Tunis, Tunisia: travel guide
Tunisia's capital, blending a UNESCO-listed medina, the French-built Ville Nouvelle and the seaside ruins of ancient Carthage with the blue-and-white cliff village of Sidi Bou Said.
- Country
- Tunisia
- Currency
- TND
- Time zone
- Africa/Tunis
- Nearest airport
- TUN
Top places to visit in Tunis
Bardo National Museum
Museum · 4.6 rating · about 2 h · entry TND 13
Housed in a 19th-century Husainid palace, the Bardo holds one of the world's finest collections of Roman mosaics alongside Punic, Christian and Islamic antiquities.
Punic Ports of Carthage
Heritage · 4.3 rating · about 0.8 h
The circular military harbour and rectangular commercial port of Phoenician Carthage, now tranquil lagoons with a small interpretive Oceanographic pavilion.
La Marsa Beach
Beach · 4.1 rating · about 2 h
A wide sandy beach and palm-lined corniche in the affluent northern suburb of La Marsa, popular with Tunis families and lined with cafes.
Avenue Habib Bourguiba
Cultural · 4.3 rating · about 1 h
The tree-lined "Champs-Elysees of Tunis", a grand colonial-era boulevard of cafes, theatres and the clock tower, and the city's civic stage.
Cathedral of St Vincent de Paul
Church · 4.5 rating · about 0.5 h
The main Catholic cathedral of Tunis, an 1897 Byzantine-Gothic landmark facing Place de l'Independance at the head of Avenue Habib Bourguiba.
Baths of Antoninus
Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h · entry TND 12
The largest Roman thermae in Africa, these seafront ruins in the Carthage archaeological park hint at the monumental scale of the imperial-era city.
Ez-Zitouna Mosque
Mosque · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h · entry TND 2
The Great Mosque of Tunis, founded in 698 CE, is the oldest and largest mosque in the capital, its vast columned prayer hall built with salvaged Roman columns from Carthage.
Bab Bhar (Porte de France)
Heritage · 4.4 rating · about 0.3 h
The monumental 19th-century gateway marking the boundary between the medina and the Ville Nouvelle, a favourite meeting point in central Tunis.
Belvedere Park
Nature · 3.9 rating · about 1.3 h
The largest park in Tunis, laid out in 1892 on a hillside with pines, olive trees and a hilltop koubba pavilion looking over the city and lake.
Carthage National Museum
Museum · 4.1 rating · about 1.3 h · entry TND 12
On Byrsa Hill, the acropolis of ancient Carthage, this museum displays Punic stelae, sarcophagi and finds from the Phoenician and Roman city, with sweeping Gulf views.
Acropolium (Cathedral of St Louis)
Church · 4.3 rating · about 0.8 h
A striking Byzantine-Moorish cathedral crowning Byrsa Hill, built in 1890 and now a concert and exhibition hall overlooking the Carthage ruins.
Medina of Tunis
Heritage · about 2.5 h
A UNESCO World Heritage labyrinth of some 700 monuments — palaces, mosques, madrasas and covered souks — at the heart of the old city, founded in the 7th century.
Things to do
- Medina of Tunis Guided Walking Tour Tour · 3 h · from TND 60 per person
- Carthage & Sidi Bou Said Half-Day Tour Tour · 5 h · from TND 120 per person
- Tunisian Cooking Class Food · 3.5 h · from TND 95 per person
- Bardo Museum Guided Visit Tour · 2 h · from TND 45 per person
- Traditional Hammam & Spa Experience Wellness · 1.5 h · from TND 50 per person
- Sidi Bou Said Sunset Photography Walk Tour · 2 h · from TND 40 per person
Day trips and tours
- Carthage, Sidi Bou Said & Bardo Full Day 8 h · from TND 150
Where to stay in Tunis
- Medina & Ville Nouvelle about TND 180 per night
The historic core and adjoining French-built downtown — best for first-timers wanting sights, souks and cafes on the doorstep.
- Sidi Bou Said about TND 320 per night
The picturesque blue-and-white cliff village; quieter, scenic and upmarket, a short TGM ride from the centre.
- La Marsa & Gammarth about TND 300 per night
Leafy seaside suburbs with beaches and good restaurants; relaxed base near Carthage.
Hotels
- Dar Ben-Gacem Kahia 4-star · TND 250 to TND 450 per night
- Hôtel Dar Saïd 4-star · TND 320 to TND 600 per night
- Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center 5-star · TND 380 to TND 750 per night
- Golden Tulip El Mechtel 5-star · TND 300 to TND 600 per night
- Novotel Tunis Mohamed V 4-star · TND 220 to TND 400 per night
- Hôtel Tunisia Palace 4-star · TND 180 to TND 340 per night
Where to eat
- Café des Nattes Tunisian, Cafe · about TND 15 per person
- El Ali Tunisian, Mediterranean · about TND 35 per person
- Chez Slah Seafood, French, Tunisian · about TND 45 per person
- Le Golfe Seafood, Mediterranean · about TND 40 per person
- Fondouk El Attarine Tunisian, Cafe · about TND 30 per person
- Dar Belhadj Tunisian, Fine Dining · about TND 75 per person
- Restaurant El Abed Tunisian · about TND 20 per person
Getting around
- Ride Hail main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Train main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Tram main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.
Safety and scams to avoid
Fake "guide" to a carpet shop
Medina of Tunis
A friendly local offers to show you the way or a "special view", then steers you to a relative's carpet or souvenir shop where hard-sell tactics and inflated prices follow.
How to avoid it: Politely decline unsolicited guides; use a licensed guide booked through your hotel and set prices before entering any shop.