tunis tourist area

Things to do in Tunis in 3 days – Complete guide

By Joan Torres 19 Comments Last updated on April 9, 2024

Once a mass tourism destination that received thousands and thousands of tourists per year, including being a popular stopover for a shit load of Mediterranean cruise ships, after the 2015 terrorist attacks in Sousse , the city (and country) saw a massive decline still visible today.

Many shops were shut down, some tourist attractions were closed and the streets of one of the most charming cities in North Africa were suddenly empty. 

After all these years, however, the country seems to be slowly recovering, as the entangled alleys of the Medina seem to finally have come back to life and, in the Roman sites of Carthage, tour groups abound.

Locals are happy to see tourists coming back and that’s why I think now is the best time to travel to Tunis. 

This guide contains things to do in Tunis in a 3 day-itinerary (including off the beaten track things),  as well as everything you need to know regarding transportation tips, best tours and more.

For a full country guide, including a 2-week itinerary and travel tips, read my Tunisia travel guide

In this Tunis travel guide you will find:

Table of Contents

• Best time to visit
• Where to stay
• How to get there
• How to move around
• Day 1: The medina
• Day 2: Bardo, Ville Nouvelle & around
• Day 3: La Goulette, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and La Marsa
• More Information

Remember to get travel insurance for Tunis I strongly recommend IATI Insurance as it has COVID-19 coverage + 5% discount 5% discount if purchasing via this link

Intro: Why visit Tunis

A third Mediterranean, a third European and a third North African, Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, is the Maghrebi city with perhaps, the largest cultural contrasts.

From the wine-lovers, secular people of Carthage to the traditional families from the Medina and their Italian-like local restaurants, the capital of Tunisia has always been kind of in the middle of the way, so that’s why today, it is a real mix of all its surrounding cultures, to the extent that you will have a hard time trying to define it.

I spent 5 days visiting Tunis and I just loved it.

I liked it because, on the one hand, you have a great Arab Medina, not very different from the ones in Morocco, but way more welcoming, as you don’t bump into the classical hustlers that you typically find in the touristic lanes of Morocco.

I liked it because as soon as you step out of the Medina, you are suddenly in a quarter with European-like facades, boulangeries, churches and gelato stalls, and the air is quite often filled with freshly made Italian pizza.

I liked it because the city is also home to great Roman ruins that overlook the fertile, green lands that surround Tunis and the Gulf.

But above all, I liked it because I was very surprised by the complexity of the Tunisian society living in Tunis: on the one hand, traditionally Maghrebi but, on the other, here you find one of the largest Westernized, secular societies I have ever seen in the Arab world, even comparable to Beirut .

Add to this, all the things to do in Tunis like visiting impressive sites, mosques, museums and savoring their cuisine, which is a real North African-Italian blend, and you have a first-class tourist destination which you don’t want to miss.

Is Tunis worth the weekend trip? Good question. Whenever you go to such exotic destinations, travelers like to spend several days, but they’ll never think of traveling to Tunisia to just visit its capital. If you live in North America or somewhere in Asia, I agree, but seriously, if you are in Europe, you can easily reach Tunis in 2 or 3 hours, and I think it would be a great alternative to the classic European capitals people tend to visit on long weekends. And by the way, you can get a free visa on arrival .

⛅ Best time to visit Tunis (the city)

Tunis is a Mediterranean city.

I visited it in April from Barcelona, and not surprisingly, the weather between both cities was the exact same, perhaps 1 or 2 additional ºC. 

This means that, like most south European cities, Tunis is a year-round-destination with 4 different seasons:

Read: A guide to visiting Muscat in Oman

🏨 Where to stay in Tunis

Backpacker Hostel – Medina Youth Hostel   – Located in the heart of the Medina, this is the most backpacking-friendly hostel in Tunis. Very simple, but cheap, and where you are likely to meet the few backpackers visiting Tunis.

Mid-range hotel – Dar La Leila – Super nice, traditionally decorated lovely hotel, the top-rated hotel in Tunis, and super charming staff.

Top-end hotel – Dar El Jeld Hotel and Spa – A 5-star but traditional hotel that offers all the luxuries.

🗺️ Best tours in Tunis and day tours from Tunis

I visited Tunis independently, but if you want to visit the mazes of the Medina with a local guide, or just want to do day trips to nearby places with an organized tour, there are many options.

I recommend you look for these tours via GetYourGuide , a website that offers a large variety of budget tours which can be booked in just 1 click.

Carthage and Sidi Bou Said – A guided tour through the Roman ruins of Carthage and the Santorini-like city of Sidi Boud Said.

Bardo Museum & Medina – The classic Medina and the museum containing one of the largest collection in the world of Roman mosaics.

Day trip to Kairouan & El Jem – The holiest city and, perhaps, the biggest standing Roman Amphitheatre in the world, after the Colosseum in Rome.

🛫 How to travel to Tunis

How to visit tunis by air.

I am pretty sure that, before the 2015 attacks , the International Airport of Tunis had frequent flights from all over Europe but today, at least from Barcelona, there were just 2 or 3 direct flights a week, operated by Tunis Air – during the month of April at least.

On the bright side, it is less than a 3-hour flight from pretty much anywhere in Western Europe and in the worst-case scenario, you will just need to do a quick layover in Paris.

How to visit Tunis by land

Tunisia only shares a border with Libya and Algeria:

• Libya: The border is actually open to anyone with a valid visa for Libya but you are unlikely to cross from there because from a logistical perspective, it’s difficult to organize – independent travel in Libya is not allowed – hence most travelers opt for flying in. Read our Libya travel guide .
• Algeria: Algeria is becoming popular these days and the border is open. Actually, my initial plan was traveling to Algeria and then overland to Tunisia but, since my passport was full of ambiguous stamps such as Iraq or Syria , they denied my visa, so I flew to Tunis instead.

Read: a guide to visit Tbilisi

🛺 How to move around Tunis

Going and coming from the airport.

The airport of Tunis is very close to the city center and taxi would be your best bet, especially because it is very cheap, but you should be aware that Tunis airport is well-known for its taxi mafia.

They will try to charge you around 15-30 dinars, making whatever excuse about airport tax, parking,  baggage fees, etc., but it is all bullshit, and illegal.

The local price for going to downtown is 4 dinars, and it can’t go higher because all taxis should switch on their taximeter. 

Paying 4 dinars with the taxi mafia is nearly impossible so, instead, just go out of the airport (to the left), cross the street and catch the first taxi you see.

Note: There is a bus just outside of the airport but the taxi is so cheap that I doubt all the hassle is worth it.

Read: Is Tunisia safe to visit?

Moving around the city

Taxi – They are so cheap, really and they all have taximeters, so they will never rip you off. Short rides cost around 1-3 dinars, which is barely 1€.

Tram – The center of Tunis is well-connected by a European-like tram and a single ticket costs a few cents. An easy, and nice way to move around. 

Moving from downtown to Carthage and Sidi Bou Said

Train – Carthage and Sidi Bou Said belong to Tunis but they are located more than 15km away. They are, however, connected by a train that runs all day long until midnight. Check What to do on day 3 section.

Things to do in Tunis in 3 days

For just visiting the highlights, you must spend at least 3 days visiting Tunis, and this is the itinerary I recommend:

Map of the places to visit in Tunis – Itinerary

Places to visit in Tunis on day 1 – The Medina

A UNESCO World Heritage site founded in the 7th century by the Arabs, the Medina of Tunis is not surprisingly for North Africa, a maze of alleys, tunnels and traditional life.

The Medina had been the heart of Tunis for over 1,000 years but in the 19th century, when the French built the European-like Ville Nouvelle, the main soul of Tunis shifted to downtown along with many families who moved out of the Medina. 

If you spend a fair amount of time exploring all the alleys, you will see that some parts are uncared for, and dirty, but the reason is that those houses belonged to families that decided to move to the new, trendy part of the city.

Still, there are quite a few sites to explore, and besides all the cafés, souks and mosques, these are the places I recommend you to check out.

Book a day tour around the Medina CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Things to do in the Medina of Tunis – Highlights

Visit Zaytouna Mosque – Dating back to the 8th century, the mosque was named ”olive tree” because it is said that the founder Hassan Ibn Nooman had lessons under an olive tree planted somewhere in the mosque.

The mosque looks simple, but it is gorgeous and my favorite part was that the courtyard columns are original Roman Corinthian columns recycled from Roman Carthage.

Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the prayer room, only the courtyard.

Check out Blacksmith’s souq – From an overwhelmingly number of souvenir souks selling all sort of crap to fabrics and everything in between, the only souq I actually liked (for being less touristic) was the blacksmith’s souq, located south of Zaytouna Mosque, at the lane located on its right side (coming from Place de la Victoire).

Basically, you will find plenty of blacksmiths handcrafting different metal objects.

Enjoy the view from a rooftop café – Next to the main mosque, there are a couple of cafés with a rooftop that overlooks the Medina skyline. 

Tourbet El Bey – A mausoleum containing tens of tombs from all the important people that lived during Ali Pasha’s reign, in the 18th century. The Ottoman-era green dome is the highlight of the place.

Because of the tourism decline, entering is a bit tricky, as it is not officially opened, but there is one local guy that has the key. I tried entering the first time with no success but, on my way back, an old man approached me, claiming that he could open it for me, plus he gave me a guided tour inside. He only charged me 7 dinars.

Dar Ben Abdallah Palace – This is supposed to be the best house palace in the Medina but, unfortunately, it was closed when I came, so I just checked it from outside. This palace is a clear example of how rich people used to live in the Medina in the 19th century.

What to do in Tunis on day 2 – Bardo Museum & Ville Nouvelle and around

On your second day, I recommend you pay a visit to the Bardo Museum and then spend the rest of your day in the European Quarter of Tunis.

How to visit the Bardo Museum in Tunis

This is the best museum to visit in Tunis.

Placed inside one of the best palaces in the country, Bardo Museum contains one of the largest collection in the world of Roman mosaics, which once adorned the presumptuous Roman villas you are likely to visit during your trip around the country.

The museum, however, is today a bit messy, as many rooms and areas are going under an eternal renovation process, like most touristic sites in the country. 

It opens from 9am to 5pm, from Tuesday to Sunday. Entrance fee 11 dinars. It is 5km from downtown, but you can reach it by tram.

Book a day tour to Bardo Museum (combined with the Medina). CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Things to do in Ville Nouvelle – Highlights

Ville Nouvelle is the colonial French district.

Here you find some churches, fancy hotels, boulangeries, endless Italian restaurants, gelato stalls, bars, and pretty much anything you may find in France, but with a Maghrebi touch and way more chaotic.

The district is huge, composed of several streets from all sizes, and I recommend you begin your day walking around randomly to check all the Marseille-like facades, and end your day in Habib Bourguiba. 

Habib Bourguiba – The main avenue in Ville Nouvelle doesn’t look like a North African avenue, like not at all. Composed of tree-lined streets filled with terraces where the locals meet over an espresso, this is the best place to end up your day and check out what modern Tunis is like. 

Synagogue of Tunis – Amazing place. This is the only still functional synagogue I have ever seen in an Arab country. Well, apparently, there is one in Cairo as well, but I never saw it. The one in Tunis is surrounded by wire and a few armed soldiers.

You can only enter with a special permit and, if you come close to check it from outside, you will trigger the soldier’s attention but if they see you are a tourist, you will be fine. For me, this was one of the best places to visit in Tunis.

Abandoned Hotel (Hotel du Lac) – At the end of Habib Bourguiba to the left, there is a wing-shaped abandoned hotel. If you like this kind of stuff, then you can’t miss it. You can find the location on the map. 

Cathedral of St Vincent de Paul – It’s funny that Tunis is the only Arab capital whose main square is dominated by a Cathedral and not a mosque. 

Jamaica Bar – In Habib Bourguiba, Al Hana Hotel has a rooftop bar in its 10th floor, where you get the best panoramic views of the city.  

What to see in Tunis on day 3 – La Goulette, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said, and La Marsa

Welcome to fancy Tunis.

This part of the city has 4 distinctive areas worth to check out, each one being so different from each other.

How to get here from downtown

There is a train that runs all day long until almost midnight. It leaves from the end of Habib Bourguiba.

One single ticket costs 0.7 dinars, and each area has its own train station, la Goulette being the first station, which is 16km from downtown.

Alternatively, you can go by taxi, which costs 10 dinars to La Goulette.

Things to do in La Goulette – Highlights

La Goulette is the first neighborhood you bump into when coming from downtown, an area which is definitely humbler than the rest, much more local, but here you also find the best and cheapest seafood restaurants in the city, all of them always packed with locals from all social levels who wish to enjoy fresh seafood on a budget. 

I strongly recommend La Maison de la Grillade , where I had a stuffed calamari couscous, better than any other couscous I ever had before, as in Tunisia they make it juicier than its Maghrebi neighbors.

La Goulette also has a more local beach but it is not that nice.

Things to do in Carthage – Highlights

For many, Carthage is one of the best things to do in Tunis.

Originally founded by the Phoenicians – which came from today Lebanon – nearly 3,000 years ago, Carthage then became one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire, the 5th largest imperial city. 

Today, the main site is in total ruins, like very ruined, so you will need to have some imagination, but the few columns that remain are located on the top of Byrsa Hill, from where you get epic views of the Gulf of Tunis. 

There are several sites to visit spread all over Carthage. You can buy a multi-entry ticket for 12 dinars, and visiting all of them takes a few hours. These are the ones I visited:

Byrsa Hill – The heart of Carthage are the ruins located on top. To get here, you will have to walk from the train station through the fanciest mansions in Tunis. 

Roman Amphitheater – Located 15 minutes from Byrsa Hill, this used to be one of the biggest in the Roman Empire. It could accommodate up to 36,000 people.

Punic Ports – Built by the Carthaginians but then re-shaped by the Romans in a circular shape, these two ports were very important for Carthage’s development.

Sanctuary of Tophet – The Carthaginians used this place for sacrificing their children, something that even the Romans found horrific, so they build a temple and other things on top of it. 

Book a tour to all the Roman sites of Carthage CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Things to do in Sidi Bou Said – Highlights

A Santorini-like village in its purest Mediterranean form, Sidi Bou Said is the cliff-top, postcard-like town that everybody likes, both tourists and locals.

When the Muslims in Spain were defeated in the 16th century, many of them sought refuge here, so that is why some of the houses have an Andalusian style, as well as Ottoman.

There are a few art galleries and several cafés, but the best you can do is just walking around all the Instagrammable spots.

Book this great tour to Sidi Bou Said CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Things to do in La Marsa – Highlights

La Marsa isn’t a really a place for sightseeing, but this is the most Westernized place in Tunis, the area where most expats live, as here you can find regular cafés where women won’t be stared at, bars and the best beach in the city. 

I recommend you check the weekly Couchsurfing event because they tend to organize stuff here, but you should attend it anyways because it is a great way to meet open-minded locals.

This was my list of the best things to do in Tunis in a 3-day itinerary. Have any more suggestion? Please post it in the comments section.

❗ More information for visiting Tunis

📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.

All guides and articles for traveling in Tunisia destination

• Tunisia Travel Guide
• Is Tunisia Safe?

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19 comments

Great post, totally under the radar location. I’m looking forward to a road trip from Morocco through Algeria to Tunis!

Not possible to do this trip. The Moroccan-Algerian border is closed.

Oh man what a shame! But thanks for the heads up!

Hey Joan! Were you able to take a Drone there? I saw you did on Iran, how you travel with them? I’m getting the Mavic Mini (only 249g) even fits in your pocket!

Hey Daniel, I took it but drones are not allowed to fly in Tunisia, so be aware of that

This was a really helpful post when planning my own recent off-season trip to Tunisia (December). I’d also recommend getting out of the city to see the Roman ruins at Dougga. These are really well preserved and the place was basically empty (except for sheep!) when we went. Northern Tunisia is definitely an easy introduction to off-the-beaten-track travel from Europe.

Thanks for the post Did you visit the Berber villages in the south. It was one of your highlights. I’m heading south in May – any advice

Hi Claire, yes I did, my advice is to rent a car because moving around by public transportation in that area proves to be difficult

Thank you for sharing your experience!! We are currently in Tunisia and your blog has been very helpful for us.

Amazing, very glad to hear that 🙂

I am about to go to Tunis, this coming weekend for a 3-day trip and this blog has been extremely useful. I particularly like the honest way that you approach assessment of some of the potential itinerary items.

thank you 🙂

I appreciate the info, but you should narrow your site’s width and add some padding. It’s a bit difficult to read at the moment.

Okay, nevermind, it is an issue with the sidebar, it loaded right after I commented…

Your blog has some helpful content, thanks! But I think you should reconsider your comment on crossing the border between Libya and Tunisia as it comes across as rather offensive. “only crazy people travel to Libya….”

thanks but we take people to Libya all the time!

Tunis Hey Joan, and other ATC readers! I spent a few days in Tunis before my ATC Mauritania trip. Thanks for the great guide here. I thought I would pass along a few updates as well:

Taxi mafia: The Taxi mafia is alive and well! At first they tried to charge me €25 (85 TND!!) for a ride from the airport to the Medina, even though he had a meter. He tried his best to hide the meter and speak aggressively to me during the ride, and even even shut off the car when we arrived so I couldn’t see the price anymore. So make sure you keep an eye on the price just before you arrive to your destination (maybe take a photo even), and try to have small coins or exact change if you can. In the end I paid 13 TND to Medina (and told him to call the police if he had a problem with that), and 9 TND back to the airport the more honest driver.

