Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
Between the Mediterranean Sea, Roman heritage, vibrant medinas, and blue villages clinging to cliffs, Tunisia packs an impressive density of tourist sites into a small territory. The country now boasts nine UNESCO World Heritage sites, a recently classified island for its unique urban model, some of the best-preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean basin, and a mosaic of landscapes ranging from lagoons populated with pink flamingos to the gates of the Sahara.
This article serves as a map to discover the essentials of Tunisia. It presents the major monuments, key figures, access details, historical context, and current atmosphere of the sites, offering a comprehensive overview for curious travelers.
Carthage and the Bay of Tunis: Memory of an Empire and Mediterranean Gateways
Overlooking the Gulf of Tunis, the ruins of Carthage today stretch across an affluent suburb dotted with white villas. Yet, beneath these well-kept gardens lie the remnants of a Mediterranean power that rivaled Rome before being annihilated, then rebuilt as a major Roman city.
Archaeology has revealed a mosaic of sites scattered over hundreds of hectares: Punic ports, a sacred hill, giant baths, villas, a cistern, and a theater still used for festivals.
A UNESCO Site with Many Faces
Inscribed as a World Heritage site, Carthage is now protected but remains a vast archaeological puzzle. A combined ticket, at a modest price, grants access to a set of sites (usually around ten) distributed around the Byrsa Hill and the waterfront. Visitors can thus go from a Punic residential quarter to a monumental Roman bath complex just by crossing a few modern streets.
The table below summarizes the main visiting hubs of Carthage and their primary interest.
| Site | Dominant Period | Main Feature | Current Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Byrsa Hill & National Museum | Punic / Late Roman | Residential quarter from Hannibal’s time, view over the gulf, large sarcophagi and mosaics | Museum and viewpoint |
| Antonine Baths | Roman Empire (2nd century AD) | Largest Roman bath complex outside Rome, by the sea | Open-air archaeological park |
| Roman Theater | Roman Empire | Reconstructed theater seating approx. 5,000 spectators | Main venue for the International Festival of Carthage |
| Roman Amphitheater | Roman Empire | Former amphitheater seating 30–36,000, now largely ruined | Memorial site, summer festivals |
| Punic Ports | Carthaginian period | Circular ports designed to conceal the war fleet from view | Archaeological site and small museum |
| La Malga Cisterns | Roman Empire | Reservoirs of the hydraulic system fed by the Zaghouan aqueduct, capacity of millions of liters | Isolated remains, free visit |
| Tophet of Salammbô | Punic period | Ritual space with thousands of urns containing cremated remains of children and animals | Controversial and fascinating archaeological park |
Byrsa Hill, with its museum housed in a former Catholic seminary, provides a comprehensive overview of Carthage’s history. Among the notable pieces are 4th-century BC sarcophagi, fine mosaics, and the statue of the goddess Tanit, a protective deity often associated with Carthaginian cults. Outside, the ruins of a residential quarter from Hannibal’s time give a concrete image of the late Punic city.
The Antonine Baths in Carthage impress with their monumental scale, although only their foundations remain today. A reconstructed column 15 meters high gives an idea of the complex’s former grandeur, which was once supplied with water by an aqueduct from the Zaghouan mountains. On site, one can still distinguish the classic layout of Roman baths, with the cold (frigidarium), warm (tepidarium), and hot (caldarium) rooms, as well as the gymnasiums and underground technical galleries (hypocaust).
Between Sacred, Christian History, and Living Heritage
Carthage is not limited to Antiquity. It also bears significant traces of early Christianity and the French protectorate. The Damous El Karita site, now a simple pasture dotted with columns and tunnels, corresponds to one of the largest basilical complexes of the African Roman world. Nearby, the Acropolium (formerly Saint-Louis Cathedral) dominates the hill with its silhouette blending Byzantine, Gothic, and Moorish styles: built in the late 19th century on the ruins of a temple dedicated to the Punic god Eshmun, it is no longer a place of worship but a venue for cultural events.
The circular Punic ports were designed so Carthaginian warships could observe the open sea while remaining hidden from enemies. An on-site museum details their naval techniques and fleet organization.
Access to Carthage is simple: the TGM train line connects from downtown Tunis in about thirty minutes for a symbolic cost, and many tours combine a visit to Carthage with the medina of Tunis and Sidi Bou Said. In practice, the scattered sites, sometimes inadequate signage, and the need to cross busy roads make a local guide a valuable asset for structuring the visit.
The Medina of Tunis: A Living Labyrinth and the Country’s Historic Heart
Another major site classified by UNESCO in 1979, the Medina of Tunis is not a static open-air museum frozen in time. It is a living organism, a “mini-city” enclosed by ancient walls, where nearly 100,000 people live, work, pray, study, craft, and sell daily.
Over approximately 270 hectares, plus the Kasbah quarter, the medina concentrates more than 700 historical monuments: mosques, madrasas, palaces, mausoleums, funduqs, hammams, fountains. Its tangled medieval layout, its souks specialized by trade, and its perfectly integrated Ottoman and Hafsid architecture make it one of the best-preserved medinas in the Maghreb.
A City Shaped by Over a Millennium of History
The first traces of occupation date back to the late 7th century. Very early on, Tunis’s destiny became linked to the great Zitouna Mosque, founded in the 8th century on the remains of a Christian basilica. Around this building, which for centuries housed one of the most important universities in the Islamic world, the medina densified under the Almohads and especially the Hafsids, when Tunis became the capital of Ifriqiya and a leading religious, intellectual, and commercial center between the 12th and 16th centuries.
