Castilia and the proposed routes offer different starting points for planning a trip to Degache that combines culture and landscape. The archaeological site represents a specific structure and finds from excavations; Degache is also one of Tunisia’s oases. A proposed tourism plan by the municipality adds three route ideas to these different facets of the area. They differ in their named stops and themes.

Castilia: Church and archaeological finds

The archaeological site of Castilia is located in Degache. It is home to a Christian church from the late Roman period, dated to around the 5th century AD. Excavations also uncovered buildings for clergy. Finds include a collection of jugs and vessels, numerous coins and lamps, and various ceramic vessels. At this archaeological site, a religious building, structural remains and different artefacts can thus be found side by side. The approximate dating of the church and the variety of excavated objects offer different ways to explore Castilia: on the one hand, there is the dating of the building, and on the other, the range of finds.

Degache is one of Tunisia’s oases. This landscape classification adds another facet of the area to the archaeological perspective on Castilia. Those wishing to understand Degache in context can consider its cultural history and its connection to an oasis as distinct perspectives, both supported by information about the area.

Three proposed routes in the municipality

A proposed tourism plan by the municipality of Degache includes three tourist routes. They are presented as suggestions and differ in their planned paths and stops. The route descriptions are especially useful for understanding their themes: the first lists several named places, the second is intended for tourist horse-drawn carriages, and the third follows the outskirts of Chott el Jerid.

The first proposed route starts at the Roman site of Castilia. Other stops in the proposal are the palm research centre, the archaeological site of Qubba, جامع السوامة, Chott el Jerid, the Dghoums area, the Tzararit Oasis and the Bouhlal area. The list therefore includes archaeological sites as well as landscape and area names. The focus of this route idea is clear from the number of stops listed; the description does not specify any further order.

The second proposed route is intended for tourist horse-drawn carriages within the Ouedian Oasis. It ends at several archaeological sites in the oasis. This idea differs from the first in its explicitly stated mode of transport and from the third in its location within the Ouedian Oasis. The proposal can therefore be understood as a carriage route with an archaeological destination.

The third proposed route follows the ring road along the shore of Chott el Jerid. It runs alongside the old oasis of Degache and several residential areas with an agricultural character. Compared with the other two proposals, it primarily describes a route along the Chott and by the old oasis. Together, the three routes offer different planning approaches: a series of named stops starting at Castilia, a route intended for horse-drawn carriages in the Ouedian Oasis, and a route along Chott el Jerid. This distinction helps when considering the route ideas according to their respective themes.

For the broader travel overview: Tozeur.