Season 1 · Leg 4
Let's Sail from Marseille to Tunis and Find the Colosseum's Cousin
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The route map
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins are approximate and show the on-the-ground route in Tunisia. Download the KML for Google My Maps / Google Earth
Why go here?
Because who knew there was a Roman amphitheatre in Tunisia that rivals the one in Rome? This leg trades France for North Africa by overnight ferry, which is the most old-school travel move on the whole season. We'll get coffee in the medina of Tunis and then walk the tunnels under El Jem, where gladiators once waited for their cue.
Getting there: LA to Marseille, home from Tunis
I checked SNA and LGB, but LAX had the fares. Kayak showed LAX to Marseille one-way for $324 (Kayak) and Tunis to LAX for $376 (Kayak).
Total cost for flights: about $700 per adult (fares seen Oct 2026; they change daily)
Stop 1: The overnight ferry to Tunis
The teams sailed, so we sail. Corsica Linea runs Marseille to Tunis in about 21 hours. A bed in a shared cabin is about €170, and a private cabin starts around €208 (Ferryhopper). Bring snacks, a book, and a cardigan for the air-conditioning. I'd stand on deck as we leave the Vieux-Port and pretend I'm in a movie.
Running cost: about $190 per adult
Where we're staying
Two nights at Dar El Medina, a traditional house inside the Tunis medina, from about $82–96 a night (Kayak). Waking up inside the old city is the whole point.
Total cost for 2 nights: about $96 per adult, two sharing
Stop 2: Bab el Bhar and the Medina (the Detour)
The teams found their clue at Bab el Bhar, the old sea gate, before heading into the medina. Their Detour was coffee or a massage, and I say do both. Wander the souks with a coffee, then find a hammam and let someone scrub the ferry off you. Prices vary a lot, so agree on the price before you start.
Running cost: about $190 per adult (coffee and hammam are pay-as-you-go)
Stop 3: The train to El Jem
El Jem is an easy day trip by train from Tunis. Buy your tickets at Tunis Ville station on the day, and ask for first class. I'd budget about $10 a person for the round trip.
Running cost: about $200 per adult
The Pit Stop: El Jem amphitheatre (Roadblock)
The Roadblock sent teams with torches into the tunnels under the arena. We bring a phone flashlight instead. Entry is 20 TND for visitors (Vivre en Tunisie). Climb to the upper tiers at golden hour, look down into the arena, and channel your inner gladiator. That's where we'd meet Phil!
Running cost: about $207 per adult
Total cost of this leg for Pit Stop Passport racers: about $1,003 per adult (estimate, two adults sharing: flights $700 + ferry bed $190 + hotel $96 + train and El Jem $17. It doesn't include a night in Marseille, meals, the hammam or tips. Prices checked Oct 2026, at €1 ≈ $1.12 and $1 ≈ 3 TND, and they will change. The US State Department has Tunisia at Level 2, so read the advisory before you book.)
Family Pit Crew
A ferry is basically a floating playground for kids, and El Jem is a ruin you can actually run around in. I'd keep the medina outings short and early, before the crowds.
Age rules, stop by stop
| Stop | What the rules say |
|---|---|
| Ferry | All ages. Ask Corsica Linea for a private four-berth cabin when you book (Ferryhopper). |
| Medina and hammam | Fine to wander with kids. Ask the hammam about children before you go in. |
| El Jem amphitheatre | Under-12s pay 2 TND (Vivre en Tunisie). |
What I'd skip with kids. I'd let the hammam be a grown-up treat and take the kids for mint tea and pastries in the souk instead. I'd also skip the dark tunnels with anyone who hates the dark and stick to the sunny tiers.
Family-friendly places to stay
- Dar El Medina, Tunis. A traditional house in the old city, from about $82–96 a night (Kayak). Ask for a room that fits four.
- Le Palace, Gammarth (budget pick). A beach hotel outside the city, from about 215 TND (about $75) (District Hotels).
Total cost for the Family Pit Crew: about $3,809 (estimate for two adults and two kids: four sets of flights at $700 with kids at the adult fare = $2,800; four ferry beds at €170 = about $762; Dar El Medina 2 nights = $192; trains for four = about $40; El Jem for two adults and two under-12s = about $15. It excludes a Marseille night, meals and tips. Prices checked Oct 2026.)