Bulla Regia
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Bulla Regia

Bulla Regia

Roman archaeological site in northwestern Tunisia, famous for underground villas built against summer heat.

Bulla Regia is a Roman archaeological site in northwestern Tunisia, remarkable for one thing: its underground villas. The wealthy Roman residents of this city built their houses with a full storey below ground to escape the fierce North African summer heat, and the subterranean rooms have preserved some of the finest floor mosaics in all of Roman Africa.

You can walk down into the underground rooms of the House of Amphitrite and the House of the Hunt and stand on mosaic floors that are still vivid after nearly two thousand years. The Forum and Temples at ground level complete the picture of a prosperous provincial Roman city. The site is far less visited than Dougga or Carthage, and on a quiet day you may have the ruins largely to yourself. Bulla Regia is about 150 kilometres west of Tunis, near the town of Jendouba, and is easily combined with a visit to Dougga in a single day trip.

Guide

Getting There

Bulla Regia is near the town of Jendouba in northwestern Tunisia, about 10 km north on the road toward Ain Draham. From Tunis, the drive takes about two hours via the A3 motorway to Bou Salem, then northwest toward Jendouba. Shared louages (taxis) run from Tunis to Jendouba, from where you can take a local taxi to the site.

The most efficient way to visit is to combine Bulla Regia with Dougga, the spectacular hilltop Roman city about 30 km to the south. The two sites make a full and rewarding day trip from Tunis or from a base in Béja. There is a small site museum at the entrance to Bulla Regia and a café. Tickets are inexpensive and include access to all the underground houses. The site keeps standard Tunisian heritage site hours — confirm current times before visiting, as they shift seasonally.

Guide

Things to Do

Bulla Regia is a single archaeological site rather than a town with multiple districts. The visit consists of exploring the above-ground ruins — the forum, temples, and baths — and descending into the underground villas that are the site's unique feature. Allow two to three hours for a thorough visit. There is no shade once you leave the underground rooms, so visit early in the day during summer months and bring water.