Sidi Bou Said - Tunisia Fishing Village near La Goulette and Tunis

The port of La Goulette near Tunis is a popular stop for cruise ships sailing the western Mediterranean. Passengers know they are in north Africa when they see the Moorish cruise terminal at La Goulette and the vendors offering camel rides.

Several different shore excursions are offered, including tours of the Medina (Old Town) of Tunis, the Bardo National Museum, and Carthage.

If old cities or museums are not your style, you might consider taking a day trip from La Goulette to Sidi Bou Said. This small fishing village is geared towards tourism, and has plenty of shops, outdoor markets, and whitewashed buildings with bright blue shutters that are reminiscent of Greece. Sidi Bou Said was founded by the Andalusian Arabs, and some tours offer the opportunity to visit one of these quaint homes that is now a museum.

Near Sidi Bou Said are the ruins of the ancient city of Carthage. We stopped at the American Cemetery of North Africa, which was as lovely and well-kept as the one at Normandy.