Tunisia

Places in Tunisia

• Bizerte

  Bizerte is Tunisia's northernmost city, sitting on a peninsula at the mouth of the Mediterranean, roughly 100 km from Tunis. It offers a more relaxed pace than the capital, with a historic Kasba, Spanish Fort with sweeping views, and a working harbour that still hosts fishing boats alongside pleasure craft.

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• Carthage

  Carthage was a powerful Phoenician city from the 6th century BCE, home to Hannibal and later rebuilt by the Romans. Today, its extensive ruins, museums, and UNESCO listing make it a must-visit for history lovers, just a short train ride from Tunis.

• Djerba

  Djerba is the largest island in North Africa and one of Tunisia's premier beach destinations, attracting French, German, and Italian tourists seeking sun, sand, and cultural experiences. The island preserves unique traditions including a living Berber language and one of the last Jewish communities in the Arab world, making it a fascinating cultural destination beyond its beaches.

• Dougga

  Dougga holds one of the most extensive and best-preserved Roman town ruins in North Africa, set on a hilltop overlooking valleys with olive plantations. Unlike Carthage or European sites where monuments are isolated in modern cities, Dougga preserves the entire town, including Roman streets, allowing visitors to climb through houses, tunnels, temples, and theatres without crowds.

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• Douz

  Douz is the quintessential Sahara gateway town, a palm oasis on the northern fringe of the world's largest desert. Tourists arrive in numbers, many from Tunisia's coastal resorts, seeking the iconic camel rides and desert 4WD adventures that the town has built its reputation around.

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• El Jem

  El Jem is a small Tunisian town dominated by one of the finest Roman amphitheaters outside Italy. Built in the mid-3rd century CE, this UNESCO World Heritage site could seat 35,000 spectators and was used for filming scenes in the Oscar-winning film Gladiator.

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• El Kef

  El Kef is a small city built onto the southern face of Jebel Dyr Mountain, offering an authentic taste of Tunisia without tourist crowds. The city has excellent historical sites including a Byzantine kasbah and Ottoman fort, plus it's a practical base for day trips to Roman ruins at Dougga (UNESCO World Heritage) and the lunar landscape of Jugurtha's Table.

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• Gabes

  Gabès sits on the Gulf of Gabès along Tunisia's central coast, serving as the southern terminus of the national railway line. Most travelers visit only as a transit point, passing through en route to Matmata, the Sahara, or cities further north like Sfax.

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• Hammamet

  Hammamet is the oldest tourist center in Tunisia, established about 5 centuries ago. The town stands out for its luxurious gardens and strict planning law that houses cannot be taller than cypress trees.

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• Kairouan

  Kairouan is one of Islam's holiest cities, ranking fourth after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, with a reputation that seven pilgrimages here equal one to Mecca. The UNESCO-listed Medina features narrow passageways used as filming locations for Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the city showcases three distinct communities: Bedouins, Berbers, and Arabs, each identifiable by their unique door designs featuring ring doorknockers, hands of Fatimas, or Arabic script.

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• La Goulette

  La Goulette is a Mediterranean port town some 10 km east of Tunis, offering a historic fort, a beach, and numerous fresh fish restaurants at budget prices. It serves as a quick seaside escape from the capital.

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• La Marsa

  La Marsa is a low-key beach settlement at the northern edge of the Sahel, popular with Tunisians seeking a quick seaside escape without venturing far from the capital. The town combines a pleasant public beach, several cafes along the water, and a modest but pleasant nightlife scene centered on the Hotel Plaza Corniche.

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• Monastir

  Monastir is a pleasant seaside resort 160 km from Tunis, featuring a superb coastline with blue sea and long golden sandy beaches. The city combines a historical medina with traditional fishing port and marina, all under the protection of an impressive ribat fortress—one of Tunisia's finest examples of Islamic military architecture.

• Port El Kantaoui

  Port El Kantaoui is an upscale resort suburb built in 1979, centered around a marina with yacht pier, fountain square, shops, and restaurants. It is the most expensive neighborhood of Sousse and offers a more contained, tourist-oriented experience compared to the medina chaos of central Sousse.

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• Sfax

  Sfax is Tunisia's second-largest city and a major port on the central coast, offering an authentic urban experience largely untouched by mass tourism. The Medina preserves centuries of history through its ramparts, kasbah, and traditional souks, while the surrounding modern city provides practical services and amenities.

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• Sousse

  Sousse is one of Tunisia's oldest cities, with a UNESCO-listed medina featuring a labyrinthine souk, a historic Ribat fortress, and a Grand Mosque built around 850 AD. Located on the coast with good beaches and clear turquoise sea, it offers a more affordable and less chaotic alternative to larger North African tourist hubs.

• Tataouine

  Tataouine serves as the gateway to the ksar country of southern Tunisia. The town shares its name with Star Wars' Tatooine, though actual filming was done nearby in Matmata.

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• Tozeur

  Tozeur is a unique Saharan city in Tunisia distinguished by its remarkable architecture built from sand and clay bricks, featuring intricate geometric designs including triangular patterns believed to bring good luck. The city serves as the gateway to the Tunisian desert and hosts Star Wars filming locations from Mos Espa and Mos Eisley scenes.

• Tunis

  Tunis is the commercial and cultural heart of Tunisia, offering a rare mix of new and old. The medina and souq are among the most authentic and hassle-free in North Africa, while colonial French buildings along Avenue Habib Bourguiba add architectural variety.