Other prices: Prices seem to be a tad higher than what’s written here, probably due to inflation in the past year or two. I paid: – 8 TND for ojja – 5 TND for a shawarma – 0.5-1 TND for a bus ride – 5 TND for beer – 1-3 TND for coffee – 20 TND for Train to Sousse Also worth noting, that food and other small things have their prices 1000 times higher, to account for decimal places. So an 8 TND meal might show as 8000.

Ride to Sidi Bou Saïd: Not sure if the train that’s mentioned in this blog still exists. I asked around to a few people, and I ended up taking a bus from the Tunis Marine station (end of Habib Bourguiba St). It was 1 TND. You can buy the ticket at a counter, and in this bus itself for the return journey. Can recommend Sidi Bou Said beach too!

Ez-Zitouna Mosque/rooftop cafe: The entrance for the courtyard for the mosque is not super clear. It’s only open after 2 PM due to prayers, and it’s located on Souk Attarine St. There’ll be a sign saying Muslims only, but you can actually still enter. You just can’t enter the actual inside part of the Mosque where people pray.

For the rooftop cafe, they’re not obvious to find. I can recommend “Panorama Cafe”. You enter through a shop that sells souvenir items and is down a tiny alley near the streets with all the shops. I paid 6 TND for an Arabic coffee (and the view) and had the place to myself for an hour 🙂 As I was wondering around later when the daily traffic started to pick up, I got hassled by two people telling me to come to their rooftop Cafés (one guy even telling me not to go to the mosque but to come to his café instead). It was a bit uncomfortable and they’re very annoying and in your face. People were friendly at Panorama.

Other stuff: – There’s a great local vegetable and fish market located on Rue de Allemagne near the Medina and Ville Nouvelle. I was the only tourist here and it’s quite bustling and alive!

Amazing report Mohit, thanks a lot!

Ooo one other tip. TND is a “closed” currency, which means people can not bring TND into or out of the country. So if you want to keep any money for future travels or as souvenir, you’ll have to tell a white lie after the security when they ask you how much cash you have 😉

Sorry for the spelling errors! Typing from my phone at the airport.

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• 1.1 Orientation
• 1.2 Climate
• 2.1 By plane
• 2.2 By train
• 2.5 By louage
• 2.6 By boat
• 3.1 By train
• 3.2 By taxi
• 4.2 New town
• 4.3 Elsewhere
• 4.4 Further away
• 8.2 Mid-range
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Tunis (تونس) is the capital of Tunisia . There are quite a few must-see attractions, especially if you include the ruins of Carthage , which are easily accessed from here, and the Punic ports are interesting, too. Tunis is an interesting mix of new and old, including colonial French buildings. The souq and the medina are among the most authentic and hassle-free in North Africa.

Understand [ edit ]

Located on the Mediterranean coast but lacking much in the way of beaches, Tunis has been spared the onslaught of package tourism to the resorts to the north and south. The city center is located about 10 km from the sea, on the shores of Lake Tunis. Tunis started out as a modest village compared to cities like Carthage , Kairouan and Mahdia . It eventually became the capital of the Almohad Caliphate in 1159, and has been conquered by various Muslim and Christian empires after that. Tunis has been the capital of Tunisia since independence in 1956, and is today the commercial and cultural heart of Tunisia as well as the most important traffic hub.

In 2014, the capital was home to 640,000 people, and there were 2.9 million in the metropolitan area.

• Tunis tourist information

Orientation [ edit ]

Tunis is divided into the World Heritage Listed old city, known as the medina , and the new city, or ville nouvelle in French. Ave Habib Bourguiba is the large thoroughfare running through the new city from the Clock Tower to the Cathedral of St Vincent de Paul. It then turns into Ave de France, which runs for a few blocks until ending at the Place de la Victoire and the Port de France, a large free-standing gate that used to be the entrance to the medina. This can be a good landmark for taxi drivers, as some of the smaller streets nearby may not be familiar to the drivers.

The Port de France also serves as a good entry point for exploring the medina. Rue Jemaa Zaytouna leads past many shops all the way to the Zaytouna Mosque, the great mosque of Tunis which sits at the center of the medina. Running obliquely to Rue Jemaa Zaytouna, and also with an outlet near the Port de France, is the Rue de la Kasbah. This runs all the way through the medina to the Place du Gouvernment and the Place de la Kasbah, a huge bleak square subject to heavy security. It is fairly easy to move between the two streets by cutting through in the labyrinthine medina, and it is easy to keep your bearings and find an exit. Rue Jemaa Zaytouna seems to be a better entry point from the Port de France at night, remaining relatively well traveled. Rue de la Kasbah, on the other hand, is active after dark on the Place de la Kasbah side, but is extremely dark and rather menacing near the Port de France. It is recommended to get a feel for the medina during the day so that you will feel more confident if you find yourself and alone and need to find a landmark at night.

Climate [ edit ]

One of the northernmost cities on the African continent, the climate in Tunis is Mediterranean although a bit warmer than on the European side. Summers are hot and dry, with temperatures over 40°C not unheard of, although thanks to the sea and the surrounding mountains, it's not as hot as in the Sahara desert. Most of the rain falls during the winter months, but not even those months see more than 8-9 days of rain each month on average. In the winter Tunis occasionally experiences temperatures below freezing and in very rare cases some snow, though on average even nighttime temperatures don't drop much below 10°C. Tunis' mild climate makes it a comfortable destination year-round.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ].

The major carrier at Tunis-Carthage is Tunisair , serving many destinations. The major western carriers who service Tunis-Carthage are Air France, ITA Airways and Lufthansa, from London, Paris, Rome or Frankfurt. Air Malta offers occasional flights to Tunis from Malta , so you can puddle-jump through the Mediterranean. Also, flights from other African cities are common ways to access Tunis if you are traveling to Tunisia from another African destination or vice versa.

Tunisian law requires all currency to be exchanged within the country. It's illegal to take Tunisian currency (DT) outside the country, though it can be done at most travel desks if you sign a waiver, but this is not advisable as Customs Officers will force you to change the dinars to hard currency before permitting you to travel if they find the currency. You can exchange money at the airport or at your hotel. There are many currency exchange booths with quite OK rates. You should retain the receipt for the transaction; without it, the bank may cause difficulty converting unspent dinars back into your own currency.

If you are departing and making a connecting flight, do not accept duty-free alcohol that is not in a sealed bag - the intermediate airport may not allow you to board your second flight with it. For the same reason, insist on a printed receipt.

Getting to the airport:

• A taxi into the city center — insist on the meter — should cost around 5-7 DT during the day and around 10 DT at night. Alternatively, buses depart fairly regularly during the day (but not at night) and charge a fraction of the price. Beware of the taxi drivers. At night some will ask up to 40 DT depending on where you are going. In a struggling economy business has become even more competitive. An unspoken rule is the first taxi driver who grabs your luggage and places it in the trunk of his car makes the contract for your transportation. It's not uncommon to be barraged with over ten taxi drivers at once as you walk outside the terminal. They can reach for your bag aggressively—not to steal it, but to make an attempt at winning your business. Some meters may have been tampered with. If you don't trust the taxi's meter, then negotiate a price to where you are going before you leave the front of the terminal. It may be advisable to ask for an average taxi rate from your hotel front desk before leaving.
• There is a public bus service (bus no. 635) to the city centre outside the Arrivals Hall, at the same place as the bus that goes to Bizerte. The bus stops at a small bus station near the Tunis Marine metro station. A one-way ticket from the airport to Tunis Marine costs 0.470 DT.

By train [ edit ]

You can travel to Tunis by train from most major cities in the country, the main line going from Gabes via Sousse , Sfax and Gafsa .

Trains are run by SNCFT and are generally cheap and comfortable, but if you want to ride first class during peak season, do reserve your seat in advance. Check train timetables on the SNCFT website before traveling as trains run at non-regular intervals throughout the day.

By car [ edit ]

Driving is not for the faint-hearted in Tunisia, due to the poor driving habits of many local drivers. However self-hire car is by far the easiest and safest way to travel around Tunisia (north of Gabes). Signage is quite good as it is universally bilingual in French and Arabic script. Driving at night is doable, just look out for defiant drivers heading the wrong way on dual carriageways without lights. Outside of the city nighttime driving is safer. The freeway/motorway A1 from Gabès , Sfax , Sousse and Tunis is in a reasonable shape, and the tolls very cheap.

The best place to rent a car is the airport. Local rental companies usually have lower rates than the international ones.

By bus [ edit ]

Tunisia has over 70 bus lines, with Tunis at the hub. There are two bus stations in town with Gare Routière Tunis Sud (south of Place Barcelone) serving cities and towns in the south and Gare Routière Tunis Nord (by Bab Saadoun) serving those to the north and west. Buses are run by SNTRI [dead link] at both stations — see their website for schedules and fares.

By louage [ edit ]

Tunis is a major hub for the country's louage (shared taxi) network. Louages connect Tunis with many major cities in Tunisia. There are three main louage stations in Tunis.

• 36.810358 10.153811 3 Bab Saadoun Station - This station is by Gare Routière Tunis Nord (northern bus station) northwest in Tunis by Bab Saadoun. Louages from this station connect cities north and west of Tunis including Bizerte , El Kef , and Beja.
• 36.787843 10.17982 4 Bab Alioua Station - This station is by Gare Routière Tunis Sud (southern bus station) south of the medina by Bab Alioua metro station. Louages from this station connect the Cape Bon area and cities that are nearby to the south of Tunis such as Hammamet .
• 36.791064 10.187232 5 Moncef Bey Station - This station is southeast of the medina. Louages from this station connect Tunis with cities in central and southern Tunisia including Sousse , Sfax , and Gabes .

By boat [ edit ]

Tunis is the country's major port and there are ferries from a number of Mediterranean ports including Civitavecchia just outside of Rome , Genoa , Livorno , Naples , Palermo , Trapani and the French port of Marseille . There are plenty of operators: Italians GNV [dead link] and Grimaldi Lines , French SNCM [dead link] and Tunisian CTM amongst others. Voyages from southern France or northwestern Italy take about 24 hours. A quicker way to get to Tunis is to (a) charter a boat, (b) hop on a ferry, or (c) travel on a cruise line, all of which can be done from Malta in a few hours.

Most ferries arrive at La Goulette , 15 minutes from Tunis centre. There are plenty of taxis around and suburban trains departs every ten minutes.

Get around [ edit ]

Free maps of Tunis and Tunisia are available at the National Tourism Office , to the north-east of the clock tower (directly east of the main Medina gate). The tourist office offers assistance in many languages.

Tunis is well-served by a convenient five-line light metro system run by Transtu . The interchange hubs for all lines are in the centre of town at Place de la République and Place de Barcelone. Ticket prices are dependent on how many sections of network (zones) traveled through. Single way 1-section tickets cost 0.500 DT. Most tourist attractions are within two sections of the city centre and single way 2-section tickets cost 0.650 DT.

The TGM suburban train line, starting at Tunis Marine station on Lines 1-4, connects to La Goulette (ferries), Sidi Bou Saïd , Carthage and the beaches of Marsa. Tickets cost 0.800 DT each way. At Tunis Marine, be aware that there is an extreme dearth of signage. No obvious signs even say TGM, and on the maps on the trains themselves the station is marked as Tunis Nord. If you arrive at the station on the Tunis Metro, the TGM platform will be perpendicular to the metro cars and is easily accessed across the tracks. Tickets are sold at the end farthest from the metro stop.

Signs for station names along the TGM differ slightly from what appears on the onboard map, but if you can see the signs from the train and it is free of graffiti, a not uncommon problem, it is easy to tell where you are. It is not unusual for the trains to stop and wait on the tracks after leaving Tunis Nord or upon return. This usually does not last an extraordinary amount of time, and you will likely be better off not following the example of the optimistic youths that decide to leap from the car and walk along the tracks into the city.

Many stations along the TGM don't have full-time ticket vendors, so if you are making several trips along the line while visiting Carthage or Sidi Bou Said, you might be forced to risk traveling without a ticket. The guidebooks say that officials will sometimes get on the train and check tickets, so travel without a ticket at your own risk. It might be safest to buy a return to your farthest destination. The price difference should be minimal, and that way you might plausibly just have boarded the train, and your ticket will be valid for wherever you get on. The safest option will be to check with the ticket vendors or buy a ticket if you can find them.

By taxi [ edit ]

Taxis are also a good and cheap option if one need to go a bit farther than the metro, though cabs picking up in front of nice hotels will charge much higher rates. These taxis will quote 2-3 times the metered fare, so you should insist on using the meter. Should they refuse then get out. It is much better to walk away from the hotel and hail one on the street, or order a taxi via the Bolt app (see below).

Taxis are plentiful so the search shouldn't be longer than a few minutes, even during busy periods. The minimum charge is 0.500 DT at daytime and 0.750 DT on evenings/nights (rates per April 2019). Assuming the driver operates per regulations, the meter is a good way to go. Only try to negotiate a price if you know what you are doing and are sure of the value of the trip. Taxis are generally safe.

Watch out for the bright red/green light in the windscreen. The red light means the taxi is available and the meter is working. Green means it has been hired. Avoid any taxi that does not have this light.

The Bolt app for smart-phones works in a similar way to Uber, but you pay in cash when you reach the destination. Rates may be more than double the metered fare, but will get you a taxi if you are somewhere that you do not want to hail one in the street, or if you don't want to argue with drivers who claim the meter is broken. When ordering through Bolt, taxi drivers will not argue the price so you will know the final price beforehand.

Transtu operates a public bus network as well. Bus fares depend on how far (how many zones) you will travel, starting at 0.320 DT for a short ride.

Otherwise, louages (shared taxis) are the most flexible of all options. The minivans with 8 passenger seats take off when they are full and therefore run on no particular schedule. Prices tend to be a little bit higher than buses, but the difference is usually negligible. This is a suitable transport medium for young people, but definitely not recommended if you have children with you as the minivans can be quite oppressive. The driving style tends to be the 'flat-out' variety. The North louage station is in the parking lot of the North bus station. The South louage station is across the street from the South bus station.

Driving is a practicable idea for getting around, as long as you are an experienced and confident driver, street signage is good in Arabic and French, but there's a lot of traffic in Tunis and locals follow traffic rules in an informal style. Driving is more dangerous in the dark as many vehicles have faulty lights. Traffic jams are common in Tunis generally, and around Habib Bourguiba Avenue and Victory Square traffic often comes to a total standstill. In Tunis the "Central Parking" multi storey car park just off Clocktower roundabout, is convenient and cheap for parking. Avoid in the streets red/white markings on the kerb as the wardens trucks WILL come and tow you away. Car hire direct at the airport is convenient - local firms usually a bit cheaper than Hertz/Sixt, etc., but car might have some bits missing!

See [ edit ]

Medina [ edit ]

Non-Muslims may not enter Islamic monuments such as mosques.

New town [ edit ]

• 36.79916 10.18086 12 Théâtre Municipal , 2, rue de Grèce ( avenue Habib Bourguiba ), ☏ +216 71 259 499 . A pretty white Art-Deco building, worth seeing in its own right even if you're not going there to see a play or concert (also see the Do section).  
• 36.80021 10.1862 13 Tunis Clock Tower , Place du 14 janvier . The iconic clock tower is one of the city's most visible landmarks. ( updated May 2015 )
• 36.80796 10.18065 14 Al-Fateh Mosque ( Mosquée Al-Fateh ), Avenue de la Liberté ( Métro République ). A large white mosque north of downtown.  

Elsewhere [ edit ]

• 36.822 10.172 16 Parc du Belvédère , Avenue Taieb Mehiri ( métro Palestine ). A large park created during the French rule and featuring palm trees, mimosas and azaleas and a great view of Tunis and the lake. Sadly, the park has seen better days and graffiti is commonplace. Still, it's a popular place for locals to escape the heat and noise of the city.  
• 36.7974 10.1657 17 Hôtel de Ville . Not a hotel, but the city hall. The building was inaugurated in 1998 and is a combination of traditional and modern architecture with large windows, Middle Eastern patterns and arches. The city hall also features a lot of Tunisian flags, and has a striking flagpole structure on the square in the front of the main entrance. ( updated May 2015 )
• 36.8114 10.12961 18 Chambre des Conseillers . Finished in 2005, this building used to house the upper house of the Parliament of Tunisia. It didn't serve this purpose for very long; after the 2011 revolution the Tunisian parliament was made unicameral and the counselor chamber has been empty ever since.  

Further away [ edit ]

Do [ edit ]

Simply wandering around Tunis can be an interesting experience, especially around the medina with its ancient buildings including mosques, gates and market stalls. All types of commodities including slaves used to be traded here, but today's market is mainly that of day-to-day goods, with many local handicrafts. Shopping and haggling at this colorful place is certainly an experience different from what you may be used to at home. Another good place for a walk is Tunis' largest park, Belvedere Park, which houses the Museum of Modern Art and the municipal zoo (closed Mondays), and overlooks Lake Tunis.

The Théâtre municipal de Tunis , mentioned in See above, is more than just a sight. If interested in classical culture you can go and see an opera, ballet, or other production there.

Hammams (traditional public steam baths) are common in the Muslim part of the Mediterranean and also in Tunis. Formerly the only place for all but the upper classes to clean themselves, hammams are still a part of the local culture — so bathing in one of these is a cultural experience in itself. They are often located near mosques as people used to wash themselves before prayer; ask a local where the nearest hammam is (the medina is the easiest place to find one). Remember that a hammam is either men or women only, or open to men in the morning and night and to ladies in the afternoon. Bring spare underwear, flip flops, soap and a towel.

Buy [ edit ]

ATMs are a convenient way of getting money without going to a bureau de change and there are many Master card and Visa cash-points around the city. However, ATMs are not generally found in hotels, even the major ones.

