Roman ruins of Sufetula, Sbeitla |Tunisia
January 26 2020
Nomadic Backpacker's guide to backpacking the Roman ruins of Sufetula, Sbeitla | Tunisia using public transport.
Just on the edge of the town of Sbeitla are the Roman ruins of Sufetula, containing the best preserved Roman temples in Tunisia.
The Capitoline Temples dedicated to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva:
Just on the edge of the town of Sbeitla are the Roman ruins of Sufetula, containing the best preserved Roman temples in Tunisia.
The Capitoline Temples dedicated to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva:
The Arch of Antoninus Pius:
Roman bath mosaics:
Roman ruins of Sufetula, Sbeitla:
Telephoto shot just as I was leaving with ever improving light.
Arch of Diocletian:
Getting there and away using public transport:
I travelled to Sbeitla from Tozeur via Gafsa and Kasserine using 3 different louages:
Tozeur to Gafsa 1 hr 30 6,850 Dinar
Gafsa to Kasserine 2 hrs 8 Dinar
Kasserine to Sbeitla 30 mins 2,550 Dinar
Sbeitla is 260km from Tunis and just 100km to Kairouan. More ruins at Duogga, 165km.
Where to stay in Sbeitla:
Choices are very limited if not minimal. I stayed at the "Auberge de Jeunesse Motel".
A single room is as low as 16 Dinar though I was put in a double which is 32 for 2. Breakfast is 6 extra. I passed as 2 coffees and bread and a pot of yoghurt can cost as little as 2.500 from the supermarket. Hot water showers, fast WIFI, internal courtyard. There are no Air Conditioning units like all other hotels I've stayed in so it would be very hot in summer. And in general they could use them to heat in winter but for some reason they don't. There are only 14 rooms.
The Hotel Al Madhi has rooms at 46 Dinar for 1 person, 72 Dinar for 2 and 88 Dinar for 3.
Inner courtyard at the Auberge de Jeunesse Motel in Sbeitla (image linked to location on Google maps):
I travelled to Sbeitla from Tozeur via Gafsa and Kasserine using 3 different louages:
Tozeur to Gafsa 1 hr 30 6,850 Dinar
Gafsa to Kasserine 2 hrs 8 Dinar
Kasserine to Sbeitla 30 mins 2,550 Dinar
Sbeitla is 260km from Tunis and just 100km to Kairouan. More ruins at Duogga, 165km.
Where to stay in Sbeitla:
Choices are very limited if not minimal. I stayed at the "Auberge de Jeunesse Motel".
A single room is as low as 16 Dinar though I was put in a double which is 32 for 2. Breakfast is 6 extra. I passed as 2 coffees and bread and a pot of yoghurt can cost as little as 2.500 from the supermarket. Hot water showers, fast WIFI, internal courtyard. There are no Air Conditioning units like all other hotels I've stayed in so it would be very hot in summer. And in general they could use them to heat in winter but for some reason they don't. There are only 14 rooms.
The Hotel Al Madhi has rooms at 46 Dinar for 1 person, 72 Dinar for 2 and 88 Dinar for 3.
Inner courtyard at the Auberge de Jeunesse Motel in Sbeitla (image linked to location on Google maps):
Extra notes about Sbeitla:
The Hotel Bakini looks closed.
The Requin Bleu cafe serves the biggest coffees I've seen here. I asked for "un café comme ça" pointing to a glass on the table. When the server told the coffee maker, I heard the word ''filter'. I find it much more drinkable than the normal shot sized coffee and was somehow cheaper than the coffees so far in Tunisia. 2 200ml coffees just 1 Dinar.
Entrance fee, 2020, is 8 Dinar. A couple of guides will want to offer your their services and there are the guys selling the 'genuine' Roman coins, lol.
All images were taken on my TZ 70 and all bar one have been auto-adjusted for light on the gallery app on my smart phone. I haven't gotten used to the camera just yet but I'm getting there.
