Tunisia is one of those countries that exceeded my expectations. As many others, I thought it was mainly a big all inclusive resort type of destination. I have now visited Tunisia twice and can say that it actually has a lot to offer. Delicious spicy food, historical sights, beautiful old medina’s, wide beaches and some of the best ice-cream!
Places to see in Tunisia
1. Tunis
2. Sidi Bou Saïd
3. Hammamet
4. El Djem
5. Kairouan
6. El Haouaria
7. Bizerte
1. Tunis the capital city
Tunis is the capital city of Tunisia and located in the north of the country. It’s a good place to start and end your trip as the airport is bigger than the others. Not as many international flights go to airports like Hammamet or Djerba. During both my trips to Tunisia I visited Tunis and although it is a very crowded city, you should definitely pay a visit. The main highlight of the capital is the old Medina. This neighbourhood is very traditional. The market still attracts a lot of locals and besides souvenirs you can find spices, jewellery, clothes, shoes, food and more. It get’s pretty hot here during the middle of the day so try to get here early morning or later in the afternoon. Don’t stay in the shopping area only, take one of the side streets and wander around, it’s very nice and quiet.
Other places to visit in Tunis:
- Ez-Zitouna Mosque
- Carthage Archeological site
- Mosque Malik ibn Anas Carthage
- Acropolium of Carthage
- Gammarth – nightlife
- La Marsa: nice viewpoint, pin it on your maps: Viewpoint La Marsa
Places to eat:
- La Marsa: have lunch at Le Golfe at the beach
- La Marsa: Ivy Coffee Shop & Restaurant
2. Sidi Bou Saïd
Although Sidi Bou Saïd is officially part of Tunis, I think it’s worth mentioning it separately because it feels like a little village on its own. You can’t you really can’t skip this when you’re in Tunisia. When you google Sidi Bou Saïd you will probably recognise it from photos on social media, but you may have thought that it was in Greece. It’s a beautiful neighbourhood with white and blue buildings, full of unique doors and cute stairs. Especially when the pink bougainvillea flowers are in full bloom Sidi Bou Saïd looks like a fairytale. You can walk around and have a drink at one of the many (rooftop) café’s or teahouses. If you walk all the way to the end of the main road there is a viewpoint. This gives you a nice view over the Mediterranean sea and if you’re lucky enough you might even be able to spot Italy.
Places to visit:
- Dar El Annabi – museum
- Bleue! – cafe
- Ben Rahim – cafe
- La Villa Bleue – bar/restaurant with seaview
- Beignets et Bambalouni’s – get yourself a sugarcoated bambalouni
We stayed in this Low-budget apartment in Sidi Bou Saïd the first time we visited. It’s in a quiet but good location within walking distance from the busy area and the beach. Since most restaurants were not fully open yet during Covid, this was a perfect solution.
Looking for something more fancy? La Villa Bleue has rooms with beautiful views and a pool to cool down.
3. Hammamet
Hammamet is mostly known for its beach and it’s therefore a popular destination for tourists and locals. There is a very different vibe in this city compared to the capital. The first time we visited was during the pandemic and there were some people, but when we came here the second time it was packed! However, it wasn’t busy in a bothering way.
There are 2 ice-cream shops in the same street, one is bright packed with people and the other one is a bit darker and less appealing. But don’t let them trick you! The dark place is much better and they have better prices as well.
In addition to the beach Hammamet also has a medina. There are less shops and more houses and cute streets to get lost. You will also bump into a lot of cats in here, they basically own the medina. Make sure you are at the boulevard side where the fishing boats are at the beach by the time the sun goes down. It’s a lovely setting to sit down and enjoy the sunset.
We had dinner with some really nice seafood at Yuman. Another restaurant with good ratings is Berber Soul.
The first time we stayed in Dar R’bat, a gorgeous guesthouse owned by a French lady in Nabeul, a city known for its pottery and about 20 minutes from Hammamet.
The second time we stayed in this lovely studio in Hammamet.
Distance from Tunis to Hammamet: approximately a 2,5 hours drive.
4. El Jem or El Djem
To be honest, I had no idea El Jem existed. I had never heard of it and even when I did, I didn’t expect it to be so stunning. El Jem is basically a smaller version of the Colosseum, in a really good condition. This historical site is in the middle of the town of El Jem and it was built during the Roman times. I recommend arriving early morning, as soon as they open, to avoid the crowds. We arrived around 08:15 and there were only a few other people but when we were about to leave big groups were in line at the ticket booth.
If you are doing a trip from your hotel I guess you don’t really have a choice, but try to take the earliest trip possible.
5. Kairouan
From El Jem we drove to Kairouan which is a bit over 1 hour. The main reason to visit Kairouan is one of the largest mosques of Africa which is located here. The Grand Mosque of Kairouan is built in 630 and has always played an important role in Kairouan, the former political capital of Tunisia. For those who are not able tot travel to Mecca this mosque serves as an alternative pilgrimage site.
After visiting the mosque you can walk around in the medina and try some local delicacies. In this medina you will also find the hints of white and blue, with some very picturesque alleys. Besides the mosque, Kairouan is known for a few delicacies that are typical from this city: Makroudh and Kafteji. Kafteji is a very spicy sandwich since it’s mainly made of green peppers. The lady in the restaurant tried to sell me something else, she was probably worried I would die in her restaurant. And yes, it was definitely spicy, but I survived and the taste of the sandwich was still so good! Makroudh is a small cookie/biscuit made of dates, nuts and sugar syrup. They say they have the best ones here so I obviously had to try all the different types they had.
6. El Haouaria
Located in the North-East corner of Tunisia you will find the coastal town El Haouaria. It’s a more authentic and traditional town compared to the other places and is known for its clear water. There were only a few more other tourists/backpackers when we visited. That may have been because it was pretty windy and cloudy when we visited. Don’t expect to find large resorts here, there are only a few hotels, but mainly guesthouses or apartments to rent. We stayed in a small Airbnb apartment near the beach. It was basic but perfect for our short stay.
Left: how the view on El Haouaria looks most of the time. Wiss took this photo a week before I arrived. Middle: how it looked when I visited. Ah well, can’t have it all.
7. Bizerte
Bizerte is a colourful coastal city north-west of Tunis. You can easily visit Bizerte in a day trip if you are staying in Tunis, but there are some beaches on the way, so it might be worth it to take it slow and stay overnight. I tried another popular Tunisian snack here: Hindi. These are cactus fruits which they sell in the city or along the road.
Travelbecks 