• The 36.7994 10.1707 1 souq in the Medina makes for a fascinating stroll. Tiny shops overflowing with stuff; people selling, buying, milling about; skeletal cats lurking in the shadows; the smells of essential oils, spices, frying food and rotting garbage; the sounds of the muezzin, raï, football on the radio, Arabic and French. The Tunis Medina's main routes are labeled "touristique", but even a few steps off the beaten track it's a real, working market. Behind the often scruffy façades hide old palaces, mosques, Islamic schools. Compared to Morocco or even Sousse you will not be hassled here. Bab El Bahr (The large stone-arch "French Gate" at the head of Avenue DeFrance) is a good starting point for the Souk. The goldsmiths are close to Bab Bnet. Haggle if you wish to buy anything. Prices paid for items are given in July 2012, with the caveat that it is not known if they are good prices. They are provided just for reference. The merchant's first offer is in parentheses: 5 DT (12 DT) for a low-end scarf, 20 DT (45 DT, 65 DT for a comparable box at another vendor) for an 8" nacre inlaid hexagonal wooden box, 30 DT (80 DT) for a leather bandolier. If you are unsure, try getting a first estimate from several vendors before you buy. As always, if you give a price and they agree, you will be expected to pay.

There are little stores near every hotel in Tunis, where you can buy everything you need, but their prices are high. So it's better to go shopping to other parts of the city. Approximately 90% of goods presented in Tunis are of local origin. There are networks of state supermarkets Monoprix and General in the capital.

Learn [ edit ]

• The Bourguiba Institute of Modern Languages , Av. de la liberté, 47, Tunis , ☏ +216 7183 2418 , +216 7183 2923 , fax : +216 7183 3684 . 08:00 to 13:15 . Offers intensive summer sessions in July and August for anyone interested in learning Modern Standard Arabic or Tunisian dialect. Students have complained about the lack of cleanliness in the student dorms. Some students stay in a hotel and then rent a beach-side apartment for the month. It's usually easier to negotiate rental prices once you are in Tunis.  

Eat [ edit ]

Most hotels include breakfast, and some include dinner. There are countless coffee shops with bitter coffee, other drinks and French-style pastries to enjoy, as well as sandwich shops. Count yourself lucky if you find a dish that does not include canned tuna! Know that during Ramadan it's difficult to find an open restaurant during daytime.

If you want alcohol when eating go to a hotel as most serve beer/wine, as do some upmarket restaurants in the Berges du Lac area of Tunis.

Budget [ edit ]

• 36.81114 10.18316 1 The Corner , 36 Rue de Syrie , ☏ +216 71 834 374 . Daily, 07:00-14:00 . Breakfast cafe. ( updated Feb 2024 )
• 36.80645 10.17834 2 Restaurant Ojja Chouchou , 11 Rue Borj Bourguiba . Popular so it may be busy, but the service is fast so people will be coming and going. Large portions. ( updated Feb 2024 )

Mid-range [ edit ]

• 36.79949 10.10949 3 Café de Paris Brasserie , Avenue Habib Bourguiba , ☏ +216 71 256 601 . A good restaurant with a beautiful interior and some outdoor tables. You can choose among pizza, couscous and a variety of salad. Also serves alcohol. ( updated Feb 2024 )
• 36.79692 10.15399 4 Etoile de La Medina , Boulevard Bab Bnet . Tucked away it is something special. Traditional food and decor. Welcoming with plentiful amounts of food. ( updated Feb 2024 )
• 36.81843 10.30261 5 La Sirène , La Goulette . Daily, noon-midnight . You pick the fish from their market and they fry it right there. Indoor and outdoor seating. Can be busy so enjoy the water views while you wait. ( updated Feb 2024 )
• 36.80046 10.17979 6 L'Orient , 7 de, Rue Ali Bach Hamba ( close to porte de France ), ☏ +216 71 252 061 . The steaks are bland, the fish good and local food such as Berber Lamb is excellent. The service is prompt. ( updated Feb 2024 )
• 36.80088 10.17981 7 La Mamma , 11 Bis, Rue de Marseille , ☏ +216 55 669 032 , [email protected] . Very cosy restaurant on several floors. Good Italian inspired food. Has live music and is open to midnight. ( updated Feb 2024 )

Splurge [ edit ]

• 36.79851 10.16654 8 Dar el-Jeld , 5-10 rue Dar el-Jeld ( near the Prime Minister's residence in a hotel/spa ), ☏ +216 70 016 190 . Reservations online. Perhaps the best of the restaurants in Tunis, this restaurant pays attention to every single detail. The food is excellent, and the management speaks English and French fluently, and can recommend various dishes. The menu is a bit complicated, with price categories, rather than prices, listed (check the last page for what each price category costs). Everything is recommended, though the couscous is simply good, but not incredible. The staff is very friendly, but can turn somehow cold if you just order main and drinks, but no dessert and starter. ( updated Feb 2024 )
• 36.79852 10.16654 9 Restaurant Dar Slah , 145 Rue de la Kasbah , ☏ +216 58 261 026 . Luxurious seafood restaurant with a large terrace surrounded by palm trees. In medina so can be hard to find, look for the yellow sign and door.  

Drink [ edit ]

Be careful about what bars you frequent, ladies should perhaps try to bring a man out with them. Local beers are Celtia and the elusive Stella, which is rarely seen but exists on RateBeer. Both are lagers. Local liqueurs include Boukha ("boo-k"), usually taken straight or with coke, and Thibina, which is usually taken straight with a single ice cube. Alcohol is mostly only served in hotel bars. The Lac 1 and Lac 2 areas do not permit alcohol to be served.

• 36.8743 10.2452 1 Le Boeuf sur le Toit , 3 avenue Fatouma Bourguiba ( in La Soukra 10 km northeast of downtown ). The name means "the Ox on the Roof", and trendy people come for food, drinks, live music, DJs, and a dance floor.  
• 36.80013 10.18096 2 Bar Jamaica , 49 Avenue Habib Boutguiba . On the 10th floor of the Hotel el-Hana International, this is a funky and popular destination for locals and foreigners, with music and outdoor seating available.  
• 36.79959 10.18331 3 Hotel Africa Lobby Bar , Avenue Habib Bourguiba . A bit smoky, but has all of the local drinks save Stella, and is one of the few places that serves alcohol during Ramadan.  
• 36.8 10.1807 4 Brasserie les 2 Avenues , Ave Habib Bourguib ( Hotel el-Hana lnternational ). Great location with views over Avenue Habib Bourguiba.  
• 36.81788 10.1838 5 Piano Bar , Avenue Mohamed V, 45 ( Hotel La Maison Blanche ). A good place for a drink, located in a 5-star hotel.  

In addition to these, some major beach bars and clubs are located in La Marsa , about 15 km to the northeast.

Cafes [ edit ]

• 36.7981 10.1714 6 Café M'Rabet , Souk Trok ( in the Medina ). Cafe and restaurant. ( updated May 2015 )
• 36.79944 10.18161 7 Café de Paris , Avenue Habib Bourguiba . 06-24 . One of the major cafes along the avenue, very popular and lively.  
• Panorama Medina ( west of Zaytuna Mosque in the Medina ). 09:00-21:00 . Beautifully decorated café and tea house in the heart of the Medina. A large rooftop offers stunning views over the old buildings and of the many mosques around. DT2 for tea, DT5 for shisha . ( updated Feb 2018 )

Sleep [ edit ]

Most tourists will be interested in accommodation in either the Medina or in Ville Nouvelle. The medina includes the youth hostel and several other budget accommodations, and the high end Dar El Jed. The Ville Nouvelle offers a large number of budget and mid-range accommodation, many grouped within a few blocks of each other north of Place Barcelone. Some places expect couples to present some sort of proof of marriage in order to rent a two-person room.

• 36.7995 10.1699 1 YHA Tunis Auberge Medina , 25 rue Saïda Ajoula , ☏ +216 98 578 638 . Also referred to as Auberge de Jeunesse and Tunis Youth Hostel . Buried deep within the Medina and a bit of a challenge to find, although there are intermittent signs along the way. During the day you can just push through the crowd of shoppers straight up the Rue de la Kasbah from the Port de France until you see the signs pointing to your right, just after the restaurant Dar Slah, although this route might be intimidating after dark. This former palace of a sultan is architecturally impressive. Rooms are basic and cooled only by fan. The included evening meal is filling. Breakfast, a simple affair of French bread and coffee, is a bit ropey and is served in the large open courtyard. The communal bathrooms, however, are not cleaned regularly, and may border on offensive. The shower times are limited to an hour in the morning and at night, though hot water may not be available at these times. Plan on using the local hammams for all hot water and cleaning needs. 8 DT incl. breakfast .  
• 36.79783 10.17995 2 La Maison Doree , 6 bis rue de Hollande , ☏ +216 71 240 632 , fax : +216 71 240 631 . This hotel captures a slightly faded, colonial era charm. Rooms are basic (the hotel building is old) but clean. Excellent restaurant with bar (2.5 DT Celtia) that provides room service. Breakfast is included in the price, and the croissants are better than average. Rooms come with ensuite sink and shower, but shared toilets - a room with a toilet is an extra 10 DT. Some rooms overlook the local tram, which can be excessively loud - you may want to look out the window to the street below, and possibly listen to the noise of the passing tram. Located half a block north of Place Barcelone. 32-52 DT .  
• 36.79826 10.18145 3 Hotel Transatlantique , Rue De Yougoslavie 106 , ☏ +216 71 334 319 . Ground plus four levels, the first three accessible by lift. Nice mosaics. Lots of lounge space near the lobby. A little noisy, but nicely located. There is a roof accessible on the fourth floor (turn left after climbing the stairs, walk to the end, and open the unlocked door to your left): good for fresh air or some sun, though the view is not brilliant. Disinterested management. Poor water pressure observed on level 4. 40 DT . ( updated Dec 2010 )
• 36.79839 10.17632 4 Grand Hotel de France , Rue Mustapha M'barek , ☏ +216 71 32 62 44 , [email protected] . Check-out: 12:00 . Located in a neat old building with marble staircases and a friendly staff. They do not speak English, although it was no problem. Free wifi in the lobby and courtyard, two communal computers, but cannot comment on price or quality, although one had a webcam attached. Breakfast was coffee and Croissant and Pain au chocolat. Easily accessed by taxi from the Port de France, where Rue Mustapha M'barek is just a quick left off of the main road running south past the front of the gate. Reservations were made via email using google translate into French, although you are expected to call and confirm the day before, and it might be easiest to find a French-speaking friend do it for you. 61 DT for two persons in a clean double room ensuite toilet and shower (2019) incl. breakfast . ( updated Apr 2019 )
• 36.8132 10.1806 5 Yadis Ibn Khaldoun , Rue du Koweit, 30 . 130 modern rooms with cable TV, telephone, voicemail, hair dryers and internet access.  
• 36.8186 10.1836 6 Le Pacha , Avenue Kheireddine Pacha, 4 . A kilometre from downtown, this hotel has two great restaurants and a bar, cable tv and Wi-Fi (extra fee) in the rooms.  
• 36.8151 10.18575 7 Hotel du Parc , Avenue de l'Arabie Saoudite . A modern hotel with 51 rooms. The rooms all have balcony, phone, cable TV, Internet, minibar, private bathroom and hair dryer. The staff speaks several languages and can arrange tours to the medina or Carthage .  
• 36.8005 10.16732 8 Dar Ya - Hostel , 6 Rue de la Carriere , ☏ +216 22 880 044 . A 19th-century property with Moorish tiles and a rooftop terrace in the souk. Offers breakfast and wifi. 113 DT . ( updated Jan 2021 )
• 36.79496 10.17205 9 Dar Traki Medina de Tunis , 7 impasse Mesjed el Koba , ☏ +216 24 789 808 . Terrace and patio offer place for solace here in this yet another medina B&B type lodging with wifi. 127 DT . ( updated Jan 2021 )
• 36.80045 10.16797 10 Dar Ben Gacem , 38 Rue du Pacha , ☏ +216 71 563 742 . Dignified 17th-century guesthouse with complimentary wifi and breakfast and a rooftop terrace like the others. 153 DT . ( updated Jan 2021 )
• 36.799 10.1695 11 Dar El-Medina , 64 Rue Sidi ben Arous ( It's a few blocks' walk from Place du Government on the West side of the Medina ). A luxury hotel in a century old mansion in the Medina, with beautiful court yards, a roof too terrace offering views over the Medina, and breakfast included. The rooms are decorated in traditional Tunisian style. 200-250 DT, 150 DT for a double in off-season . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• 36.8311 10.1608 12 Sheraton Tunis Hotel , Avenue de la Ligue Arab , ☏ +216 71 100 300 . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Modern hotel overlooking the entire city. Located in the Central Business District.  
• 36.81367 10.17381 13 Hôtel Golden Tulip El Mechtel , Avenue Ouled Haffouz El Omrane ( métro Bab Laassal ), ☏ +216 71 783 200 , fax : +216 71 781 735 , [email protected] . Probably a hotel you should watch out you don't end up staying in. The hotel is large and modern, however overpriced. Staff is reportedly unfriendly and repeatedly tries to overcharge you for products and services. If you opt to stay here, don't leave any valuables in the room when you're away, as theft is rampant too. single room: 160 DT, breakfast (buffet): 23 DT, beer in the bar: 6 DT .  
• 36.81771 10.18383 14 La Maison Blanche , Avenue Mohamed V, 45 . Pretty rooms and a nice Art Deco piano bar.  
• 36.79945 10.18317 15 Hôtel Africa , Avenue Habib Bourguiba, 50 , ☏ +216 71 347 477 . A modern business hotel in downtown with large rooms.  
• 36.81346 10.17722 16 Hotel Diplomat , Avenue Hedi Chaker, 44 , ☏ +216 71 78 52 33 , fax : +216 71 80 12 35 , [email protected] . Rooms are equipped with modern TVs, Internet (costs extra) and minibar.  

Stay safe [ edit ]

Touts and unofficial "guides" hang around near tourist spots. Shoo them off if they start to launch into a spiel on the architectural wonders of this or that, or they will expect to some baksheesh (payment) for their unwanted efforts.

One thing that can get really annoying in Tunis is the number of "friends" a tourist will attract. There is a decent number of men who hang out on avenue Bourguiba, the main drag in Tunis. They work individually. They approach tourists and start talking to them. The tourist may think that this person is just being friendly, but don't buy it. Also beware of teens approaching you on or around av. Habib Bourguiba. They often "prey" on male tourists and try to talk you into joining them to the cinema. Later on your new "friend" will ask you for 10 DT or a pack of Marlboros or this or that. It is best to just avoid these people or to shoo them off. They also have different techniques to get your attention. They include: asking for a cigarette, asking for the time, asking for a lighter, bumping into you on the street. The most common one seems to be when they ask you for a cigarette or a lighter. It is wise to get rid of anyone who tries to just bluntly start a conversation with you on the street. Chances are that they have no good intentions involved whatsoever. Tunisian people are nice and curious towards strangers, but avoid the ones who seem too friendly - a good phrase to use could be the French "Monsieur, je connais bien Tunis." (Monsieur, I know Tunis well.)

Non-French speakers might have luck with a simple "non, merci," repeated several times and without giving them any additional acknowledgment. Some, however, are persistent in spite of this and will not leave you alone. If you can manage to not bring a backpack or large back, this seems to make you less of a target and attracted fewer hangers-on.

Be aware of possibilities of fake guides trying to either scam you, or lure you somewhere less safe, and use your common sense.

Sadly, terrorist attacks are also possible. In March 2015, 24 people, mostly tourists, were killed when ISIS-affiliated terrorists opened fire in the Bardo National Museum. Later that year, a terrorist opened fire against tourists in Port El Kantaoui . The government has tried to give tourist areas higher profile policing to reassure visitors.

Stay healthy [ edit ]

As with Tunisia in general, medical staff are skilful and highly educated, but the public hospitals are usually fairly basic. If you get ill, try to get to a private clinic — these are better-equipped and more modern - charges are modest by European/USA standards.

Cope [ edit ]

Barbershops (for men) can be found widely, and there are women's hair salons commonly. Many of the nicer hotels also have spas, and fitness centres (open to visitors)

Embassies [ edit ]

Go next [ edit ].

Suburbs [ edit ]

Reachable by the metropolitan train service, Métro Léger de Tunis. Tickets are less than one dinar and service is frequent, but busy during rush hour. The station is located a few hundred metres to the east of the clock tower and the raised Trans-African Highway No. 1 directly east from the main drag ( Avenue Habib Bourgouiba ; the one with the main Medina gate - just keep walking away from the Medina). The station is impossible to miss - it's a large building parallel to the road on the south side. Note that if you're heading out this way, there is also a national tourism office on the north-east side of the clock tower (that effectively demarcates the edge of Tunis' larger buildings before the highway), and they provide free maps and advice regarding Tunis and Tunisia.

• Carthage , famously razed by the Romans with the few remnants now safely encased in a museum, easily reached by train. Get the TGM from east of the clock tower
• La Marsa , a beach-side settlement at the end of the TGM train line, just north of Sidi Bou Saïd
• Sidi Bou Saïd , a lovely village of white-and-blue houses and fancy cafés and restaurants, easily reached by train
• Kerkouane - Phoenician and Punic historical site 80 km west of Tunis
• Dougga - Impressive ruins of an isolated Roman village
• El Jem - With one of the world's best preserved Roman amphitheatres.
• Kairouan - An important pilgrimage destination for Muslims, known for its many mosques. Also worth visiting are the medina and the basins constructed during the Aghlabide dynasty.
• Sousse - A UNESCO World Heritage site thanks to its architecture, and one of Tunisia's most popular beach resorts.
• Tabarka - Old Phoenician and Roman port city near the Algerian border. It's also a great diving destination.

