Antonine Baths of Carthage

Carthage was founded by the Phoenicians, destroyed by Rome in 146 BC and later rebuilt as one of the great cities of the Roman Empire, and the Antonine Baths are the most striking reminder of that second life. Built between 145 and 162 AD under Emperor Antoninus Pius, the complex measured over 200 metres by 100 metres and is described as the largest set of Roman baths on the African continent. Because the clay soil could not support the usual underground service rooms, the builders raised the whole structure, which made it unusually tall.

Today the site is an archaeological park on the shore of the Gulf of Tunis. Much of what survives is the lower service level, with massive vaults, fallen columns and fragments of the original marble, but the scale is still obvious as you walk among the piers and look up at what remains. The sea views from the park make it one of the most pleasant ruins in the area. The baths are part of the Archaeological Site of Carthage, listed by UNESCO in 1979.

Carthage is spread over a wide residential suburb, so the baths are best seen as one stop on a longer route. Other parts of the site include the Byrsa hill, the Punic ports, the Roman amphitheatre and the Musée Romain et Paléochrétien at Dermech, which reopened in December 2025. The National Museum of Carthage on the Byrsa hill is closed for a major rehabilitation, with works tendered in 2026, so check its status before you plan around it.

Allow an hour for the baths and a half day or more for Carthage as a whole. There is little shade, so bring water, a hat and sun cream in the warmer months, and wear shoes with a good grip on the uneven stone. The presidential palace lies close to the park, so respect any restrictions on photography around its grounds.

The TGM suburban train from Tunis runs along the coast to Carthage, with stops near the main parts of the site, and continues to Sidi Bou Said and La Marsa. That makes it easy to combine the baths with lunch and an afternoon in Sidi Bou Said.