Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be a Roman Patrician? Well, in Tunisia, over 2000 years later, you may get a small taster. In the months of July and August, the ancient city of Carthage, the birthplace of the infamous Hannibal, becomes alive with its International Festival.

Phoenician Carthage was founded in 814 BC and was a major power in the Mediterranean until the Romans sacked the city and rebuilt it. Not much remains of the city's original Phoenician and Roman architecture, but the Punic quarter, ancient ports and the Roman circus, baths and amphitheatres are all included in the UNESCO World Heritage site. Carthage, however, is still a powerful symbol, laden with historical significance and in 1964 it became the home of the longest running arts festival in Africa.

In its heyday, the International Festival of Carthage attracted performers of the standing of Louis Armstrong and Joe Cocker as well as many other Mediterranean artists. In recent years, the festival has been given a new lease of life and is again becoming an important stage for the mixing of international and Arab artists.

For those who are passionate about Middle Eastern culture, the festival has a wide variety of musical performances of both classic and modern pan Arabian music. For cinema lovers, there are many screenings of American, European and local movies. The festival also comprises interesting adaptations of both French classical theatre such as pieces from Moliere, and modern pieces by playwrights like Jean Christophe Sais.

Covering many forms of performance art, from music to theatre to poetry, the shows take place in venues in and around Carthage. However, it is definitely worth trying to catch a show at the reconstructed Roman theatre, where the tiered seating area accommodates over 7000 spectators. The light summer breeze, the starry sky and the unsurpassable ancient acoustics give the audience a chance to step back in time.

For all of you culture vultures out there thinking about a once in a lifetime escape, flythomascook operates regular flights to Monastir from several UK airports.