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The capital of Tunisia

The city of Tunis is first of all its medina , one of the most beautiful in the world, listed as a World Heritage Site by Unesco , its mosques, its souk with narrow and colorful streets. But you can also reach pleasant beaches in less than half an hour, as well as discover the unmissable sites of the north coast: the village of Sidi Bou Saïd, justly renowned for its traditional architecture, its studded wooden doors and its charming Moorish cafes. You should also not miss visiting the ruins of Carthage for their setting and their first-rate cultural dimension.

Even if the medina of Tunis gives the impression of a real labyrinth, you can quickly find your way around thanks to the minaret of the Great Mosque (or Zitouna mosque) located in the center of the covered streets. The alleys and covered passages are ordered all around. We generally move forward following the flow of walkers, because the streets are quite narrow. But it is a pleasure to walk among the bags of spices, the displays of fabrics, the leather poufs and the ceramics. You will be tempted by many objects! To have a panoramic view of the old town, ask to access the terrace of one of the shops in the souk.

Still in the medina, for lunch or dinner at a good table, remember two addresses: the Dar El Jeld , located in the street of the same name, and the Dar Bel Hadj, rue des Tamis. Two establishments that offer a distinctive setting and refined cuisine at reasonable prices.

The city of Tunis in pictures

The city of Tunis in video

Where to go in tunis.

Tunis is the place where there is no risk of getting bored! Between its various archaeological sites, its medina and its museums we have enough for a week. Discover with us the essentials of Tunis.

The Antonine Baths

The Medina of Tunis

Carthage amphitheater

The Magon district

Sidi Bou Said

The Topheth of Carthage

The Bardo Museum

Roman villas

The Zitouna Mosque

Where to stay in Tunis

In Tunis the choice of accommodation is so vast that it can meet all needs and all tastes! Hotels, guest houses and vacation rentals.

Hotels in Tunis

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Guest Houses

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Tunis is truly a  city  of wonder. From resplendent beaches,  rich culture,  and rolling hills to a plethora of ancient monasteries and historical sites to discover. T here is so much unmissable attractions to see a nd indulge,  so much Mediterranean atmosphere to soak up , Tunis has something for everyone. Whether you’re driving through or taking your time to see the whole city, the capital of Tunisia  has much to offer its visitors.   Here’s our list of top-rated and must-see tourist attractions in Tunis, Tunisia .

Bardo National Museum

A museum known for its richness of its collections, s ituated in the suburbs of Le Bardo. The Bardo National Museum is a museum of Tunis, Tunisia,  dates as far back as the 13th century, has the world’s largest collection of Roman mosaics. The museum is one of the must see places when visiting Tunis which holds various works of art pottery and statues. It also holds a lovely memorial for those who lost their lives during a terrorist attack at the museum back 2015. O ne of the most important museums in the Mediterranean region, a historic attraction that is not to be missed.

Address: P7, Tunis, Tunisia

Kasbah Mosque

The Kasbah Mosque is a listed Historical Monument in the capital of Tunisia. O ne of the most popular landmarks in the city of Tunis which goes as far back as 1235. Built by architect Ali Mohamed Bin  Kacem  by the orders of Abu Zakariya Yahya, founder of  Hafsid  dynasty. It is open to tourists for sightseeing and a prayer call to prayer at the mosque is signalled by a white flag.

Al- zaytuna  Mosque

This is the oldest mosque in Tunis of about 5000 square meters and nine different entrances. L ocated in the Medina (old city). Very impressive, this mosque is very famous in the Tunisian history, the design fits the locality. It is the first Islamic university in the world, and  one of the many tourist attractions in the Tunis. Truly worth a visit for  anyone planning to travel to Tunis.

Address: 30 Rue Jamaa Ez Zitouna, Tunis, Tunisia

Baths of  Antoninus

This is one of the most important landmarks in Tunis, Tunisia as a whole which attracts thousands of tourists annually. Very nice archaeological spot with Roman  themes, t he only remaining Thermae of Carthage that dates back to the Roman Empire’s era. S urrounded by beautiful plants and palm trees at the entrance. The colossal structure has a beautiful view of the sea and the mountains in the distance. Nice historical place and unmissable attraction in the capital of Tunisia.

Address: Impasse des Thermes d’Antonin, Site archéologique de Carthage 2016, Tunisia

Carthage National Museum

This magnificent museum founded in 1875 is one of the main archaeological museums in Tunis which has a collection of items from the Punic era. The museum also has collections of various interesting finds such as weaponry,  jewelry , tombs, funeral masks and much more.  Best place to spend a day if you interested in history of Roman and soak up amazing  piece  of world history.

Belvedere Park

A most famous park in Tunisia, offering a great green escaping to locals and tourists at the heart of the capital. Spacious park offering guests trails for walking and biking as well as athletic courts and a zoo. H ouses various animals such as elephants, hippos, crocodiles, monkeys and many others.  G reat place for animal lovers and for couples for that matter. 

Address: Ave Mustapha Khaznadar, Tunis, Tunisia

Madrasa  Slimania

This beautiful attraction in Tunis was built in the year 1754 by Hassan Ali as an Islamic school back in the days. O ne of the monuments of the Ottoman era in the medina of Tunis.  Very peaceful and serene which lies away from the noise of the overcrowded city. This madrasa is an attraction in Tunis that is not to be missed.

Dar  Lasram

This is a beautiful large mansion which used to belong to the  Lasram  family back in the 18thc. It later got allocated to the Association for the protection of the Medina of Tunisia in 1967. The large traditional Tunisian residence construction lasted between 1812 to 1819 and is today one of the many historical attractions of Tunis.

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Address: 84 Rue du Pacha, Tunis, Tunisia

Dar Hussein

This magnificent building which is dated as far back as the 18th century is one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in the city of Tunis which attracts lots of tourists annually. It was bought by Youssef Sahib in the 19th century and was later made the headquarters for the office of the National Institute of heritage.

Beach Adventures at Sidi Bou Said

A trip to Tunis would not be complete without sorting after some of its prime beach destinations. The town of Sidi  Bou  Said in northern Tunisia is a stretch of  blue and white.  Situated about 20 km from the capital, Tunis – offering visitors  with the warmest waters you’ll hope to find in  Tunisia .  This destination is easily  one of the prettiest spots in  the country.  Take a walk and enjoy unobstructed views of the beautiful sweeping bay. And explore the Arabian nights  around this coastline !

View this post on Instagram A un moment donné pour que quelque chose fonctionne de nouveau, il faut prendre le risque de tout perdre ?? A post shared by khadidja's plans (@hatice_lifestyle) on Apr 22, 2019 at 8:57am PDT

Dar Ben Abdallah

This is a palace built by Mohamed El  Bradai  in the 18th century in the southern district of the Medina of Tunisia city. It was later purchased by the Tunisian office of arts in 1964 and was transformed into an arts and traditions museum which now holds various rich artefacts with detailed explanations.

Medina of Sousse

There is nothing better than a day trip outside the capital city. The Medina of Sousse is a s tunning historical monument in the heart of old town Sousse near the beautiful Medina.  Designated by the UNESCO a World Heritage Site in 1988. This historical architecture encompasses a Kasbah, fortifications and the Great Mosque of Sousse. Giving guest very good views from the top of ribat, as well as  amazing views over the city and harbour .  There ’s much  information about the place and the history of it . Well worth a visit for some g reat cultural experience . Beware of locals that will hassle you.

Address: Sousse, Tunisia

We also recommend our guide to the coolest concept stores in Tunis.

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19 Best Things to Do in Tunisia

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If you plan your trip to Tunisia , be sure to give Tunis a chance, even if for a day only. You can expect a vibrant capital with friendly locals and some cool things to do. I put together this Tunis guide to help you plan your trip! Read on and enjoy visiting Tunis!

Planning a trip to Tunis?

Here are the highly-rated hotels, tours, and services recommended for your trip:

Accomodation:

• Golf Royal Hotel (8.0/10)
• Dar el médina (9.1/10)
• Royal Victoria – Ex British Embassy (8.2/10)

Tours and activities:

• Private Day Tour: Medina of Tunis, Carthage, Sidi Bousaid with lunch
• Private Tour to Kairouan, El Jem & Monastir from Tunis
• Half-Day Traditional Tunisian Cuisine Cooking Class in Tunis

Internet: Stay connected with Airalo eSim card – click here to get yours!

Airport Transfer: Book the private transfer from Tunis airport to your accommodation in Tunis here.

Insurance: Get insured for your trip to Tunisia with SafetyWing

Car rental: Compare prices and find the best deals on rental cars in Tunisia on Discover Cars .

Table of Contents

How to get to Tunis

Most likely, you will get to Tunis by plane. This is still not the most popular destination; hence no low-cost airlines fly to Tunis. Still, there are a few international companies that serve the capital of Tunisia.

I flew with Air France via Paris, but you can also fly directly to Tunis from Rome, Cairo, Casablanca, Doha, Frankfurt, Istanbul, or Dubai. Check the local airline Tunisair too, as it serves many direct flights to European airports.

There are also charter flights from many European destinations; however, they often fly to smaller, tourist-oriented airports in Tunisia.

How to get from Tunis airport to the center

Tunis airport is located only 8km from the city center, but there is no public transport you can use. Apparently, some infrequent buses run between the airport and the center of Tunis, but I’ve never seen them (and in total, I was four times at the Tunis Carthage airport). The best option is to take a taxi. The fair prices I found online are 30 TND in the day and 45 TND at night but of course, everything depends on the negotiation skills and meter use.

Fortunately, in Tunis, you can use Bolt cars and find the ride in the app. That’s what I did in Tunis, and I never paid more than 10 TND (that included my tip) for the ride between the airport and the center, doesn’t matter what time of the day I was going (once I had to be at the airport around 5 in the morning and price for Bolt was 6 TND at that time).

Since the area around the airport can be confusing for finding the car, I suggest going slightly outside to the roundabout and getting the ride there (here is the exact location). It is so much easier and stress-free this way. When I arrived, I couldn’t find my driver at the airport, and eventually, we met at the roundabout; the second time, I went directly there and ordered my ride from that point.

How to get around Tunis

Most of the Tunis attractions are located in the central part of the city, where you can easily walk. A taxi or Bolt is your best option if you need to get further.

Is Tunis safe?

I felt safe in Tunis, but I know that safety is very individual, so what was normal for me might be uncomfortable for others. Even if Tunis isn’t as crazy as Cairo or Marrakesh, it is still a large and busy city.

Places like medina, with its narrow streets, can get crowded, so pay attention to your belongings. Use all the precautions you would use in any other large city. Locals didn’t harass me; only once or twice someone offered to show me the medina, but after a firm thank you, they didn’t bother me any further.

Since Tunis is the capital, you can encounter some protests (I didn’t). Listen to what locals say and try to avoid problematic areas to stay safe. But generally, there is nothing to worry about as long as you follow simple safety rules and listen to your intuition.

Things to do in Tunis

And now, without further ado, here are the best things to do in Tunis!

Wander around medina

Every respectful Arabic city has a fine medina, and Tunis is no exception. The local medina, part of the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979, was founded in 698 around the Zitouna Mosque. Over centuries it expanded to a large area in the center of Tunis. Today it is home to around seven hundred monuments, including impressive palaces, mosques, and madrasas.

The best way to enter Tunis medina is from Place de la Victoire, a busy square surrounded by numerous cafes, with a beautiful gate – Porte de France – guarding the area. From here, you can immerse yourself in a maze of narrow, winding lanes and see what this part of the city has to offer.

The best way to get to know the area is to wander around with a general sense of direction, but following your intuition – you might be surprised by what kind of wonders you might find: decorated doors, small fountains, charming corners, and so much more. You can easily spend a few solid hours here and still not be bored.

Sure, some places are more touristy than others, but in general, this is a wonderful area to explore, not only to see all the amazing historical sites but also to get a feel of the vibrant atmosphere medinas are known for.

Medina is also the best place for souvenir shopping in Tunis – you will find most shops along Rue Jamaa Ezzitouna, connecting Place de la Victoire with the Zitouna Mosque.

See Zitouna Mosque

Even if a large part of the Zitouna Mosque is closed to tourists after the 2011 revolution, it’s still worth stopping here and seeing what’s available. Just remember this is a holy place, so you must wear modest clothes to enter the site.

This is the largest and oldest mosque in Tunisia, dating back to the late 7th century, and a place of great historical, cultural, and religious importance. Many of the columns and pillars you can see are ancient and originally from nearby Carthage. The only fairly new addition to the structure is the minaret that was built in 1894.

Zitouna Mosque is also home to the oldest Islamic University in Tunisia and one of the first Islamic universities in general.

Admire the best view of Tunis

Even if the place is very much hidden and not so easy to find, this is also one of the most popular cafes and the best view in Tunis. Cafe Panorama, as that’s the name of the place, is located not far from the Zitouna Mosque, and you can access it through the La Maison d’Orient carpet shop. Once in the shop, head to the rooftop and enjoy the drink with a beautiful panorama of Tunis medina and beyond.

The coffee is so-so here, but no one comes here for the quality of drinks, and that’s fine as the vista compensates for it. I spent two hours there on a sunny day, drinking coffee, reading a book, people-watching, and admiring all the marvelous views around.

The cafe itself is charming, too, with colorful tables, chairs, and tiles, and altogether they make Cafe Panorama one of the best places to visit in Tunis.

Visit Place de la Kasbah

At the edge of the medina, you will find Place de la Kasbah, surrounded by a few government buildings and the city hall, which are all rather interesting, designed in a different style than buildings in the New Town or medina.

What makes the square worth visiting, though, is the National Monument of the Kasbah, located right in the middle. It was completed not too long ago, in 1989, as a symbol of Tunisia’s struggle in the fight for independence. To emphasize the importance of the monument, its picture was put on the back of the Tunisian ID card.

Discover Tunis New Town

The downtown is the most underrated part of Tunis, which offers plenty to do and see. It’s vibrant and bustling with life but in a different way than medina. This is where you will see the colonial influence and heritage; after all, the New Town was created after France took control over the country.

Wandering around and discovering all the gems (especially architecture) was one of my favorite things to do in Tunis. There are many art nouveau and art deco buildings here (apparently around four hundred!). As a fan of both styles, I was like a kid in the candy store in Tunis’s New Town.

Sadly, many of these are in poor shape and need renovation, but you can still admire their fine details and beauty. If there is one thing I wish I had more time for when visiting Tunis, it is exploring the New Town. But I’m still more than happy with what I’ve managed to see there; I just feel like there was so much more if I ventured a bit further.

Some of the best attractions in Tunis New Town include the Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul (a neo-Romanesque building dating back to 1882, the largest structure from the French Colonial era), Municipal Theatre, or the Clock Tower – one of the symbols of the city. Conveniently, all of them are located along Avenue Habib Bourguiba, which is a great place to wander around too. You can also sit in one of the many cafes here and observe the busy city life.

Take a picture with the “I love Tunis” sign

This is a bit cheesy, but having a picture with the “I love Tunis” sign can be a great souvenir from your trip to Tunisia. The sign is located at the end of Avenue Habib Bourguiba, next to the Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul. Don’t be discouraged by the large number of military guys around; they don’t really bother tourists hanging around.

See the gem of brutalist architecture in Africa

One of the best examples of brutalist architecture in Africa is located right in the center of Tunis. The now-abandoned Hôtel du Lac was designed by the Italian architect Raffaele Contigiani and built in the early 1970s, with over four hundred rooms inside. Its unique and distinctive shape became a symbol of African brutalism, and it even inspired the Sandcrawler vehicle in Star Wars movies (which were filmed in Tunisia, among other locations).

In 2000 the hotel was closed and fell into disrepair. The company that owns it now threatens to demolish the building, which would be a huge loss for the history of architecture. But since it’s still standing, you can admire its grand structure, even from the close-up (however, it is impossible to enter the premises) – it can impress even those who are not fans of brutalism!

Visit Bardo Museum

The world learned about the Bardo Museum in 2015 when the place was targeted in a terrorist attack. But despite this tragic event, this is a must-visit attraction in Tunis.

This is the largest archaeological museum in the country, founded at the end of the 19th century. What makes it so special is the large and valuable collection of Roman artifacts, especially mosaics, and sculptures – it’s one of the best collections of that kind in the world.

Bardo Museum is located a bit away from the center. The best way to get here is to take a taxi or Bolt.

Before you decide to visit Bardo Museum, check online if the place is open since it’s been going through major renovations for a few years now – the best way to do it is to check the recent reviews on Google (at the time of writing this article it seems that it is again welcoming visitors, I was not so lucky during my trip to Tunisia).

Explore Carthage

In ancient times, Carthage – founded in the 9th century BC – was one of the most important trading centers in the Mediterranean, flourishing for years until it was destroyed in 146 BC after the Punic wars. Today this is a sleepy town just outside of Tunis, where you still can find numerous remnants of the ancient glory.

The most impressive site in the town is Antonin Baths, the largest Roman baths outside of Rome! But there are so many more ruins around, as well as other attractions, that you can easily spend the whole day exploring Carthage.

Getting here from Tunis is very easy; you need to catch the suburban train from Tunis Marine Station – they depart frequently, and the tickets are super cheap. Carthage has a few stations, but the one closest to Antonin Baths is Carthage-Hannibal.

