Travel in Tunisia: when to go, places and advice

Two and a half hours from Paris, Tunisia condenses the Mediterranean and the Sahara: the blue-and-white lanes of Sidi Bou Saïd, the mosaics of Carthage and the Bardo, the UNESCO-listed medina of Tunis, the colosseum of El Jem more intact than Rome's, then the palm groves of Tozeur, the ksour of the South and the dunes where Star Wars planted its sets. A concentrate of history, beaches and desert, at small prices and in full sun.

Capital: Tunis
Currency: Tunisian dinar (TND)
Language: Arabic, French widely spoken
Direct flight: ≈ 2 hr 30 from Paris
Time difference: +1 hr from the UK; none from central Europe in winter

Itineraries

Our trip ideas in Tunisia

The itineraries in Tunisia are in the works: the day-by-day programme, named hotels, tickets to book flagged in advance. Leave your address to be notified when they come out.

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The right season

When to go in Tunisia?

April-June and September-October bring the best of everything: the sea already warm, breathable medinas and a passable desert. July-August run hot, perfect for the beaches, punishing for the Saharan South, which is then visited at dawn. Winter, mild on the coast, is the true desert season: cold nights but perfect light on the dunes.

January : In-between
February : In-between
March : Pleasant
April : Ideal
May : Ideal
June : Pleasant
July : In-between
August : In-between
September : Ideal
October : Ideal
November : Pleasant
December : In-between

Ideal
Pleasant
In-between
Avoid

Quick guide

Understanding Tunisia

Getting around

Louages (shared taxis) and trains cover the coast at low cost; a rental car opens up the South and the oases. The TGM links Tunis to Carthage and Sidi Bou Saïd in 30 minutes.

Money

The Tunisian dinar (TND), non-exportable: change locally and use up your dinars before leaving. Cash dominates outside the hotels. Bargaining is the rule in the souks.

Language

Tunisian Arabic, but French is spoken almost everywhere and English is common in tourism: an easy destination to navigate.

Useful apps

Bolt for honest taxi fares in Tunis, InTunisia for train and louage timetables, and an offline map for the southern tracks.

Accommodation

Characterful dars in the medinas, beach resort hotels in Hammamet and Djerba, Saharan camps at Ksar Ghilane: three atmospheres, one modest budget.

Etiquette

Accept the pine-nut tea when offered, bargain without aggression and cover shoulders and knees in the medinas and mosques. Ramadan slows the days and magnifies the evenings.

The iconic places

Sidi Bou Saïd

Tunis

The blue-and-white village suspended above the gulf, its mashrabiyas and its Café des Délices. The finest balcony of the southern Mediterranean.

Medina of Tunis

Tunis

700 monuments in a UNESCO maze: fragrant souks, the Zitouna mosque and palaces hidden behind studded doors.

Amphitheatre of El Jem

El Jem

35,000 seats, the third colosseum of the Roman world, better preserved than Rome's, standing alone amid the olive trees.

Kairouan

The fourth holy city of Islam, its 7th-century Great Mosque and its Aghlabid basins, UNESCO.

Tozeur Oasis

Djerid

A palm grove of 400,000 trees at the gates of the Sahara, its old town of ochre brick and the Star Wars sets nearby.

Djerba

The island of gentle beaches, the Jewish heritage of the Ghriba and the street-art village of Djerbahood.

Tap a dot, or browse the list below the map.

Sidi Bou Saïd : The blue-and-white village
Carthage : The ruins of Rome's rival
Medina of Tunis : 700 UNESCO-listed monuments
Great Mosque of Kairouan : The Aghlabid holy city
Medina of Sousse : Ribat and ramparts facing the harbour
El Jem : The colosseum of the olive groves
Tozeur : The great palm grove of the Djerid
Matmata : The Berber troglodyte houses
Ksar Ghilane : The oasis at the gates of the Grand Erg
Djerba : Beaches, the Ghriba and street art
Tabarka : Coral and needles of the north coast