Festival International de Carthage

The Festival International de Carthage is Tunisia’s flagship summer cultural event and one of the oldest music festivals in Africa. Held annually from July through August at the Roman amphitheatre of Carthage — a UNESCO World Heritage site on a hill above the Gulf of Tunis — the festival has been running since 1964, making the 2026 edition its 60th anniversary. The venue holds approximately 8,000 spectators and its open-air semicircular form, built from pale stone, provides one of the most dramatic concert backdrops in the Mediterranean.

The Programme

The festival runs for approximately six to seven weeks, with performances on most evenings across July and August. The programme spans a genuinely broad range: Arabic pop and traditional Malouf music sit alongside international stars in jazz, world music, classical, and occasionally rock. Acts from France, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, and West Africa have featured in recent editions alongside major Tunisian artists.

The 2026 edition is the festival’s 60th, which has been accompanied by a notable programme for the season. Confirmed highlights have included performances by prominent Arab artists and special commemorative events. Full programme details and ticketing are available via the official Tunisian tourism events calendar and the tunis.events site linked above.

Getting to the Amphitheatre

The amphitheatre is located in the Carthage neighbourhood, approximately 18 km from central Tunis. The TGM suburban rail line connects Tunis Marine station to Carthage-Hannibal station, from which the amphitheatre is a 10-minute walk uphill. Trains run regularly and this is by far the most convenient option on event nights, when taxis become scarce around the venue after performances end. The journey takes around 40 minutes from central Tunis.

If you are staying in Sidi Bou Said — the blue-and-white hilltop village one stop beyond Carthage on the TGM — the festival is particularly convenient to combine with an evening walk through the village before or after a performance.

Practical Tips

Ticket prices vary significantly by performance and seat tier — major headliner nights sell out weeks in advance. Booking through the official channels or authorised ticket agents in Tunis is strongly recommended for high-demand evenings. Bring a light jacket: the amphitheatre is elevated and catches the sea breeze off the Gulf of Tunis, and temperatures drop noticeably after 10pm even in midsummer.

Stone seating in the Roman tiers can be hard during a two-hour show; a small cushion or folded jacket helps. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes before the performance for venue security checks and to find your seats — queues at the entrance move slowly on busy nights.

The Carthage ruins, including the Tophet, the Baths of Antoninus, and the Punic ports, are worth a daytime visit before an evening performance. Combining a morning at the archaeological sites with an evening concert at the amphitheatre makes for a full day in the area. See our Carthage destination guide and Tunis-Carthage-Sidi Bou Said tours for more on what to see nearby.