Tunisia: The Vibrant Mediterranean Canvas Beyond Morocco’s Shadow

Of the seven countries considered part of North Africa, Morocco and Egypt pop up in a traveler’s mind, while the other five get lost in the desert.

Western Sahara and Algeria carry armed conflict and kidnapping advisories and certain travel bans exist in Libya and Sudan. That leaves an overlooked gem, Tunisia.

With attractions that rival Marrakesh, Cairo and Rome, but without the crowds and far less expensive, every destination in Tunisia unfolds with unexpected wonders.

Distinct diversities exist between the North and South regions, and both areas offer unforgettable images: the Atlas Mountains, a 1000-mile Mediterranean coastline, the Sahara Desert, Roman ruins, 15th-century storage granaries transformed into boutique hotels and even iconic filming locations for Star Wars fanatics.

The Adventure Begins

Our small Overseas Adventure Travel group’s 17-day itinerary began in the bustling capital, Tunis. Then, we flew south to absorb the historical, Jewish influences on Djerba Island and behold the interior’s striking barren landscapes, desert outcroppings and remote mountain villages.

After a magical overnight in a Saharan Desert tented camp, we refreshed our bodies at a date palm oasis in Tozeur. We then headed overland to Kairouan, Tunisia’s spiritual and carpet-making center and returned to the northern region to enjoy contemporary comforts amidst ancient ruins of Carthage.

Visitors with insufficient time to explore both geographic regions can still appreciate the essence of this country by focusing on the ‘must see’ list of the Tunis area, its archaeological sites, and idyllic coastal towns.

Most travelers arrive at the Tunis-Carthage International Airport, which is easily accessible to spectacles on this northern tip of Tunisia.

Tunis Past and Present

The capital of Tunis, and its three million people, pulsates as the focus of political, commercial and cultural activities.

Originally an Amazigh/Berber settlement from the 4th Century B.C., Tunis transgressed from a Coptic Christian community during the Roman occupation. It was a major Arab Muslim center beginning in 698 A.D., becoming the richest city of the Islamic World from the 12th to the 16th centuries.

With 99% of the population avowed Muslims, the government controls the edicts of Islamic ideology and daily operation of all mosques. In progressive Tunis, Muslim women can decide whether to wear head coverings or not, but in the conservative South, most female teenagers and adult women wear hijabs.

In contrast, federal law bans full-faced burkas in all public and government buildings for security reasons.

Tunisia Tours & Excursions

Getting Around Tunis

Edging the Mediterranean, Tunis unfolds as a fragile blend of a vibrant, prosperous city, interspersed with protected sections that date back through history. Metro lines, buses, and crazy traffic jams of vehicles share roadways with overloaded bicycles, horses and donkey carts.

I held my breath in taxis that zigzagged through clogged city streets, but Tunisian drivers literally demonstrated ‘coming to within an inch of a crash.’

For centuries, the Medina, a one-square-mile area of tangled alleyways, has buzzed as the core of Tunis. Within the stone walls that encircled the city for one thousand years, I felt excitement and fear of getting lost in this scrambled maze.

Shops, squeezed among mausoleums, 900-year-old mosques and coffee houses, crammed every recess. The melodic exchange of languages echoed; Arabic, French, a take-away from France’s protectorate from 1881-1956, and a smidge of English, gave this labyrinth the feel of a cornucopia of cultures.

The Medina swarms as a favorite hang-out for university students, women doing the marketing, men responding to the call to prayer at the Central Mosque and baffled tourists muddling through the chaos.

Specific souks cater to the needs of locals: rows of skilled craftsmen steam and shape men’s flexible wool chechia hats, while shops in another section all sell the same wedding necessities.

Students, mixed among idle men, jam coffee and tea salons to inhale the calming and addictive effects of hookah vapors, known as shisha in Tunisia. Outside their stalls, vendors sit on plastic chairs, cradling their glass waterpipes, puffing away on hashish.

Eating in Tunis

We stopped for a rest at a lively, three-story tea house that has accommodated locals for centuries. Nestled on plush carpets, we ordered mint tea and strong Tunisian coffee infused with orange oil, served in a decorative wooden crate.

Tunisians seemed eager to interact with international travelers. A young woman, a French and English teacher, and I uncovered a common thread, as I teach English to Mexican adults. We chatted, laughed like old friends, and exchanged WhatsApp contacts, leaving both of us with a memorable interlude.

