For a sense of what life was like for the wealthy in the Roman years in Tunisia, you can't beat the Bardo Museum. For less than half a buck on the #4 metro leger you will be treated to a tour of Tunis and be dropped off at the best museum you've never heard of. And remember, there is always room for one more on the metro!
The Ottoman touch
If the Bardo were completely empty the Ottoman architecture of this former palace would still be interesting. As it is, the Bardo houses the largest and most spectacular collection of Roman mosaics we have ever seen. Long before there were carpets, tapestries and frescoes, the rich and famous decorated with mosaics - thousands upon thousands of tiny pieces of colored stone cut and placed to create snapshots of Roman life.
All this and free booties, too!
There are other works from Roman times, of course, but we have seen countless examples of oil lamps, vases, armour, and such. But never have we seen so many examples of the mosaics in such pristine condition. We felt guilty walking on them even with our protective booties.