To visit the ancient sites, you need to buy a ticket for one of them – it allows you to visit them all. If you want to learn more about the place, you will likely find local guides, especially at Antonin Baths. Or you can join the tour from Tunis that will take you to Carthage and explain all about the place, its history, and its importance.

If you decide to go on a tour, here are the recommended ones:

• Carthage Sidi Bou Said and Medina Private Day Tour with Lunch
• Archaelogical Site Of Carthage + Picturesque Village Of Sidi Bou Said

Fall in love with Sidi Bou Said

A bit further from Carthage, on the same suburban train line, you will find another town worth visiting – Sidi Bou Said . This is one of the most charming places to visit in Tunisia, known for its traditional white-blue houses and winding lanes.

The town is made for wandering around, and with so many picturesque corners is so easy to fall in love with the place. There are also numerous cafes and restaurants where you can sit down and relax and souvenir shops where you can get some nice local things.

Since Sidi Bou Said is a popular destination for a side trip from Tunis, you can expect many fellow visitors here, especially on the weekend. Don’t let it discourage you; simply turn into one of the back streets to avoid the crowds.

Go for day trips

While Carthage and Sidi Bou Said are the most popular day trips from Tunis, you can visit some other great and diverse destinations when based in the capital. They can give you a better overview of the country, its history, and culture. You might be surprised how much Tunisia has to offer.

Here are some of the places you can visit on day trips from Tunis:

• Bulla Regia – impressive archeological site, known for their Hadrianic-era semi-subterranean housing and numerous mosaics still left in place
• Dougga – one of the best and most well-preserved Roman ruins I’ve ever seen, a massive site packed with original buildings from ancient times, another UNESCO site
• Testour – a 16th-century shelter for the Muslim and Jewish refugees from Andalusia who gave a distinctive look to the town
• El Jem – home to one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world, dating back to the 3rd century, included on the UNESCO World Heritage List
• Sousse – the third largest city in Tunisia, with UNESCO-listed medina and a great Archeological Museum, popular also for its long and sandy beach
• Kairouan – another UNESCO place, the town is known as a holy city in Islam, with amazing medina and stunning Great Mosque, among other attractions

While you can visit El Jem and Sousse using public transport (both are reachable by train), this may not be the most efficient day. Other places are not possible to visit in one day with public transport. Fortunately, there are tours you can take to see them and make the most of your trip to Tunisia. That’s what I did too.

Here are some of the recommended tours from Tunis:

• Private Tour to Kairouan, El Jem & Monastir
• Kairouan and El Jem Private Day Tour with Lunch
• Private Excursion to Testour, Dougga and Bulla Regia
• North Africa Tour to Utique-Bizerte-Ichkeul park(UNESCO)

Final thoughts on visiting Tunis

Even if there are more interesting or beautiful places to visit in Tunisia, the capital city also offers plenty to do and see, and you shouldn’t skip it during your trip. I enjoyed the place so much more than I expected, and if I’m in the area in the future, I will gladly visit Tunis again.

Travel Resources

Below you can find the brands I trust and use when planning trips:

• You can find the best accommodation options at Booking . They have many discounts and excellent customer service. Click here to look for the place to stay in Tunisia
• I recommend joining organized tours to get to know the place better and to visit more places during your trip. You can find a great selection of tours at Viator or Get Your Guide .
• To always stay connected I use Airalo eSim cards – click here to get yours!
• For transportation and booking tickets online , I usually use 12Go or Omio
• Looking for the airport pickup ? Check Welcome Pickups!
• Never travel without travel insurance , you never know what might happen and better safe than sorry. You can check the insurance policy for Tunisia here.
• If you plan to rent a car during your trip to Tunisia check Discover Cars to compare prices and find the best deals
• Make sure to have the offline map always installed on your phone, they can save you so many troubles. I always use the free app Maps.Me .

For the end I left a few announcements that might interest you:

• Sign up to my newsletter or follow me on Bloglovin to get updates about the new posts
• Join my Facebook group about Eastern Europe, the Balkans and former USSR and connect with fellow travellers and enthusiasts of these regions – just click here!
• I’ve included a few handy links of services and products I personally like and use so you can plan your own trip to Tunisia too. They are often affiliate links. This means I will get a small commission if you book/purchase anything through my links, at no extra costs for you. Thank you!

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Currently planning a trip to Tunis and your post has provided so much inspiration and helpful tips! I can’t wait to visit. Thank you :)

I’m glad to hear that! Enjoy your trip!

Planning a trip to Tunisia and your insight has been wonderful. Thank you for all the information.

Thank you for your kind comment, I’m glad to hear you found my articles useful. Have a great trip to Tunisia!

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Home » Travel Guides » Tunisia » 15 Best Places to Visit in Tunisia

15 Best Places to Visit in Tunisia

Trodden by the Berbers of old and raided by Barbary pirates, settled by the Phoenician Greeks, and then home to the mighty city of Carthage, Tunisia has a grand place in the annals of both the North African and European story. (After all, it was host to the only major rival to Rome across the entire Mediterranean basin for those formative centuries between the 800s BC and year zero.)

Add to that the mythical figures of Aeneas and Dido, along with tales of Arabic sultans and even Norman seafarers from the north, and it’s easy to see why this cut-out on the Maghreb is such a fascinating, culturally-rich place. Unfortunately, the great power struggles played out here have continued on into the modern age, giving rise to revolutions and counter-revolutions. Today, the government vies for control with hardline Islamists, there have been attacks on tourists, and FCO advice flits between cautious and uber-cautious. But when the dust settles and Tunisia stabilizes, it’s sure to take the breath away!

Lets explore the best places to visit in Tunisia :

It doesn’t get much better than this for fans of the ancients.

Colossal arches and elliptical amphitheaters to rival even the Colosseum in Rome are what mark the horizon of famous El Djem.

Tagged by UNESCO, the city is a modern one built right atop an old one, with the occasional ruin of Roman homes and arcades popping up on the corners.

Many sights have been preserved thanks to the billowing dust storms of the surrounding Sahara, but a lack of large-scale archaeology means that the main attraction remains the huge Amphitheatre of Thysdrus.

Delve in and stroll the changing rooms of gladiators, or stand where ancient governors once did atop the fighting pits.

2. Houmt Souk

The undisputed jewel of Djerba island comes topped with the adobe domes of the Bordj el Kabir fort, which was raised in the 1400s and 1500s to protect the harbor on the Gulf of Gabes below.

Over the centuries, everyone from the Numidians to the Arabs to the Spaniards to the Ottomans have made their home in this tactical position on the edge of the Med.

Accordingly, history oozes from every dust-caked pore.

There are the traditional fondouks quarters of medieval merchants left in the Old Town.

There colorful pottery bazaars, whitewashed synagogues, Turkic mosques, and lively marketplaces selling olive oils and chickpea broths.

Still reeling from the horrific terror attacks of 2015, the seaside city of Sousse is now much less loud about its beauties.

But the beauties are there nonetheless.

They lurk between the tight-knit alleyways of the town’s historic medina; they ooze from the simple and elegant rises of the Aghlabite Great Mosque; they beckon from the formidable bulwarks of the old Ribat citadel above the place.

And away from the steaming Ottoman hammams and colorful Maghreb souks of the town proper, there are gorgeous beaches that sparkle turquoise blue, all fringed with luxurious hotels and palm-lined promenades.

4. Sidi Bou Said

You could be forgiven for thinking that you’d made the hop across the Med to the islands of the Greek Aegean as you enter the vibrant interior of Sidi Bou Said town, sat just 20 kilometers from bustling Tunis.

Yep, the sky-blue and whitewashed color scheme here is more than reminiscent of towns in Santorini and Mykonos.

However, this one’s interesting hues were actually started by the French musicologist Rodolphe d’Erlanger.

He first plastered the stucco walls of his home with the endearing tones in the 20s, and his palatial mansion at the Ennejma Ezzahra is a now a museum to his legacy.

Every trip to Tunisia should include a jaunt to the great desert of the Sahara, whose shifting sands and dry escarpments begin here in earnest.

And where better for a taste of the dry life than the adobe mud town of Tozeur? This oases settlement in the extreme south-west of the nation is a veritable masterpiece of Berber tradition.

For starters, it’s surrounded by swathes of verdant date palm blooms that rise straight from the ochre-hued earth.

And then there’s its medina city, with filigrees and carvings and brick artistry straight from the old arabesque world.

Pass under the great arches of the Bab el Bhar (the Port de France) and you’ll see both sides to this fascinating capital: the French side and the Maghreb side.

In the former, the so-called Ville Nouvelle, the traces of rule from Paris are all too evident.

There are wide, tree-peppered avenues.

There are coffee shops spilling onto the sidewalks.

There are grand cathedrals with Gothic elements.

And on the latter side of town; the African side, things take a turn for the arabesque.

Lively souks packed with kaleidoscopic fabrics crawl and sprawl over one another.

The shouts of hawkers touting spice echo, and the scents of tagines and mint teas mix with camel skin lamps and shisha pipes.

7. Kairouan

Nearly 1,500 years of history meets between the dust-caked desert hills around Kairouan.

A city famed for its long connection to the Islamic world, it’s been a center of Sunni teachings since at least the 7th century.

Cue the mighty rises of the Great Mosque of Kairouan: a UNESCO World Heritage Site that draws thousands of pilgrims to its prayer rooms and enclosures each year.

Once you’ve wondered at that amazing Aghlabid relic, be sure to wander the old medina and its whitewashed cottages, taste sweet Tunisian pastries in the bakeries there, and seek out the interesting Mosque of the Three Gates.

8. Monastir

Most people will know Monastir for the great citadel fortress that bears its moniker.

And it’s true that the Monastir Ribat, topped with its crenulated parapets and red stone bulwarks, is unquestionably the major attraction in town.

(After all, it was one of the filming locations in the hit film Monty Python’s The Life of Brian). However, there are other things to see and do here, like trace the Muslim influence at sites like the Mausoleum of Bourguiba, or wonder up at the colossal city mosque (dating from the 1000s no less!).

UNESCO World Heritage fame marks the crumbling peristyles and age-cracked temples of Dougga out from many of North Africa’s other mighty ancient sites.

Once Roman, the remains of the entire city here are considered some of the best-preserved in the region.

Travelers come to gawp at the looming Doric columns of the Dougga Theatre, standing tall over the green fields of the Beja Governorate.

They come to walk the old cobbled Roman roads, or to see the relics of shrines to Jupiter and the Imperial Cult.

There are also bathhouses, soaring mausoleums, and in-tact sewer systems to encounter.

10. Carthage

The very name of Carthage evokes romantic tales of Greek seafarers, figures like Aeneas and Dido from the heroic age, and stories of mighty battles on the Alps and Mediterranean Seas.

That all makes it easy to see why this sprawling ruined site just outside of Tunis is one of the most-visited attractions in all of Tunisia.

However, the centuries of Punic wars and Muslim invasions have left it abandoned more than once, and the remains of Carthage are not as awe-inspiring as some of the country’s other Roman treats.

It’s worth coming though, if only to stand where great generals in the ilk of Hannibal once did!

It’s hard not to be taken by the elegance of Sfax.

Old and eclectic, it bears all the hallmarks you’d expect of a city trodden by Sicilian kings and Spanish invaders, Barbary pirates and Ottoman imperialists.

Moorish traits pockmark the old Kasbah, mingling with Rococo and colonial elements, while the great city walls look like something plucked straight out of Aladdin.

Meanwhile, the gorgeous Place de la Republique is trotted by horses and carts, and the Sfax War Cemetery is a sobering reminder of the great struggles that occurred in North Africa between Allied and Axis forces during the 20th century.

It’s just a stone’s throw from Douz to the sweeping sand plains of the Jebil National Park – one of the great natural treasures of southern Tunisia.

So, it’s not for nothing that this far-flung town in the south is considered the gateway to the Sahara.

It’s home to purring camels, and weathered Berber tour guides who are eager to lead expeditions on humpback into the scorched wilds.

It’s worth getting in the saddle and following them, because wonders like the salt flats of Chott al-Jerid and the shifting Grand Erg await there!

13. Hammamet

Hammamet sits on the southern bends of the Cap Bon, enjoying the lapping waves and soothing salt-packed breezes of the Mediterranean Sea.

The town magnetizes visitors with its enchanting appearance, which comes as a curious mélange of Spanish, Sicilian and Castilian architecture, all balanced out by the ubiquitous Maghreb medina town of whitewashed adobe homes and palm-sprouting streets.

However, it’s the beaches here that really take the biscuit.

Head down to sun-kissed Hammamet Sud, where loungers meet jet skis meet sunbathers meet SCUBA outfitters.

Palm-peppered Zarzis (also spelled Jarjis) is a place that proudly touts its fringing of shimmering beaches and resorts.

Lined up all along the Mediterranean to the north and south of town, they are amongst the most popular of destinations for package holidayers in search of Tunisia’s medley of sun, sand, sea, and unrelenting desert heat.

The town itself is a modern, built-up place that hides the centuries of Roman and Arabic history beneath.

You’ll see grand mosques looming above the street corners, the occasional olive oil seller, and whitewashed villas shrouded by oases.

15. Matmata

Matmata entered the field of public attention when it became the home of a certain Luke Skywalker in the stories of Star Wars way back in 1976. In fact, the spot is one of many in a long line of filming locations found throughout Tunisia, but might just be the most famous.

The backdrop for the iconic lands of Tatooine were the interesting troglodyte houses of the locals here, which are carved straight into the dusty earth and painted white to reflect the sun.

You can still see them, along with other cool examples of cave dwellings in the dusty surrounds of Gabes.

15 Best Places to Visit in Tunisia:

• Sidi Bou Said

Shutterstock / Valery Bareta

It may be but a slim wedge of North Africa’s vast horizontal expanse, but Tunisia has enough history and diverse natural beauty to pack a country many times its size. With a balmy, sand-fringed Mediterranean coast, scented with jasmine and sea breezes, and where the fish on your plate is always fresh, Tunisia is prime territory for a straightforward sun-sand-and-sea holiday. But beyond the beaches, it’s a thrilling, underrated destination where distinct cultures and incredible extremes of landscape – forested coastlines, Saharan sand seas in the south – can be explored in just a few days.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions.

This sprawling maze of ancient streets and alleyways is one of the most impressive medieval medinas in North Africa and one of Tunisia's great treasures…

El Jem Amphitheatre

This Unesco World Heritage–listed colosseum was the second-largest in the Roman world (after Rome's); it was 149m long by 124m wide, with three tiers of…

Kairouan’s medina feels like it ebbs and flows to a different rhythm to modern Tunisia. Long protected by its monumental walls and babs (gates), most of…

Sousse Archaeological Museum

Located inside the 11th-century kasbah, this museum showcases an extraordinary collection of 2nd- and 3rd-century Roman mosaics, one of the best in the…

Archaeological Museum

A 1km walk from the El Jem Amphitheatre (follow the signs), this museum showcases an exceptional collection of Roman mosaics. All are richly coloured, in…

Bardo Museum

The main draw at the Tunisia's top museum is its magnificent collection of Roman mosaics. These provide a vibrant and fascinating portrait of ancient…

Arguably the most magnificent Roman site in Africa, Dougga’s ancient remains – a Unesco World Heritage site since 1997 – are startlingly complete, giving…

On the cultivated amber slopes of Mt Mekrima, the fascinating but little-visited ruins of ancient Uthina are the remains of one of the Roman Empire's…

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Tunisia bucket list – 40 things to do and see in Tunisia

Are you looking for the ultimate Tunisia bucket list? Keep reading for 40 suggestions. I have spent months in Tunisia. But still, I haven’t seen all this country has to offer! I have seen and experienced a lot in Tunisia, and that’s why I wanted to share these things with you too. I have put together this Tunisia bucket list – 40 things to do and see in Tunisia. So, now you don’t need to spend ages researching things to do. From the charming Sidi Bou Said to camping in the Sahara Desert, this list includes all the must-do activities in Tunisia. I hope you find this Tunisia bucket list handy on your trip.

Tunisia bucket list - 40 things to do and see in Tunisia

1. wander around la medina, tunis.

La medina literally means city or town, which are known for narrow and maze-like streets. From La medina, you will find hundreds of little boutiques (=souks) that sell products from handcrafted jewelry to colorful carpets and vases. It’s easy to spend hours or even days wandering around La Medina. Visiting charming boutiques, stop at one of the many restaurants and cafes, admire brightly painted doorways, hammams, mosques, and madrassas. Visiting La medina is a mandatory place to visit. That’s why it is on this Tunisia bucket list – 40 things to do and see in Tunisia.

2. Tunisia bucket list: Have a day trip to Sidi Bou Said

Your trip to Tunisia won’t be complete without seeing Sidi Bou Said. It is one of the most famous and beautiful places in Tunisia. It’s known for blue and white houses and cobblestoned streets. This charming seaside town is located about 20km north of Tunis. This popular tourist attraction is definitely worth visiting. Stroll through the old town and explore art galleries, cafes, restaurants, and small boutiques. And do not forget to eat a well-known Bambalouni, a delicious Tunisian doughnut. At the end of the day have dinner in the restaurant La Villa Bleue : stunning view, beautiful milieu, and delightful food.

3. Tunisia bucket list: Visit Ez-Zitouna Mosque

I didn’t know much about Tunisia when I had my first trip there. But I had one thing in my mind: To visit the famous Zitouna mosque. This absolutely gorgeous mosque is located in the heart of Tunis Medina. If you are a non-Muslim then you have a right to visit just the courtyard, but it is definitely worth visiting. This place has an amazingly peaceful atmosphere, which makes it a great escape from the hectic Medina. Remember to dress correctly for the Mosque visit. Tip: women need to cover their hair. At the entrance, there are boutiques where you can borrow a scarf if you don’t have one with you.

