Bizerte is known as the oldest and most European city in Tunisia. It was founded around 1000 BC by Phoenicians from Tyre. It is also known as the last town to remain under French control (until 1963) after the rest of the country won its independence from France in 1956.
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A few kilometres north-east we stopped in the small town of Ghar al Milh, which is also known as Porto Farina. It is a small coastal farming and fishing town. The town was an important base for Barbary pirates until it was destroyed by Admiral Robert Blake in 1654. However the harbour and defences were soon rebuilt and it became a base for British and Maltese pirates. In 1834 a huge arsenal belonging to a Maltese pirate exploded and destroyed part of the town. We walked around the harbour with its colourful fishing boats and then continued our tour to Bizerte.
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A few weeks ago we visted the ruins of Utica, which is an ancient city near the outflow of the Medjerda River into the Mediterranean Sea, traditionally considered to be the first colony founded by the Phoenicians in North Africa. Today, its remains are no longer located on the coast where it once lay, but further inland because deforestation and agriculture upriver led to massive erosion and the Medjerda River silted over its original mouth. Except for two other tourists, we found the site deserted. It was lovely, a sunny 25 degrees. You can touch and climb over all the ruins, there are no fences. While there are mainly foundations of houses and stubs of walls left, at a few points there is more. The former glory of the place can be guessed by its floors and the remains of the mosaics. Compared to the other antique sites we have seen, this one is small but yet you need a good map in order to find all the ruins, some are overgrown by plants.
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