The building’s rooftop observatory emerged as we climbed three flights of narrow stairs. A 360-degree view unfolded of the Medina’s winding streets, mosque minarets reaching skyward and the continuous blue ribbon of the Mediterranean Sea visible on the horizon.

Wafting, pungent aromas of Tunisian street food drew hungry throngs to vendor stalls. We joined this jumbled mass and pushed forward to buy a Mlawi Sandwich for just three dinars — that’s $1.00 US.

My eyes and stomach bulged at the fixings packed into a folded semolina flatbread: cheese, spicy harissa, a fried egg, slate mishwia, a mixture of lettuce, green pepper, onion, garlic, eggplant, and tomato, grilled tuna, and French fries topped to overflowing.

I gasped at the calories but savored every zesty bite. This historic locale bursts forth with unique flavors, splashes with vibrant colors, and breathes with frenetic energy.

Archaeological Ruins of Carthage

The coastal port of Carthage offers amazing UNESCO World Heritage ruins dating back to 1000 B.C. Scattered, crumbling pieces of marble and granite, unprotected from urban sprawl, appear in open fields and along roadways, positioned adjacent to present-day society.

The number of collapsed antiquities in this well-to-do suburb of Tunis reflects the destruction of earlier Phoenician and Punic neighborhoods by the Romans.

Two sites make the ‘must-see’ list. Byrsa Hill, overlooking the Gulf of Tunis and the modern skyline of Carthage, features ruins of a Phoenician residential quarter, dating back to the era of Hannibal.

The Romans burned this city, and the residue of the fiery destruction remains visible in stone fragments. On this same site, from 46 to 49 B.C., the Romans rebuilt Carthage, making it the second-largest city and breadbasket of the Empire by the third century.

Remnants of Ancient Carthage, an enormous esplanade, and a forum helped me imagine how the Romans used this city’s strategic location to set sail fleets for trade and to wage warfare. Sadly, looters plundered these structures to build cathedrals and mosques in Tunis.

On the Mediterranean coast, the Baths of Antoninus, the largest Roman baths in North Africa, built between 145 A.D. and 165 A.D. by Emperors Hadrian and Antoninus, explode with history.

Aqueducts supplied this sweeping complex, including an Olympic-size, seaside swimming pool with water from the Zaghouan Mountains.

While exploring these impressive ruins, I sensed how the enormity and timely grandeur of these baths provided relaxation for Roman citizens.

Sidi Bou Said

Twelve miles from Tunis, Sidi Bou Said, a historic haven for tourists, aspiring artists, musicians and craftsmen, remains dedicated to a 1915 decree. The decree requires owners to paint structures dazzling white, accented by vivid, indigo trim, windows and doors.

If this wasn’t Tunisia, it had to be the Greek Island, Santorini, only at half the price. I loved hearing the exotic sound of its name, and I wanted to say it over and over; Sidi Bou Said.

When the tour van could no longer maneuver the winding, cobbled alleyway, we grabbed our hand luggage and trudged to the top, toward the most idyllic spot for our last three sleeps in Tunisia: The Dar Said Hotel.

We passed artists tucked against a stone guardrail, depicting on canvas scenes of craggy cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean and a hillside dotted with white and blue Arab-Andalusian-style structures entwined with rambling, fuchsia bougainvillea.

My husband and I explored the area on foot, slipping into galleries and stopping to admire Tunisian handicrafts. However, we had to keep in mind that the effortless walk down the winding narrows required hiking back up the steep inclines.

We rewarded our round-trip trek with a bambalouni, a delectable, honey-soaked ring of fried dough.

In the hotel’s garden, I found what I wished could be my ‘forever seat,’ a bright blue table and chair perched at the edge of the overlook.

Here, I sat, mesmerized by the sun’s orange sphere vanishing into the sea and the rise of the full moon, streaming beams across the water. Here I reflected on what would be my final, yet everlasting images of this North African gem, Tunisia.

Getting to and Around Tunisia

Airports

• No visa is required for US citizens; only a passport is needed for entry.
• Tunis-Carthage International Airport is a 2-hour flight from CDG- Paris. Easy access to visit Tunis, Sidi Bou Said, Carthage and all sites in North Tunisia.
• Enfidha Hammamet International Airport is located close to Mediterranean Beach Resorts
• Djerba Zarris International Airport provides access points in South Tunisia, the Sahara Desert and Djerba Island Beaches.