4. Discover the Bardo National Museum

If you love culture and you are interested in the history of Tunisia, you should visit the Bardo National Museum . It happens to be one of the most important museums on the African continent. Additionally, they have a stunning collection of mosaics and sculptures. You can easily spend one day there and a lot of people say that it is a must thing to do in Tunisia.

5.Tunisia bucket list: Drink Tunisian coffee in one of the thousands of cafes

Tunisia has a really strong café culture. The atmosphere is really unique, which I have never experienced in any other country. It is a perfect opportunity to experience how Tunisian people live their everyday life. The cafes are the meeting points for Tunisian people and it’s really common to visit your local café many times per day. You will see cafes full of all kinds of people: a young, old, group of friends, foreigners, females, and males. On your visit try Tunisian espresso, capucin, direct, and qahwa Arbi (Arabic coffee). Here you find more information about Tunisian drinks.

6. Eat Bambalouni in Sidi Bou Said or La Goulette

Bambalouni is one of the traditional Tunisian sweets that you have try to on your trip. Famous Tunisian doughnut Bambalouni is usually served with sugar or chocolate sauce. You can buy this mouthwatering pastry from street vendors in Sidi Bou Said or La Goulette. If you have a big sweet tooth here you find a list of Tunisian sweets you should try on your trip .

7. Swim in the Mediterranean Sea

When I asked my husband what are the must things to do in Tunisia. The first thing he said is to swim. Tunisia has a long coastline with some of the Mediterranean’s most beautiful beaches. That is why Tunisia is a perfect destination for beach-lovers! Some of the best beaches are located in Hammamet, Monastir, Djerba, El Haouaria, Cap Angela and Sfax.

8. Go to see Flamingo Island (Ras R’mal)

Djerba is an island that is also a very popular tourist destination. It’s known for stunning beaches and picturesque villages with whitewashed houses. There is also a very magical place that you should visit without question. The exotic Flamingo Island is a mandatory place to visit when on Djerba. If you are willing to see thousands of beautiful flamingos then go to this island in the winter months October-February. During the summer the flamingos are not there. But with flamingos or not, this beautiful island is still worth visiting and a boat ride to this island is also a great experience.

9. Tunisia bucket list: Pay a visit to the Sahara Desert

If you are looking for an adventure and once-in-a-lifetime experience, visiting the Sahara Desert is one of the best things to do in Tunisia. I would say that to have a full experience you should stay overnight in Sahara. There is nothing more magical than eating dinner around a campfire, under the sky full of stars. If you are planning to have a day trip you can discover the dunes and oasis with camel ride, quad bikes, or 4W ride.

There are many great clubs, bars, and lounges to party in Tunisia. I am sure that you will find one that fits your wishes and expectations. If you are looking for a place to have fun, there is a great app called Ija, that you should download on your phone. You will see a list of clubs, bars, restaurants…Then you pick the place that suits you and you can do a reservation and hopefully, you got it accepted. Then when you enter the place, you simply show the accepted reservation.

One of the greatest things about traveling is to discover new food cultures. I love Tunisian food and I don’t mind that eating out is very affordable also. Tunisian cuisine is full of magical dishes, so you can easily try a new delicious meal every day. Here I have written guides for Tunisian dishes , sweets , and drinks . Those will help you at the beginning if you don’t know where to start. Tunisia is a perfect destination for foodies and people who love to eat.

12. 40 things to do and see in Tunisia: Go to Hammam

Hammam known also as the Turkish bath is a communal bathhouse. Hammams are an important part of Tunisian culture. I really recommend visiting a local Hammam during your trip as it is an experience that you don’t want to miss. So how does it work? Shortly answered, first you will sit in a steam room that will soften your skin. After that, the professional washers will give your full body scrub and wash your body. You will be shocked how much dead skin will get off. Men wear boxers or towels around their hips and women wear panties but you can also put a towel around your chest if you don’t feel comfortable. After the Hammam drink something refreshing like lemonade or Fanta.

13. Ride the camel

In Tunisia, you will see camels a little bit everywhere: at the beach, the Sahara Desert, or even in front of the café. There are many tour operators offering camel rides in the Sahara Desert, which will be a great experience for sure. Often, you will see people selling camel rides at the beach, which is a more affordable option than heading to the Sahara. If riding a camel is not a thing for you at least you can take a picture of this majestic animal.

14. Enjoy the live music

Now is your perfect opportunity to discover traditional and newer Tunisian music. Music is very important for Tunisian people, and it plays a big role in their lives. The Tunisian weddings and other celebrations are filled with traditional Tunisian music. So, if you have an opportunity to go to a live music concert, you really should go! In the concerts, the atmosphere is always very good and listening to traditional music is a great way to understand Tunisian culture. In addition, Tunisian people love to dance and have fun.

15. Tunisia bucket list: Go to the Arabic disco

If you are fed up with westerns style nightclubs, I recommend going to the Arabic disco. I remember my first time in the Arabic disco, and it makes me laugh. In the Arabic disco, they play traditional Arabic music, and Tunisian people have their own kind of way to dance these songs. The evening was also filled with oriental dancers and fire performances. So, it’s totally a new experience if you are not familiar with Arabic culture beforehand.

16. Buy a handcrafted Tunisian product

On your stay in Tunisia, you will explore unique markets and souks in medinas with a wide variety of beautiful products. Tunisia has a long history with handcrafts, and there are numerous amounts of local specialties. Leave some space in your suitcase as you are surely heading home with a suitcase full of beautiful Tunisian souvenirs. In this article , I have listed 13 things to buy from Tunisia.

17. Visit Tunisian bakery, and buy a box full of goodies

Tunisia has a strong love for sweets. Tunisia offers a great range of handmade sweets, crunchy cookies, and delightful pastries. Visit one of the many Tunisian bakeries, and start testing all the delicious Tunisian sweets. Try at least: Samsa, Zouza, Baklava and Makroudh. I wrote a blog post about 10 popular Tunisian sweets you need to try . If you are looking for high-quality and Instagram-worthy sweets then go to Patisserie Masmoudi .

18. Drink refreshing Tunisian lemonade

During hot summer days, there is nothing more refreshing than a glass of cold citronnade/lemonade served with an almond biscuit. The Tunisian lemonade is made of fresh lemons, water, white sugar, and vanilla sugar, this creates juice that is super sweet, fruity, cloudy, and less bitter if compared to the American lemonade. It can be seasoned with mint. It is super delicious, and kids will love it also. This thing is really at the top of my Tunisian bucket list! This drink is so yummy!

19. Go to see amphitheater El Djem

El Djem is a must-place to see in Tunisia. Especially, for a history lover. Every year thousands of tourists visit the biggest historical tourist attraction in Tunisia. A very well-preserved Roman amphitheater is one of the biggest in the world. It’s located in a small village called El Djem. If you are in Tunisia mainly to enjoy swimming and sunbathing, this majestic UNESCO World Heritage Site is something that you should not miss.

20. Take pictures of the colorful doors of La Medina, Tunis

 If you are looking for free things to do in Tunisia, this is a great tip for you! Might be that you have seen pictures of beautiful colored wooden doors in Instagram or Pinterest feeds. One of the greatest spots to see these beautiful wooden doors is in La Medina, Tunis. Now, fill up your social media feed with stunning pictures also.

21. Go to the market square and buy plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables

I am not sure if it’s only me but I truly enjoy visiting the market squares. I love the fresh and organic products, talking with the sellers, and the atmosphere in general. I understand that you don’t necessarily want to fill your hotel room with tomatoes and cucumbers. But you should go and buy fresh dates instead. 

22. Visit Tunisian spice store. Tunisia is a great place to buy spices

Here, I wrote a guide about the most traditional and popular Tunisian spices . So, check it out! It will help you to decide what spice you should buy. The spice stores filled with piles of colorful spices are very beautiful, so you can also spend a day simply window shopping without buying anything.

23. Try harissa, Tunisian hot chili pepper paste (must thing on your Tunisia bucket list)

This Tunisian bucket list- things to do and see in Tunisia wouldn’t be complete without harissa.  On your stay in Tunisia, very fast you get to know this hot chili paste as it’s served everywhere and all the time. It’s an important ingredient in many Tunisian traditional dishes. If you a fan of spicy food, buy a couple of cans of this hot goodness. Harissa is a very useful product in your pantry as there are multiple ways to use it. How could I write the Tunisia bucket list without including harissa?

24. Tunisia bucket list - 40 things to do and see in Tunisia: Eat Tunisian dates

Tunisia is one of the world’s biggest producers and exporters of dates. There are hundreds of date types that are divided into groups: soft, semi-dry, and dry depending on how moist is the date. The most produced date in Tunisia is Deglet Nour “finger of light” other typical dates are Allig, Khouat Allig, and Kenta. Buy a packet of dates as a souvenir or maybe one of the many date products like honey, vinegar, oil, or powder. Fascinating fact: maybe you have heard about a belief among Muslims, that dates should be eaten in odd numbers to gain the maximum amount of health benefits.

25. Go for a long beach walk

Having long beach walks is one of my favorite things to do in Tunisia. It’s an amazing way to start a morning, and it’s so relaxing. If you are a sporty person, the long coastline is a perfect place for running. During the summer it’s better to go for a run, in the early morning or late evening when the weather isn’t too hot yet. This thing is a great addition to your Tunisia Bucket list.

26. Have a coffee at Panorama Medina Café, Tunis

Next on this Tunisian bucket list- 40 things to do and see in Tunisia..Panorama Medina cafe! If you are looking for a café with a stunning view visit the Panorama Medina Café. The rooftop café itself is also amazingly beautiful with all the mosaic details. The place might be a little bit tricky to find, so my advice is to take a screenshot of the place and show it to the people and they will kindly show you the way.

27. Tunisia bucket list wouldn't be complete without this: Get to know Tunisian people

One of the most beautiful things in Tunisia is the Tunisian people and their hospitality. There are so many amazing people who are incredibly generous and warm-hearted. So, my advice is to get to know Tunisian people. There might be a little language barrier with some of the people but it does not matter. With Tunisians, you will learn about the Tunisian culture and lifestyle. This is the best way to discover the real Tunisia.

28. Eat Mezza and plenty of seafood

Is there anything better than fresh seafood with a very affordable price? In Tunisia, you will have a great opportunity to eat seafood that has been caught in the morning. So delicious! Other, great tip is to eat Mezza: a selection of grilled meats and seafood. If you are in Tunis, go to the restaurant Omek Sanafa and eat mouthwatering Mezza at a good price. They also offer a good selection of traditional Tunisian meals if the Mezza isn’t for you.

29. Places to see in Tunisia: Visit Star Wars filming spot

You need to head towards southern Tunisia to see the original sets where the famous Star Wars were filmed. Some of the filming spots are destroyed by time but there are still many places worth visiting. Some of the well-preserved places are located in Matmata, Tozeur, Tataouine, and Djerba Island. Most of the filming spots are located in the desert and might be hard to find. So, contact one of the many tour operators and make the most out of this experience. It is a must place to visit, and a very popular attraction among tourists, especially if you are into Star Wars. So of course this place found its’ place on my Tunisia bucket list.

Tunisia’s beautiful and long coastline has many wonderful diving spots. People say that going under the sea is one of the best things to do in Tunisia. Clearwater, colorful coral reefs, shipwrecks, and lively sea life make Tunisia a perfect destination for a diving holiday. There are many great places to start discovering life under the sea in Tunisia. So, here is just a couple of options to get you started: Tabarka, Hammamet, Bizerte, Port El Kantaoui, Mahdia and Djerba.

31. Discover Matmata caves

Matmata is a small town located in southern Tunisia. It’s famous for being one of the few Berber villages and their special way of housing. Its unique architecture makes it a popular destination among tourists. Matmata was one of the locations where the legendary Star Wars movies were filmed. You need to have Matmata caves on your Tunisian bucket list.

32. Go for a road trip

One of the greatest ways to explore a new country is to rent a car and go for a road trip. Tunisia is a really versatile destination: mountains, the Sahara Desert, long coastline, small villages, and big cities. It’s also an amazing way to find hidden beaches and try the area’s food specialties! If you are planning to have a road trip during the summer, I highly recommend renting a car with an AC. Tunisian traffic is also a bit chaotic, so pay attention when driving.

33. Tunisia bucket list: Experience Ramadan

If your visit to Tunisia takes a place during the holy month of Ramadan, you should make the most out of the experience. During the daytime, the country is really calm and very lively during the night. Cafes, patisseries, and restaurants are open during the night and all kinds of music are played on the streets. To get the real experience, I advise you to visit a Tunisian home: cook many beautiful meals with them and when the time comes to break the fasting with the meals you cooked before.

34. Places to see in Tunisia: Visit the pottery capital Nabeul

Nabeul is a town located 65 km from Tunis. It’s famous for pottery and handcrafted ceramics. You can find all kinds of ceramic items: glazed, unglazed, colored, neutral. Walk around the streets and you won’t find only pottery boutiques but also other handcrafts: stone, gold, silver, fabric, perfumes. It’s a great place to fill up your luggage with Tunisian products.

35. Visit Tunisian family place

The best way to get a full Tunisia experience is to visit a Tunisian home. It’s a great way to see their everyday life. Especially old Tunisian homes are very stunning: high room heights, vivid tilework, and colorful window frames. And get ready for Tunisian hospitality. You will eat and drink a lot!

36. Barbeque

In Tunisia, you will find special barbeque restaurants. In the restaurant, they have a selection of fresh meat and you will choose the pieces you want. They will barbeque those for you in a charcoal grill. Fresh meat combined with smokey flavor is so delicious! At Tunisian homes or boutiques, you might see small clay pots filled with charcoal. A metal rack is placed over the pot and then we grill! You will wave a hand fan and keep fire in charcoals. This way of grilling is very popular on Eid-al-Adha when sheep and goats are slaughtered as a sacrificial gift.

37. Try Henna

Henna has a big role in Tunisian culture. It’s said that it brings good fortune to a bride. Henna party is one of the most important days for Tunisian women. Henna is a natural dye that is used to decorate hands and feet with beautiful patterns. On the steers, you will see women painting beautiful patterns for their customers. Often, they use Harkous instead of Henna. The easiest way to tell the difference between Henna and Harkous: Harkous smells good and it’s much thicker compared to Henna.

38. If you get the chance visit the Tunisian wedding

 If you ever get invited to a Tunisian wedding, you should definitely go. It’s an amazing combination of culture, hundreds of people, beautiful outfits, traditional music and a lot of food. Before the wedding was week-long celebrations, so you can imagine that Tunisian people take wedding very seriously.

39. Things to do in Tunisia: Hiking

Might be that the first thing that comes to your mind about Tunisia is not hiking. But actually, Tunisia has many breathtakingly stunning hiking spots to offer. You can also rent a bike or go for a horse ride. A couple of beautiful spots to mention: Lake Ichkeul, El-Haouaria, Zaghouan and Kairouan.

40. Have a beauty treatment

On Monday manicure, Tuesday pedicure, Wednesday facial, Thursday hairdresser, Friday massage… During your holiday you have a great opportunity to have many beauty treatments at very affordable prices. Maybe Tunisia will be your next destination for a girls’ trip.

I hope you enjoyed this Tunisian bucket list – things to do and see in Tunisia. I am sure that from these 40 things you will find something new for yourself! There are so many great things do and places to see in Tunisia. Is there something else that you would add to your Tunisian bucket list?

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17 Top-Rated Attractions & Places to Visit in Tunisia

Written by Jess Lee Updated Jan 24, 2024

Often seen as simply a beach destination, Tunisia has a bucketful of surprising tourist attractions and things to do for those that venture off the sandy shores.

This is North Africa wrapped up into one bite-sized package.

There are alleyways of pastel-washed houses and crowded souk streets to explore in the cities; ancient ruins to discover out in the countryside; and the vast desert expanse of the Sahara to the south with its sweeping dunes, craggy mountains, and hidden, palm-tree-filled oases.

Tunisia was Rome's breadbasket, and the cultural riches the Romans left behind are more than enough reason to visit. But the history of Arab Empires has also bestowed the country with some of the region's most beautiful examples of Islamic architecture.

When you've craned your neck at Kairouan's minarets and played gladiator at El Djem , it's time to head into the Sahara to sample the raw, empty beauty of the desert.

The sun-soaked beaches of the Mediterranean coastline, fringed by palms and lapped by gentle waves, will still be waiting for you when you get back.

Discover where to go and what to see in this diverse country with our list of the top tourist attractions and places to visit in Tunisia.

1. El Djem Amphitheater

3. carthage, 4. the national bardo museum, 5. sidi bou said, 6. grand erg oriental, 7. bulla regia, 8. kairouan, 9. sousse medina, 10. chott el djerid, 11. hammamet, 13. tunis medina, 15. matmata, 16. ribat of monastir, 17. ancient sufetula.

The walls of the mighty Roman amphitheater of El Djem dwarf the surrounding modern town.

This incredibly well-preserved Roman relic is Tunisia's big sightseeing highlight, one of the most popular things to do on day trips from the coastal resorts, and one of the best examples of amphitheater architecture left standing in the world.

The monumental bulk of the walls are a reminder of Rome's once-mighty grip across North Africa.

You can still walk the corridors under the arena, just like the gladiators did. Or, climb up to the top seating tiers and sit staring across the arena, imagining the battles that took place below.

This is one of Tunisia's most famous historic sights and attracts coach-loads of day-trippers so the way to enjoy the amphitheater without the crowds is to stay the night in El Djem and visit early or late.

