on my neck who wanted to watch a foreigner withdrawing
- the road network offers much more widespread service areas in the North instead of in the South.
I've never used the tank because sooner or later you'll find a gas station attendant, and I'm talking about real gas stations, not where they illegally sell stolen Algerian gasoline crammed into plastic bottles and filtered with t-shirts
- especially in December, it is always good to bring a thermal shirt or sock because the day-night change is considerable
- don't worry about the gendarmerie, they stopped me and complimented me on the bike and on the country I come from and taking a quick look at my passport, no one ever asked me for money
- remember hygiene? if you have many kilometers and a few days, it is better to focus on superior category hotels, an average hotel with parking and breakfast can be found for 30-40 euros per night and if you are traveling as a couple, the cost is divided in half!
- don't trust the people with the camel because after insisting heavily they try the latest tactic: they tell you that they'll take a picture of you and your bike as a gift then they approach the camel and say they'll also offer you the picture above the camel. Once above they make the camel stand up and take you around, you're screwed because you didn't negotiate the price and a big argument could start!
Itinerary in Map
Click here to see the map and use it during the trip