Modes of Transport

• Buy an eSIM card online or at the airport to have access to BOLT (operates like Uber), Google Maps and other travel apps. Internet and Wi-Fi are available at most hotels, although service might be limited to reception areas.
• In Tunis, local, long-distance light rail service and metro lines are available. For more adventurous travelers, motorcycle share-rides can be faster and cheaper than a taxi.
• Public Bus service is a nightmare to navigate.
• Use a louage to get around (shared minivan for eight passengers), cash only, connects most cities and towns of interest.
• Independent metered taxis are reasonably priced; far easier, hire a car and English-speaking driver to escort you on a local itinerary, or join a small tour group, such as Overseas Adventure Travel, to explore the country.

Read More: Why Airalo is My Go-To eSim When Traveling Abroad

Security

• Relatively safe with the exception of crimes of opportunity – bag grabs and pickpockets in crowded city areas.
• There is an advisory to avoid travel within thirty miles of both Algeria and Libya borders, due to potential unrest.
• Adhere to the same levels of caution followed in any foreign country.

Tunisia Travel Tips

Travel Times

• Shoulder Months – March/April, Sept./Oct. with pleasant temperatures and mostly sunny days.
• Summer is blazing hot but good for beach vacations; it is crowded with European tourists.
• 3) Nov./Dec.–Few tourists, bargain prices, but cold, windy and often wet. Warm layers, fleece, windbreakers and rain gear are necessary for both southern and northern regions or for tent camping in the Sahara Desert.

Language and Money

• French and Arabic are official languages. A little French goes a long way. English is spoken at major hotels, dars (guest) houses, and various shops. English is now taught in schools, but usage remains limited.
• Tunisian dinar (TND) equivalency = 3 TND to $1.00 US. Prices are extremely cheap, especially in the low season. Ex. Short, Tunisian coffee costs ½ dinar = 15-20 cents US.
• Change money at the airport—it has the same exchange rate as banks and hotels. ATMs are spotty and hard to find in rural areas. Keep all receipts in case you want to cash back into $US upon exit. TNDs are not accepted currency outside of Tunisia.

Water, Food, Alcohol, Dress

• Tap water is not potable anywhere in the country. Buy bottled water or use chlorinated water systems.
• Most food is spicy due to hot harissa sauce heaped onto everything. Make sure you ask for ‘mild’ to savor the excellent food. Be prepared for dromedary (camel) to be on the menu, especially in the south. Tunisian hand-made bread is served with every meal, and honey-soaked, almond-coated biscuits along with fresh fruit are served for dessert.
• Tunisia is 99% Muslim; alcohol is only available in higher-end hotels and restaurants that cater to tourists. Except in Tunis, nightlife is almost non-existent. Local women do not sit in public coffee houses, which cater almost 100% to men. Tourist women patrons are welcome.
• Except in beach areas, conservative dress, with arms and knees covered, is appropriate. Women will need a headscarf to enter mosques and other Muslim religious centers.

Travel Insurance

• Medical care, hospitals and pharmacies are abundant and of high quality in Tunis. However, in the rural south, in mountain villages and in the Sahara, there are few if any resources for medical care. For this reason, travel insurance, including coverage for medical emergencies, is recommended. Basic care, where available, is inexpensive, but emergencies occurring outside of metropolitan areas could require distant transport for treatment.

Read More: Why You Need International Travel Insurance When You Travel

Where to Stay in Tunisia

• Tunis: Hotel Belvedere-Fourati is a four-star hotel that is centrally located, near the zoo and Medina. It offers free Wi-Fi, breakfast included, English spoken, and a helpful front desk to organize arrangements.
• Sidi Bou Said: Dar Said Hotel is a charming bed and breakfast overlooking the Mediterranean. The detail in the breakfast is impeccable. English is spoken. The hotel has beautiful gardens, a pool, spacious, comfortable communal areas, and hilly, cobblestone alleyways.

Inspire your next adventure with our articles below:

• Discover Tunisia: 10 Incredible Things to See and Do in the Heart of North Africa
• Across the Saharan Desert: Morocco

Author Bio: Carol L. Bowman retired to Lake Chapala, Mexico, in 2006 with her husband. Carol has taught English to Mexican adults and disadvantaged local children for the past 18 years. She writes for local, international, online and print publications. Using her adventures in over 120 countries, she has captured a niche in travel writing, and her stories have been featured in Go World Travel Magazine. 

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