El Djem has a couple of decent hotels and away from the star attraction there are a handful of smaller ruins (and a museum) to explore that can easily fill an entire day in town.

If you're looking for the picture-perfect beach escape, then the island of Djerba checks all the right boxes.

The island town of Houmt Souk is the main point of interest off the beach, with an old town district that is a muddle of whitewashed houses.

Houmt Souk's shopping is an attraction in itself, with plenty of handicraft vendors for browsing and haggling opportunities off the beach.

But it's those sandy strips of shoreline out of town that are the island's most popular highlight. Pristine and trimmed by date palms, the beaches are relaxing, get-away-from-it-all settings where summer daydreams are made.

Once Rome's major rival, Carthage was the city of the seafaring Phoenicians, forever memorialized in the Punic Wars.

The atmospheric ruins of this ancient town now sit beside the sea amid the suburbs of Tunis, a warning that even the greatest cities can be reduced to rubble.

The ruins are extensive but spread out, and if you've been lucky enough to visit ancient city sites such as Ephesus in Turkey or Volubilis in Morocco, which are well-preserved, Carthage can seem quite underwhelming at first.

But these UNESCO World-Heritage-listed remnants are hugely important historically, and any tourist interested in North Africa's ancient past shouldn't miss a visit here.

Many visitors opt to visit on an organized half-day tour from Tunis (often bundled together with a visit to Sidi Bou Said), but if you prefer to spend more time exploring the ruins, you can easily head to Carthage independently.

Tunis is connected to Carthage by the city's light rail network . Disembark at Carthage-Hannibal station, and you can walk a circuit of the ancient city's most famous ruin sites and the museum. Make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and, if you're in Tunisia during the hotter months, start early to beat the heat.

If you only have one day in Tunisia's capital, Tunis , this museum should be high up on your to-do list.

Even non-museum fans can't fail to be impressed at the massive haul of beautiful mosaics exhibited inside the Bardo.

This is one of North Africa's top museums, and it houses one of the world's most important mosaic collections, all curated beautifully.

The museum has recently reopened after an extensive renovation and re-curation of the exhibits, which now take in more of the scope of Tunisia's history.

Its highlight though is still the mosaic collection which showcases the dazzling, intricate artistry of the Roman and Byzantine eras, with pieces cherry-picked from every major archaeological site in Tunisia.

Impossibly cute, and amazingly photogenic, Sidi Bou Said is a clifftop village of petite dimensions that seem to have fallen off an artist's canvas.

Unsurprisingly, artists have feted this little hamlet, now a high-class suburb of the capital Tunis, for decades.

The whitewashed alleyways, wrought-iron window frames, and colorful blue doors are Tunisian village architecture at its finest, while the Mediterranean backdrop is the cherry on top.

Keen photographers will want to head here early in the day, to capture Sidi Bou Said's famed scenic alleyways without the bustle of day-trippers. For panoramic vistas across the whitewashed houses and rooftops, head up to the terrace on Rue Taieb Mhiri.

This is a place to while away a lazy afternoon, simply soaking up the laid-back atmosphere and maybe indulging in a spot of shopping at one of the many local artisan and handicraft stalls.

You can easily hop on Tunis's light rail network to chug directly to Sidi Bou Said station from the central city. If you prefer to stay in Sidi Bou Said rather than in Tunis, there's also a decent range of upscale accommodation here.

Tunisia's vast Sahara covers much of the country's interior, and the most beautiful corner of the desert is the field of sand dunes known as the Grand Erg Oriental.

These poetically beautiful dunes are a surreal and gorgeous landscape of huge waves, shaped by the ever-shifting desert sands.

For many visitors, this is an adventure playground for riding dune buggies and camel treks, but nothing tops the simple pleasure of sitting atop one of these mammoth sand mountains and watching the sun set over the Sahara.

The nearest center is the desert town of Douz, from where you can organize camel, hiking, and 4WD excursions and multi-day trips to the dunes.

Tunisia has no shortage of Roman ruins, but Bulla Regia near Tabarka is the country's most interesting and intriguing site.

Here, the Roman inhabitants coped with the harsh summer climate by ingeniously building their villas underground, which has left the city houses incredibly well-preserved today.

For history lovers, this is a unique opportunity to walk through actual Roman houses, with their walls still intact, and with some of the expansive floor mosaics still in-situ. It's a glimpse of the residential life of the ancient world that you often don't see.

With mosques, madrassas, and tombs aplenty, Kairouan has more than its fair share of monuments as the fourth most important city for those of the Muslim faith.

The Arabic architecture here is truly inspiring, and the skyline is full of skinny minarets and bulky domes. But it's probably the back alleys of the city's medina that steal the show.

With narrow, maze-like lanes lined with crumbling colorful houses, Kairouan's old town has an enchanting, lost-in-time atmosphere that is a true highlight of a visit here.

The town is well known for its traditional carpet-making, and if Kairouan is part of your planned itinerary you will want to wait until you've seen the range on offer here before making a purchase.

Wily visitors elect to spend a night or two in Kairouan rather than day-trip here from Sousse or Monastir, so they can spend their time exploring. Kairouan is also a good base from which to launch out on day tours to points further west, such as the ruins of Kasserine.

Overlooked by the mighty fortifications of the ribat and kasbah, the medina in Sousse just begs to be explored.

This lovely old town district is a warren of looping lanes, rimmed by whitewashed houses, and a shopping paradise with a tempting selection of ceramics, leatherwork, and metalwork on display.

Away from the stalls along the bustling souk streets, the quiet and rambling back alleys, dusted in white and blue, are a charming place to dive in and sample local life.

Sousse is one of Tunisia's top vacation destinations and is a very easygoing introduction to the country's charms, for first-time visitors. Likewise, the medina itself is small and easily navigable.

Some excellent restaurants serve up local Tunisian cuisine within the medina so, even if your accommodation is out on the beach, it is well worth your time coming into the medina for lunch or dinner. Make sure to sample the couscous at Café Seles, near the ramparts, and chill out with mint tea at Café Kasba.

This sprawling salt pan (most easily reached on a day trip from the desert town of Tozeur ) is a desolate and otherworldly scene that wows all who visit with its stark and brutal beauty.

The scenery here depends on the season you visit.

In summer, the moonscape surroundings of the Chott el Djerid are a storybook panorama brought to life, filled with shimmering mirages on the horizon and jigsaw puzzle pieces of blindingly white, cracked land under foot.

During winter, though, the basin partially fills with water, creating a bizarre lake amid the desolate surrounding desert plains.

A sightseeing trip here proves that nature produces much weirder landscapes than you could ever imagine.

Hammamet is all about the beach. This laid-back town on the Cap Bon Peninsula is Tunisia's top sun-and-sea resort, dedicated to easygoing beach vacations.

The town itself, with its pretty white buildings set beside a bright blue sea, has bundles of Mediterranean charm, which woos all who come to sunbathe on the soft, white sand.

For many who come here, off-the-beach pursuits total up to nothing more strenuous than gentle strolls in the medina (old town) and a spot of shopping in the restored old town souks.

It's a no stress kind of place that sums up the pleasures of Tunisia in one pretty package.

Easily reached on a day trip from both the Tunisian capital of Tunis and the northern beach town of Tabarka, Dougga is one of the most important Roman sites in North Africa.

The site is feted by travelers both for the well-preserved state of its main monuments and its tranquil rural setting amid rolling countryside.

It may seem far off the main routes today, but this expansive, hilltop site was once a thriving town, first settled in the 6th century BCE and today containing remnants leftover from all its major historical eras, from Berber and Punic to Roman and Byzantine.

The Roman-era ruins here are the grandest of Dougga's monuments.

Come here to admire the Roman Theater, Forum, and numerous temples with their pillars still raised in place, but don't forget to also explore the numerous bath complexes and remains of villas.

Although Tunisia's capital is mostly visited to view the two major tourist attractions of Carthage and the Bardo Museum, the medina district of central Tunis is well worth spending an extra night in the city for.

The winding alleys of this old town neighborhood, with their souks (shopping streets), mosques, and monuments, are fun to explore.

Don't miss visiting the rooftop of the Umayyad-era Olive Tree Mosque, the medina's most famous landmark, while wandering the medina, and make sure to seek out the clutch of small museums and restored dars (medina mansions) hidden within the narrow lanes. If you're short on time, Dar Hussein Palace is the top pick.

This is a great district to get stuck into Tunisian cuisine and some of the dars, and other historic buildings, within the medina have become atmospheric restaurants serving up traditional dishes.

Dine on signature couscous dishes amid the courtyard of an old caravanserai at Fondouk El Attarine. Or sample spicy, classic flavors with creative modern twists, in the salons inside Dar Slah .

Tozeur is a desert oasis town, sitting in the country's southeast.

For many visitors, it's a practical base for the tourist attractions of the Sahara with the chott el djerid salt pans, sand dune vistas, and the oases of Tamerza and Chebika all within day-tripping distance from town.

Tozeur town is an attraction within itself, though, rimmed by vast date palm gardens and home to an interesting medina district brimming with examples of the town's traditional decorative brick architecture.

Although it's a long journey across a stark desert plateau to get here (Tozeur is 211 kilometers west of the coastal city of Gabes), it's well worth it for the laid-back desert outpost atmosphere and the swag of Sahara attractions to explore on its doorstep.

This Berber village, with its troglodyte housing, was made famous when one of the dwellings (the Hotel Sidi Driss) was used as a location during the filming of the original Star Wars movie.

Matmata's traditional troglodyte-style housing is its main attraction. To escape the extreme heat of the area's arid plateau, locals dug deep into the ground, excavating a large circular pit below the surface, which would act as a courtyard, and then burrowed into the pit walls to hollow out cave rooms for their living spaces.

Today, some of the houses are open for visits and/or provide accommodation for travelers who want to experience a night of cave living.

Matmata is in south central Tunisia, 43 kilometers southeast of Gabes and 108 kilometers northwest of Medinine.

One of Tunisia's most recognizable monuments, the Ribat of Monastir was the earliest fortress built in Tunisia during the 8th-century Abbasid conquest, and one of the earliest in the entirety of North Africa.

This sea-fronting fortress is an exceptional example of medieval defensive architecture, with its main features of high crenelated walls, watchtowers, and internal courtyards.

For many visitors, the ribat is most famous today because of its use as a film location during the mid-20th century, including its starring role in Monty Python's cult classic Life of Brian .

As Monastir is only 23 kilometers southwest of Sousse, the ribat is easily visited on a day trip from the city.

The Roman ruins of Sufetula in the small town of Sbeitla are too out of the way to attract the tourist crowds, but it's well worth making the journey.

Known for its exceptionally well-preserved Roman Forum building, as well as numerous preserved Roman-era public buildings, including a triumphal arch, public bath, and temples, Sufetula is one of the best places to visit in Tunisia to imagine the Roman world.

Founded by the Roman Emperor Vespasian, Sufetula prospered due to its cultivation of olives for the empire. Later, during the Byzantine era, it also enjoyed further importance, becoming a bishopric.

Today the archaeological site sits right on the northern edge of modern Sbeitla town in central Tunisia. There are only a handful of accommodation choices in town, but it's possible to day trip to Sbeitla from Kairouan, 107 kilometers to the northwest.

More on Tunisia

Map of Tunis — Best attractions, restaurants, and transportation info

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Use this interactive map to plan your trip before and while in Tunis. Learn about each place by clicking it on the map or read more in the article below. Here’s more ways to perfect your trip using our Tunis map:

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Top 14 attractions in Tunis

Ez-zitouna mosque.

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Cathedral of St Vincent de Paul and St Olivia of Palermo

Bab el bhar.

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Central Market of Tunis

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Belvedere Park

Dar el jeld, ave habib bourguiba, top 10 restaurants in tunis, el ali restaurant & cafe, fondouk el attarine, restaurant chez slah, dar belhadj, le baroque-restaurant, restaurant el-walima, la closerie, restaurant insomnia, transportation in tunis, nearby airports, enfidha-hammamet international airport, tunis-carthage international airport, highways and major roads.

• A1 Autoroute
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It depends on when you visit! We've compiled data from NASA on what the weather is like in Tunis for each month of the year: see the links below for more information.

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All road trips from Tunis

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Explore nearby places

• La Goulette
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Tunis throughout the year

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The Perfect 14 Days Itinerary for Tunisia

Tunisia is a fantastic destination and if you’re looking for an itinerary to follow, you came to the right place!

While many visit Morocco and Egypt, somehow Tunisia remains less explored.

Hi, we’re Rach & Marty!

We’ve visited every country in the world and want to help you get the most out of your travels!

Whether you need an expertly planned itinerary , some experienced hints and tips , or just craving a delicious food adventure , we’ve got you covered!

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We’ve spent three weeks in Tunisia travelling independently and decided to write this perfect 14-day itinerary for Tunisia. But don’t worry, we have some suggestions if you wish to stay longer or shorter.

The country has so much to offer: gorgeous beaches, Mediterranean towns, exceptional Roman Ruins, islands, Star Wars Movie sets, the Sahara desert, great food, honest and friendly people, and great infrastructure, so getting from A to B is easy. 

We travelled to Tunisia in late November and early December 2021. The prices quoted in this itinerary for Tunisia are in local currency, Tunisian Dinar (TND).

At the time 1 USD = 2.9 TND

Let’s go! The Perfect 14 Days Itinerary for Tunisia

Table of Contents

DAY 1: TUNIS 

The capital city of Tunisia is a bustling city that combines modern and traditional. The best place to stay on your first visit is the medina so you can explore it. You can choose to stay in the new city at the end of your trip. 

The Tunis Medina dates from the 7th century when it was built around the Zitouna Mosque.

Don’t miss the souks, especially on Friday/Saturday mornings. And, if you’re after some great views, then head up to the Cafe Panorama  and enjoy a coffee or tea while you’re there.

And for a delicious lunch in the medina, stop by Restaurant The Ben Arous. You could spend a lot of time strolling through the maze of the medina with incredible doors and shops.

Read our post on the top 5 experiences of Tunis Medina.

Another highlight is the Bardo Museum, Africa’s second-biggest museum.

The museum also boasts one of the world’s most exquisite Roman mosaic collections. Definitely add this to your itinerary for Tunisia if you are an art lover. It’s closed on Monday.

Where to stay in Tunis

Budget : Dar Ya – A great budget option in the heart of Medina. Rooms are clean and comfortable, yet only shared bathroom facilities are available. Breakfast is included in the price. The staff is very welcoming and helpful in providing local knowledge to explore Tunis and the surrounding area.

Midrange : Dar Ben Gacem  – A beautifully restored old Tunisian home, now a boutique hotel. Rooms are beautiful, and an amazing breakfast is included in the rate (the best omelette and coffee in Tunisia).

The young staff is always around to help with anything you need, even if it’s just to prepare you a hot pot of tea or coffee after a long day of exploring.

Luxury: Treat yourself: Hôtel Belvédère Fourati  – If you’ve got the budget that allows a swish stay in this hotel in Tunis, I recommend it.

DAY 2: TUNIS – CARTHAGE – SIDI BOU SAID

Spend the morning walking across the medina and catch the metro to Carthage (ticket is approx 0.700TND ($0.25).

This is the ancient city that once ruled a huge empire across the Mediterranean The entry ticket of 12 TND ($4.20) will get you into multiple sites.

I recommend starting at Antonine Baths and walking from there to the Roman Villas (amazing mosaics), checking out the Theatre next door, and walking up to Byrsa hill with some epic views and museums.

There are other archeological sites in Tunisia, but this one should be on anyone’s itinerary for Tunisia as it is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

From Carthage grab a BOLT (ride-sharing app) to get to Sidi Bou Said. This picturesque seaside town is famous for its white and blue architecture (very Greece-like), make sure you explore the small side streets where you lose the crowds.

There is a famous place on the main street, Rue Hédi Zarrouk to get a hot  bambalouni  (Tunisian hot doughnut).

It’s a blue, hole-in-the-wall stand and you can smell sugar as you approach it. You can’t miss it.

 It’s the perfect place for an afternoon stroll or stays for sunset @Cafe Des Delices.

DAY 3: TUNIS TO SOUSSE 

Distance: 147 km (1 hour 50 mins journey time in car)

This morning head to the Louage Station Moncef Bey to catch a louage to Sousse (11.9 TND or $4.20). This 14-day itinerary for Tunisia is based on using public transport – for us, louage was the fastest option.

LOUAGE is essentially a shared taxi, a van that fits 8 passengers, and once full it departs from the station for the destination. More about that further below.

(You could also head to Monastir directly and spend the night there at Marina Cap Appart Hotel , explore the town, and then return to Sousse the next day).

It’s only a 15 min louage ride away, a ticket is 2.25 TND and they depart regularly.

Sousse can feel pretty touristy at times but the medina is nice although it mostly feels like a market. The Ribat (fortress) is worth visiting and you can stroll down to the beach. You might choose to stay in the medina.

We stayed at Hotel Paris, a comfortable budget option located in the medina.

For breakfast get some coffee from Beanery Cafe and pastries from the amazing french bakery just around the corner (across the entrance to the Institute of Arts) and have lunch at Restaurant du Peuple – an amazing set lunch menu not to be missed.

You can also choose to stay at one of the nice resorts along the beach in Sousse. I recommend either the  Sousse Pearl Marriott Resort or Mövenpick Resort & Marine Spa .

DAY 4: DAY TRIP TO MONASTIR AND EL JEM

Distance: Sousse to Monastir 22 km (25-30 mins journey time in car)

Distance: Monastir to El Jem 73km (1 hour journey time in car)

Only 30 minutes away Monastir is an easy day trip from Sousse (ticket for louage is 2.25 TND). We actually spent a few nights here as we got a great deal at the marina, staying at Marina Cap Appart Hotel.  It was a nice place to chill for a few days.

