Travel bucket list idea:

Dougga

Teboursouk, Beja Governorate, Tunisia

Last updated: 04 May, 2025

Perched on a hillside in northern Tunisia, Dougga is one of the best-preserved Roman towns in North Africa.

Originally a Numidian settlement, it was later developed by the Romans in the 1st century BCE into a flourishing provincial city, complete with a forum, baths, temples, theatre, and intricate houses. Dougga reflected Roman ambition to blend imperial grandeur with local culture, strategically built to control fertile farmland and trade routes.

Though it began to decline after the Arab conquest in the 7th century CE, Dougga was never extensively built over, allowing its ruins to survive remarkably intact. Vandals trashed it, but enough surviving streets and monuments to make the ancient world come alive. Today, visitors can wander through vast open spaces where paved streets lead to a spectacular Capitoline Temple, a 3,500-seat Roman theatre, and elaborate public baths.

In a lovely setting of olive groves and green pastures, and framed by sweeping valley views, this lost provincial city is peaceful, uncrowded, hauntingly atmospheric and a rare chance to experience a Roman city almost untouched by time. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site that rewards slow exploration.

Don't miss

Highlights of Dougga include the majestic Capitoline Temple, with its striking columns still standing proud, and the remarkably intact Roman theatre, often used today for summer performances. Don’t miss the Licinian Baths, the House of Trifolium with its beautiful mosaics, and the Libyco-Punic mausoleum, a rare pre-Roman structure offering sweeping valley views.

While you're there

Only an hour to the west there’s another, similar ruined city called Bulla Regia. Both can be seen in a day trip from Tunis.

Logistics

Price from: £8

Minimum age: 0

Age suitable: 18+

When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Dougga is best reached by car or organised tour from Tunis (about 2.5 hours) or Testour. While public transport is limited, self-driving offers flexibility.

Once at the site, everything is easily explored on foot, though the terrain is uneven. Local guides can be hired at the entrance and are highly recommended for context and hidden details. Alternatively, day tours from Tunis often include transport and guiding.

There are no restaurants on-site, so bring water, snacks, and sun protection. Comfortable walking shoes are essential, as the ruins span a wide hillside and there’s little shade across the sprawling ancient city.

When to do it

The best time to visit Dougga is during spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November), when temperatures are mild and the surrounding hills are green and blooming. These seasons offer ideal conditions for exploring the vast, open-air site without the intense summer heat.

Aim to arrive early in the morning or late afternoon, when the light is soft and golden – perfect for photography and avoiding midday crowds. Morning visits are especially peaceful, with cooler air and long shadows casting dramatic contrasts across the ruins, enhancing their ancient grandeur. Avoid peak summer hours, as the site offers little shade and can become uncomfortably hot.

Who to go with: organised tours

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Private Excursion to Testour, Dougga and Bulla Regia from Tunis.

Tunis

Viator

For lovers of archeology and the ancient history of Tunisia With us you can discover two exceptional archaeological sites, Dougga and Bulla Regia. The first stop of our excursion is the visit of Testour, this village was founded by the Moorish people at the beginning of the 17th century. We will take a panoramic tour of the city, from the famous mosque to the beautiful minaret adorned with a clock whose hands turn counterclockwise. Then we will continue to Dougga, the ancient Roman city of Thugga. We will appreciate the visit of the beautiful ruins wonderfully preserved if you are passionate about history and art: the theater, the capitol, the forum, the thermal baths, the houses, the place of the wind rose, the triumphal arch, the Libyco- Punic Mausoleum Then you will visit Bulla Regia. This archaeological site is famous for its religious buildings: the capitol, the temple of Apollo, the two Christian basilicas, and the church of Alexander.

Price €110

Min age 0

Rating 4.93 / 5 [101 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Full Day Dougga & Bulla Regia Via Testour Private tour with Lunch

Tunis

Viator

Dougga is the pinnacle of the Roman presence in Tunisia and looks out majestically over the hills. What perhaps makes it so aesthetically pleasing is its geography – perched on high, it is a picture of verdancy and her stone columns stand proudly against the green countryside. It occupies an unusual position for a Roman town because its origins date back well before the Romans, in fact, it was a Numidian stronghold and enjoyed great prosperity through Masinissa, its ruler. Bulla Regia is a remarkable Roman city, in northwestern Tunisia, near the modern city of Jendouba. It is celebrated for its semi-subterranean housing, a feature that most likely was a response to the need for protection against excessive heat in summer and the cold in winter. The experience of exploring complete, superbly preserved villas is quite incredible; Bulla Regia remains a unique Roman city in having two-storey dwellings with one floor underground.

Price $115

Min age 0

Rating 4.93 / 5 [29 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Website >

Private Day Trip to Testour, Dougga and Bulla Regia from Hammamet

Hammamet

Viator

For lovers of archeology and the ancient history of Tunisia With us you can discover two exceptional archaeological sites, Dougga and Bulla Regia. The first stop of our excursion is the visit of Testour, this village was founded by the Moorish people at the beginning of the 17th century. We will take a panoramic tour of the city, from the famous mosque to the beautiful minaret adorned with a clock whose hands turn counterclockwise. Then we will continue to Dougga, the ancient Roman city of Thugga. We will appreciate the visit of the beautiful ruins wonderfully preserved if you are passionate about history and art: the theater, the capitol, the forum, the thermal baths, the houses, the place of the rose of the winds, the triumphal arch, the Libyco- Punic Mausoleum Then you will visit Bulla Regia. This archaeological site is famous for its religious buildings: the capitol, the temple of Apollo, the two Christian basilicas, and the church of Alexander.

Price €115

Min age 0

Rating 4.95 / 5 [20 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Website >