Monastir & El Jem Private Day Trip
From $55, a private day trip to the Ribat of Monastir and the amphitheatre of El Jem. You leave from your hotel with your own driver, at a set price.
Private Day Trip from Your Hotel to Monastir and El Jem
This private day trip pairs the coast and the interior of the Sahel. In the morning, you walk the walls of the Ribat of Monastir and see the Bourguiba Mausoleum. In the afternoon, you drive inland to El Jem and its Roman amphitheatre. Your own driver stays with you all day, from your hotel door and back. You pay one fixed price for the vehicle.
Monastir and El Jem Through the Centuries
Both sites were built to last, one as a fortress by the sea, the other as an arena for 35,000 people. Both were reused many times after their first life.
A Fortress on the Shore
The Ribat rises straight from the shore, with towers and walls of golden stone. It was founded in 796 to guard this part of the coast. Its tall watchtower gives a wide view over the port and the marine cemetery. Inside, narrow stairs lead from the courtyards to the walkways along the walls.
The Ribat on Screen
Film crews have used the Ribat as a ready-made set. Monty Python shot scenes of Life of Brian here in 1978, starting with the stoning scene along the outside wall. The walls and towers stood in for ancient Jerusalem. Michael Palin later recalled that first day of filming in his diaries. Parts of the film were also shot in the El Jem amphitheatre.
The Bourguiba Mausoleum
The mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba stands at the end of a long esplanade, close to the Ribat. Work began in 1963, and it opened in 1978. Its golden dome rises between two slender minarets. The president was laid to rest there after his death on 6 April 2000. A small museum inside shows his desk, his glasses, his pens and his clothes.
The Kuriat Islands
Off the coast lie the Kuriat Islands, two low islands of sand and scrub. They are the westernmost nesting site of the loggerhead sea turtle on the southern shore of the Mediterranean. Hatchlings reach the sea between July and October. Day boats take visitors to the smaller island in summer, and volunteers explain how to share the beach with the turtles.
A Shelter in Hard Times
The arena of Thysdrus outlived the games. In 430, during the Vandal attacks, local people took shelter inside its walls. They did so again in 647, when the Arab armies arrived. In 1695, Mohamed Bey opened a breach in one wall to drive out his brother's followers. Around 1850, Ahmed Bey made the breach wider, and that is the gap you see today.
Music in the Arena
Since 1985, the amphitheatre has hosted the International Festival of Symphonic Music every summer. Orchestras from Tunisia and abroad play at night on the arena floor. The audience sits on the stone tiers, as the crowds of Thysdrus once did. If your trip falls in summer, ask us about the festival dates.
Three Floors of Arches
The outer wall rises on three levels of arches, to a height of about 36 meters. Behind the arches, vaulted corridors and stairways carried the crowd to the tiers. You can still walk these passages, from the ground floor to the upper rows. From the top, the arena opens below you, and the town spreads beyond the walls.
The El Jem Museum
The El Jem Museum, created in 1970 and enlarged in 2002, keeps the finds of Thysdrus. Its mosaics show a Dionysian parade, Orpheus and the Muses. Beside it, part of a large Roman house, the House of Africa, has been rebuilt with its baths. One floor shows Africa as a goddess, another Rome and its provinces.
Your Day from the Coast to the Arena
We start with Monastir while the morning is cool, then head inland for El Jem. If you prefer the opposite order, just tell us when you book.
- Morning pickup at your hotel door.
- Monastir: the Ribat walls and towers, then the Bourguiba Mausoleum.
- A walk on the seafront or at the marina.
- Lunch break on the road to El Jem, paid on the spot.
- El Jem: the arena, the upper tiers and the passages under the floor.
- Drive back to your hotel at the end of the afternoon.
Price from Your Departure City
From Monastir or Sousse, this trip costs less than most of our excursions. From further away, the price grows with the distance. Every price covers the private vehicle, the driver, fuel and tolls, with nothing added later. Add a certified guide for $50, for the whole day and your whole group.
Price per private vehicle, in US dollars
| Departure city | Price |
|---|---|
| Departure from Tunis or Gammarth | $125 |
| Departure from Hammamet | $95 |
| Departure from Nabeul | $105 |
| Departure from Sousse | $65 |
| Departure city | Price |
|---|---|
| Departure from Monastir | $55 |
| Departure from Mahdia | $75 |
| Departure from Bizerte | $150 |
| Departure from Djerba | $185 |
What the Price Covers
The vehicle and the driver are paid once, for the whole day. Tickets for the Ribat and the amphitheatre are bought at the entrance.
Included
From the seafront of Monastir to the arena of El Jem, the car and the driver are part of the price.
- Private vehicle with air conditioning, driver, fuel and tolls
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Not Included
The Ribat and the amphitheatre each sell their own ticket at the gate.
- Tickets for the Ribat and the El Jem amphitheatre
- Lunch and drinks
- On request: a certified guide for the day, $50
Write to us with your hotel, your date and the number of people. A person from our team confirms the trip and the price. We reply 24/7 by WhatsApp or phone.
Questions About Monastir and El Jem
How much time do we spend in El Jem?
Most visits take one to two hours, enough for the arena, the tiers and the underground passages. You can stay longer if you wish.
Is it very hot inside the amphitheatre in summer?
Yes, the stone holds the heat. In summer, bring a hat and water, and visit El Jem late in the afternoon if you can.
Can we start from Mahdia?
Yes. Mahdia is in the price table, and the driver picks you up at your hotel there.
Can we see Kairouan on the same day?
Kairouan has its own trip with El Jem. If you want the three places in one day, ask our team what is possible.
Is this a private trip?
Yes. Only your group is in the vehicle, and the driver follows your pace all day.
Where to Go Next
If you liked El Jem, Kairouan is the next step, with its Great Mosque and old city. Closer to the sea, Sousse has a Medina listed by UNESCO. Further south, the Sahara circuits start from the same hotels.
