A Drive (carr. 15 fr.) from Tunis to Sidi-Daoud, La Malga (amphitheatre and cisterns), La Marsa, Sidi Bou-Saïd, Carthage (cisterns at Bordj el-Djedid, theatre, and museum), Goletta, Maxula-Rades (p. [363]), and back to Tunis is recommended. Luncheon (brought from Tunis) may be taken beside the lighthouse at Sidi Bou-Saïd or at Carthage. Good carriages are to be had also at Goletta and the stations of Carthage and Marsa-Ville (2 fr. per hr.; but the fare should be fixed beforehand).—In cool weather, especially in the forenoon, the Walk from La Marsa viâ Sidi Bou-Saïd to Carthage is very enjoyable.
Hotels at Carthage: Hôt. St. Louis de Carthage, on the castle-hill, tolerable, déj. or D. 3–3½ fr., wine dear; Pavillon Beau-Séjour, R. 3, B. 1¼, déj. 2½, D. 3 fr.; Hôt. des Citernes Romaines, near the cisterns of Bordj el-Djedid (p. [350]), plain but good.
For a short visit to the ruins the following description will suffice. For further study the traveller is referred to the Carte archéologique et topographique des Ruines de Carthage (Paris, 1907; three sheets, scale 1 : 5000) and to ‘Carthage autrefois, Carthage aujourd’hui’ (2½ fr.; to be had at the Musée Lavigerie), a full description, but partly out of date. Comp. also the chapters on Carthage in Cagnat’s book mentioned at p. [289].—The guides and beggars are very importunate. Native vendors offer spurious antiquities (cameos, coins, etc.), ‘just dug up’. It should be noted that the ruins abound in awkward cavities and fissures, and that, in summer especially, scorpions lurk under the loose stones.
The Electric Tramway (see above) to Carthage and Marsa-Plage runs to the Harbour (p. [333]), crosses its N. entrance by an embankment, and follows the N. bank of the ship-canal across Lake Bahira (comp. p. [129]), skirting the passing-place of the steamers. On the left is the islet of Chikly (p. [129]).
6¼ M. Arrêt du Bac, station for the Goletta steam-ferry mentioned at p. [363].—7 M. La Goulette, on the W. side of the little town of—
Goletta, or La Goulette (Hôt. de la Gare, unpretending; pop. 5000, chiefly Sicilian and Maltese fisher-folk), the former little harbour of Tunis, deserted since the opening of the ship-canal. It was strongly fortified by Kheireddin (p. [221]) in 1534 and transformed into a great naval station, but was soon captured by the Spaniards and formed the base whence they kept Tunis in check (1535–74).
On the island between the ship-canal and the two narrow inlets to the harbour are the Dâr el-Bey, an old palace of the beys, and the disused Marine Arsenal founded by Ahmed Bey (1837–55). On the shore, beyond the old harbour-mouth, which is only 6½ ft. deep, rises the Kasba, now barracks.
From Goletta to Maxula-Rades, see p. [363].
Between old Goletta and the ancient harbour of Carthage stretches a tongue of land, the ancient Taenia or Ligula, between Lake Bahira and the open sea, where bathing-places abound: 7¼ M. La Goulette Neuve, with a long row of humble lodging-houses, chiefly patronized by the poorer Jewish families from Tunis; 8 M. Khéreddine, where the old palace of Khéreddine, once the all-powerful minister of Bey Mohammed es-Saddok (1859–82), is now a casino; 9 M. Le Kram, another favourite Jewish resort, on the small Baie du Kram.
The next station is (9¾ M.) Salambo, a new colony of villas named after Flaubert’s novel; near it is the ‘Lazaret‘, an old palace of the beys’ harem, on the shore, between the two ancient harbours of Carthage (p. [345]), used as a cholera hospital in 1884 (now barracks). 10 M. Douar ech-Chott, on the E. side of this picturesque native village (comp. p. [345]).