You can walk from the station to the Ribat which is well restored. Across from the ribat is the Mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba containing the remains of former president Habib Bourguiba, the father of Tunisian independence and the former president.

Don’t miss the picturesque marina only a short walk from the Ribat. 

Afternoon in El Jem

Catch a louage back to Sousse and head down to El Jem. The louage ticket is 5.9 TND from Sousse to El Jem, allowing one hour journey time.

This was one of our absolute highlights of Tunisia – an ancient amphitheatre built by the Romans in 238AD. This is the largest and best-preserved Roman amphitheatre in Africa and it was designed to seat 35,000 people. This must be on anyone’s itinerary for Tunisia.

Entry is 12 TND each and be ready to be blown away!

For more detailed information and tips, read our post about how to get to El Jem in Tunisia  using local transport.

DAY 5: SOUSSE TO TATAOUINE

Distance:  405 km (5 hours 30 mins journey time in car)

A travel day to the south. Take a louage from Sousse to Medenine first. The price is 23.5 TND ($8.20), journey time is about 5.5 hours, including two brief bathroom stops and a 25 min stop for lunch.

Change to a different louage at Medenine station heading to Tataouine. The ticket is 3.65 TND ($1.30), journey time is 45 minutes. 

Don’t miss the patisseries in Tataouine that have the special: Cornes de Gazzelle (crescent-shaped cookies filled with almond filling then fried in oil and soaked in honey)

Overnight at Auberge Alferdaous , a good budget option located in the centre of Tataouine .

The owner is a great guy, has fantastic English, and can give you some good tips for exploring the area.

DAY 6: VISIT KSAR OULED AND MOVE TO CHENINI

Distance: Tataouine to Chenini 18 km (25 mins journey time in car)

Grab a cheap and easy breakfast in a bakery and head out (best to grab a taxi for 20 TND) to Ksar Ouled.

Alternatively, you can take louage for around 2.5 TND each, but it does take time to fill up with passengers here. However, if you have the time, it’s a cheap option.

This 15th-century granary is not to be missed. Not only because it was a set from Star Wars movies, but because it’s truly stunning.

You probably won’t need more than an hour here so it’s worth asking the taxi to wait or you can catch a louage back to Tataouine.

Grab lunch in Tataouine (I recommend Restaurant Sindbad for a good lunch menu) and then head out to Chenini.

It’s only about 20 minutes ride and the scenery is spectacular. We have stayed at Residence Kenza for another unique stay – in a cave. It was really cosy and had incredible views.

Chenini is a small village, part of it is an abandoned Berber stone village that you can stroll through on top of the hill.

There is a mosque on top of the hill and don’t miss the sunset or sunrise over the valley.

DAY 7: CHENINI TO DJERBA

Distance: 143 km (2 hours journey time in car)

Breakfast in Chenini, and then walk down the hill to catch a louage to Tataouine again. From here there are direct vans to Djerba.

The journey to Djerba was actually really quick and we had time to grab lunch once we arrived in Djerba near the louage station – Restaurant Central Djerba .

We took a taxi after a wonderful lunch of chicken and couscous (highly recommended) to our accommodation and checked in to enjoy the afternoon at leisure.

We treated ourselves in Djerba and found fantastic online rates (during late November) with Booking.com at Ulysse Palace Djerba Resort.  

The resort is located approximately 9km from the centre of Djerba, however, private taxis are very affordable. We paid just a few dollars from Djerba directly to our resort (all taxis are metered).

If you’re looking for a good budget option in the heart of Djerba, I recommend Hôtel Olympic Djerba.

DAY 8: DJERBA ISLAND

Djerba is a really popular summer destination if you arrive during the summer or shoulder season.

As we visited in the cooler months, the old medina in Houmt Souk was so nice to walk around. Check out the souks, street art, maybe have a coffee in the trendy El Fondouk .

Don’t miss out on Djerbhood (street art event) and El Ghriba Synagogue. 

If you have a few more days to play with, you can extend your time here.

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DAY 9: DJERBA TO MATMATA (STAY IN STAR WARS HOTEL)

Distance: 130 km (2 hours 45 mins journey time in car – allow time to change transport at stations)

From Djerba, you can head back north or if you only had 9-10 days you could simply fly out of Djerba as there are direct flights to France and Germany.

So you could alter your itinerary for Tunisia and fly from here. We always find the most competitive prices for flights using Skyscanner .

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Getting north is easy. Once again catch the louage to Gabes and from there we took two vans to the small town of Matmata.

This place is known for troglodytes – houses that were built completely underground to keep cool during hot summers and warm in winter.

One of them, Hotel Sidriss has been turned into a hotel after it was used as the film set for Star Wars Episode 4 movie. 

The hotel is very basic with shared bathrooms, but if you are a Star Wars fan it’s really cool to stay here. You can also just come in for a visit.

They charge 3 TND (1 euro) per person to come inside and explore.

DAY 10: MATMATA TO TOZEUR

Distance: 215 km (3 hours 30 mins journey time in car – allow for time changing transport at station)

Another big day on the road, but plenty of scenery. You will need to change transport (Matmata Nouvelle a v Gabes).

Tozeur is a town surrounded by the Tunisian desert and it has a really unique feel. There are dates palms everywhere and the best dates come from here so make sure you buy some.

They’re incredibly affordable, only a couple of euros for 1kg.

The town architecture is another reason why Tozeur is so special, most buildings are decorated with small bricks, and especially the medina is a beautiful place to stroll through.

Today you should book your day trip for the next day – we booked it at the agency   Au Coeur Du Desert  across from our hotel,  Residence El Arich .

The price quoted for a private 4WD with an English-speaking driver/guide for the day was 250 TND ($87).

The car can fit a maximum of 7 passengers, so if you have a group of people/friends to share the cost, it would considerably reduce the price per person.

We were happy to take the day trip with just the two of us and our driver/guide.

DAY 11: TOZEUR Day trip to Chebika – Tamerza – Mides – Ong Jmel 

You can choose a half-day or full-day tour from Tozeur. We chose the full day one.

It included a stop at Chebika Oasis, where you visit an old village and walk down through the wadi and see the waterfall that brings life to this part of the desert.

Next is Tarmeza, another oasis village, and the gorgeous canyon at Mides. You stop for lunch and continue across the desert for some dune bashing in your 4WD to reach Mos Espa (Ong Jemel).

Travel to the Mos Espa film site, beautifully located amongst the Sahara dunes. Here, find the Pod-racing arena, the Mos Espa streets, Watto’s shop, the market, and Sebulba’s Café. Return to Tozeur at the end.

DAY 12: TOZEUR TO KAIROUAN

Distance: 295 km (4 hours 30 mins journey time in car)

Take a louage to Kairouan this morning, one of the holiest places of Islam in Tunisia and it was the first capital of the Maghreb.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, it conceals several marvels, but the medina and the Great Mosque are not to be missed.

Overnight: The budget option is to stay at  Chema chaabani.  

I’d recommend a very comfortable stay at Hotel Continenta l if you can afford to spend a little more.

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DAY 13: KAIROUAN TO TUNIS

Distance: 165 km (2 hours 20 mins journey time in car)

Spend the morning exploring Kairouan and depart to Tunis later on. Once you arrive in the capital, you can visit the medina or head to the Bardo museum – whatever you didn’t get to do in Tunis last time.

A suggestion for a comfortable, newly renovated business hotel in central Tunis is Golf Royal Hotel .

We stayed here for our final few nights in Tunis and highly recommend it. Good prices, comfortable beds, fantastic breakfast, and great service.

• 🔥 Hot Tip: Book accommodation in advance on Booking.com
• 🎟 Book your attractions and tickets online: We recommend Viator and GetYourGuide
• 🔋 Stay charged: This Belkin Power Bank is essential!
• 📸 Join a Group Tour: Find some amazing Group Tours here
• ✅ Get Connected with an eSIM: Fast, easy and affordable! View easy eSIM options here

DAY 14: TUNIS DEPARTURE DAY

Your itinerary for Tunisia ends in the capital. There is always plenty to do, see or eat in Tunis, depending on when your flight is.

Grab BOLT to the airport instead of a taxi, it will probably cost around 10-12 TND. 

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Things to know before you travel to Tunisia

• Language: The official language is Arabic and French and English is not as common. Many people in the tourism industry speak Spanish and German as well. 
• Cafes are often highly men-dominated. You can look for Salon du The for cafes that are more mixed and usually nicer.
• Food in Tunisia is amazing. Don’t miss our post about the 8 most popular Tunisian street foods to try while you’re here.
• Download the BOLT App before you arrive (or when you’re here). It will save you time and money. If your French or Arabic language skills are non-existent, this app will help you to get from A to B without any hassle.
• Always keep loose change and coins handy for paying for taxis, bottled water, or street food snacks.
• Internet connection isn’t great in Tunisia. I’d recommend picking up a SIM Card for your phone with one of the phone providers at the airport. There are several to choose from. I got an Orange SIM Card for free, then topped it up with 10GB for 20 TND (USD $7). You can get 2GB for 10 TND also, but if you’re travelling on my suggested itinerary for Tunisia, I’d recommend buying the larger package. Alternatively, the most convenient and affordable way to get connected in Tunisia is to buy this Tunisia eSIM Data Pack online.
• Keep any foreign currency receipts or ATM currency withdrawal receipts on you. At the end of your trip to Tunisia, ensure you convert all of your Tunisian Dinar to Euros/USD before you depart. Tunisian Dinars are impossible to exchange once you’ve departed the country. If you exchange currency at the airport before your departure, you may be asked for the receipt proving where you got the cash initially.
• Download Maps.me App on your phone, it’s a very useful offline map for Tunisia. I’d also recommend downloading an offline map of Tunisia on Google Maps as a backup to access maps if you cannot get online.
• Download Arabic and French in your Google Translate App. You never know when you may need to use it.
• To book any day trips or short multi-trips in Tunisia, we recommend Viator .

Travel Tips for Tunisia

We recommend you read our  10 best tips for independent travellers to Tunisia  in the planning stages of your trip. These are essential things to know that will make your travels here much smoother.

Our post explaining  8 of the best street eats in Tunisia  cannot be missed!

Also, it’s worth checking out our ESSENTIAL Packing List for Africa . We used this exact packing list to travel to all 54 African nations.

If you’re interested to read about some of our crazy adventures, our 2019 recap of our travels in West Africa will give you an idea of how it was. And, if you’re considering travelling to West Africa yourself, read these 17 Important Things to Know Before Travelling to West Africa .

For more travel advice, tips and useful websites we use to travel the world, head to our  Travel Resources Page .

Travel Planning Resources

✈️ Flights : We use Skyscanner to book cheap flights worldwide.

🏨 Accommodation :  Booking.com is our preferred platform for booking hotels and accommodation.

🏥 Travel Insurance : We recommend Heymondo ( Get 5% off Heymondo)  & SafetyWing

🚌 Transportation : Trainline is the best website to reserve trains. We use Omio to book transport worldwide. For travel in Asia, we use 12Go.  

🚘 Car Rental : We use DiscoverCars to book rental cars worldwide.

👫 Group Tours :  G Adventures OR compare multi-day tours worldwide with Tourradar .

📸 Day Tours & Trips :  GetYourGuide  & Viator are the only two platforms you need.

📚 Lonely Planet: The Best Range of Travel Guides & Ebooks , and FREE Shipping! (use code RACHELDAVEY10 for a 10% discount)

🎒 Luggage :  Osprey Farpoint 40L Backpack  or  Samsonite Luggage Range.

🛄 What to Pack:  Don’t forget your Universal charger and a good  power bank .  To help you pack the essentials, here is our ULTIMATE Packing List for all Travellers .

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💰 Send Money Anywhere: WISE  &  Revolut  are the best online accounts that let you send money, get paid, and spend money internationally. Both are so easy to use and way cheaper than any bank transfer.

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✅ Check out our Travel Gear  and  Travel Resources for more valuable tips to save you money!

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14 Comments . Leave new

thank you for sharing your trip to Tunisia it was definitely helpful.

Thank you, we’re really happy you found value in our post. Happy Travels!

Hi both I stumbled across this page while searching for info and tips on our upcoming trip to Tunisia in 2 months time This itinerary looks spot on, and touches all the things I wanted to see. We just decided to go louage rather than car rental, despite travelling with childre. One thing that I think would bring this page onto a completely new level of usefulness would be having rough estimates of times and costs involved in all the city to city trips: it’s great knowing that you can do Tozeur to Matmata (or the other way round) by louage, but it would even better to know roughly if it’s 2hr, 4hr, 6 hr, etc.. just to plan the itinerary! Anyway, thanks for all the tips and info, really great job!! Giovanni

Thanks for your feedback Giovanni, well noted. We hope you have a fantastic time in Tunisia 😉

Following up on my previous comment, can you remember how long it took you from Kairouan to Tunis (assuming by louage)? we plan to do it the other way round, but distances and times should be the same! thanks Giovanni

Yes, we took a louage taxi and the journey took about 2 hours. It was direct and they drive pretty fast on those roads.

Thanks for this info!! It was really helpful X About how much would you recommend to budget for a 9day trip (very roughly lol) ? Thanks Riya

Based on our trip, we roughly spent around 30 USD per night on accommodation (clean, comfortable rooms in good locations). Food is very affordable, so you can eat street food and great French pastries with coffee for only a dollar or two. It’s easy to find some great sit-down lunches and dinners for around $3.50 – 4.00 pp for a huge couscous with chicken/veg. Transport and getting around is affordable too, if you use Bolt app for short rides and louage (shared taxi) between cities and longer drives.

Roughly, we spent between USD $40-70 per day in total, and we’re two people. So yes, Tunisia can be a very affordable place to travel if you need to stick to a budget. Hope that helps 🙂

These two blogs I wrote below may be quite useful if you’re planning to travel to Tunisa.

– https://www.veryhungrynomads.com/10-best-tips-for-travel-in-tunisia/ – https://www.veryhungrynomads.com/street-food-tunisia-8-most-popular-eats/

Hello, thanks for your blog. I wanted yo ask you if the visits around Tozeur (oasis, canyon, mos espa) can be fone by our own means. With a normal car?

A second question is if djerba in winter for 2 days and 1 night is a place that we shall not miss. I am asking as it is relatively far.

Hi Carlos, I think you could do some self-driving in Tozeur with a normal car, but there are parts you need 4WD (I remember driving on sand when visiting oasis, the Star Wars city etc). As for Djerba, it will probably be quiet and cooler in winter, so might be worth to skip it. Hope that helps. 🙂

Hello, thanks for sharing the tips in your blog! I am travelling to Tunisia soon, and would like to ask if it’s possible to travel to Tatatouine straight after visiting El Jem? Would there be louages from Sousse to Tatatouine say 12pm onwards? By any chance do you know the opening hrs for louages?

We can’t answer for sure whether there would be louage from El Jem or Sousse to Tatouine around that time, but we imagine so. Sousse is a very busy hub or louage station for shared taxis going in all directions..and remember that the cars depart once they fill all seats. This is the primary way that all people move around in Tunisia. And, if you don’t have a car going all the way, perhaps there might be a car going to the city of Gabes, and then you could continue the next morning. Happy travels 🙂

Hello, I went through your blog and it was pretty detailed. I absolutely loved it. Just wanted to ask you if it’s possible to cover Djerba-Matmata-Tozuer in one day? Like starting from Djerba quite early, going to Matmata just to see the troglodytes up close and then head over to Tozeur for the night stay? I know it sounds very hectic, but we are very short of time. I was hoping it can be possible. We’ll not have any car with us, we are solely depending on public transport systems, preferably the louages. Thanks in advance!

Hi Shalini,

Yes, this journey would be possible – as you mentioned, you must get an early start to this day from Djerba. And, if you’re hoping to do a tour around Tozeur the following day (if you’re short on time), it may be an idea to book it online and get a confirmed trip (some suggestions in our blog to do this), or possibly call ahead and see if your hotel can arrange a guide/driver for you.

Happy Travels! This is such a fascinating area of Tunisia to explore 😉

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Success Stories

First major wildfire of 2024 raging near popular tourist destination

T he first major wildfire of the season is already burning in Spain following unseasonably hot weather, forcing 180 people to flee their homes.

Firefighters are still tackling the blaze, which began on Sunday near Tarbena, around 20 miles from the coastal resort of Benidorm in Valencia , according to Ary News.

Temperatures hit 30C on the day, almost 10C above the average high for April.

 Media reports suggest it may have been started by an agricultural fire, with heat, wind and low humidity helping it to spread.

The region’s emergency services said the fire was still active on Monday after a ‘complicated’ night for firefighters, according to Ary News, adding the blaze had destroyed more than 500 hectares of land.

Pilar Bernabe, the central government representative in Valencia told local TV that around 180 people had been evacuated.

Troops from the UME military emergency unit joined firefighters on the ground, while eight air units assisted from above.

The AEMET national weather service reported temperatures of 30C across the country, including as far north as the Pyrenees.

The first major blaze of 2024 follows an intense year for forest fires in 2023, with an area twice the size of Luxembourg burnt across the EU. 

In July, thousands of tourists were forced to flee Rhodes as flames tore across the island , while Turkey, Italy, Cyprus, Algeria and Tunisia were among the other Mediterranean countries left devastated by wildfires throughout the summer .

The UK was not exempt, suffering numerous wildfires across the country including what was believed to be the ‘biggest ever’ blaze after a fire in the hills above Loch Ness was visible from space .

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