The arrival of the Ottomans enriched Tunis’s architecture with mosques featuring octagonal minarets, palaces, madrasas, and covered souks. In the 19th century, the construction of the European “new town” along Avenue Habib Bourguiba led to the partial demolition of the ramparts and several gates, but the original fabric of the medina was preserved.
Today, the medina is both protected by heritage law (Code 35-1994) and threatened by climate change and real estate pressures. Dedicated preservation structures, linked to the National Heritage Institute and the municipality, oversee the delicate balance between preservation and daily life.
Mosques, Palaces, Souks: A Rare Density of Heritage
The wealth of the medina is measured by both the variety and quality of its monuments. The great Zitouna Mosque is its pivot, with its vast courtyard, simply decorated arches, and forest of reused ancient columns. Around it, a constellation of buildings creates a unique urban landscape.
An overview of the main monuments and their historical or cultural function.
Symbol of Paris and France, built for the 1889 World’s Fair. It represents the technical innovation of the 19th century.
Iconic amphitheater of ancient Rome, used for gladiator contests and public spectacles. A testament to Roman engineering.
Gifted by France to the United States, it symbolizes freedom and the welcoming of immigrants. It has become an icon of New York.
Military fortification built to protect China’s northern borders from invasions. It stretches for thousands of kilometers.
White marble mausoleum built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife. A masterpiece of Mughal architecture.
Tombs of Egyptian pharaohs, the largest being that of Khufu. They illustrate the architectural mastery of ancient Egypt.
| Major Monuments | Period / Style | Role or Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| Zitouna Mosque | 8th century, expanded in successive eras | Religious and academic heart of the city, central great mosque |
| Bab el Bahr (Porte de France) | Hafsid period, remodeled | Main gate between medina and modern city, landmark for visitors |
| Kasbah Mosque | 13th century (Hafsids) | Mosque of the rulers, minaret inspired by Marrakech’s Koutoubia |
| Sidi Youssef Dey Mosque | 17th century (first Ottoman mosque) | Introduction of Ottoman style, octagonal minaret |
| Hammouda Pacha Mosque | 17th century (Ottoman) | Turkish dome and décor, refined octagonal minaret |
| Sidi Mahrez Mosque | Late 17th century, inspired by Istanbul | White domes, centrally-planned Ottoman inspiration |
| Dar El Bey | Husseinid period | Palace of the Beys, now the seat of the Head of Government |
| Tourbet el Bey | 18th century | Monumental mausoleum of the Husseinid dynasty |
| Dar El Jeld | Ottoman period | Former administrative seat, now a prestigious hotel-restaurant |
| Dar Ben Abdallah | 19th century | Palace turned into a museum of traditional life |
| Madrasas Slimania, Mouradia… | 17th–18th centuries | Quranic schools and student residences |
To these iconic monuments are added patrician houses like Dar Lasram, many mausoleums of popular saints, zaouïas, still-active hammams, and funduqs – former caravanserais where goods were stored and merchants lodged.
A Craft Economy Structured by the Souks
The medina is also a huge market where every alley seems specialized. The souks radiating around Zitouna follow an ancestral logic: the noblest or “cleanest” activities are held near the mosque, while noisy or smelly trades move toward the periphery.
The medina houses historic specialized souks: Souk el Attarine for perfumes and beauty products; Souk el Berka, the former slave market, now dedicated to jewelry and gold; Souk el Blat, specialized for over seven centuries in medicinal plants and traditional remedies; and the great Souk of the Chechias, where the red felt cap, a piece of national identity, is handmade.
This economic fabric, made up of tailors, goldsmiths, babouche makers, copper or wood artisans, combines with a plethora of cafes, small eateries, and guesthouses set in restored palaces. For the visitor, the experience is as sensory as it is cultural: smells of leather and jasmine, calls to prayer echoing between walls, calls of vendors, clinking of hammers on metal.
Cuisine plays a key role here: crispy briks fried to order, cumin-scented chorba, steaming lablebi, fricassé sandwiches, couscous, Tunisian-style tagines, and sweets like sugary bambalounis punctuate the stroll through the alleys.
Sidi Bou Said: The Blue and White Village Perched Above the Sea
About twenty kilometers from Tunis, Sidi Bou Said overlooks the gulf from a promontory. This village of 6,000 inhabitants quickly became one of Tunisia’s most famous postcards. Immaculate facades, intense blue woodwork, mashrabiya balconies, bright bougainvillea: everything seems designed to please the eye.
Beyond the image, Sidi Bou Said tells another story, spiritual and artistic, making it today a serious candidate for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
A Sufi Refuge Turned Artistic Laboratory
The village is named after a 13th-century Sufi master, Abou Saïd al‑Baji, who chose this summit, then called Djebel el‑Manar, as a place of retreat and teaching. Around his tomb, a zaouïa developed, attracting disciples and pilgrims. Gradually, a hamlet formed and later became, in subsequent centuries, a summer residence for the notables of Tunis and Carthage, drawn by the view and the breeze.
As early as the 18th century, Sidi Bou Said is described as a place of inspiration for artists. In the 19th and 20th centuries, European and Tunisian painters, writers, and musicians settled or stayed there regularly. Painters Paul Klee, August Macke, or Louis Moilliet stopped there in 1914 before returning, fascinated by the light and volumes. Flaubert, Chateaubriand, and Simone de Beauvoir are also among the captivated visitors.
Artists and Writers from the 18th to the 20th Century
In 1915, driven notably by the Franco-English baron Rodolphe d’Erlanger, a great connoisseur of Arabic music, a protection decree imposed a detailed architectural guideline. The blue of doors and ironwork, already present, was systematized and became an aesthetic signature. The palace built by d’Erlanger, Ennejma Ezzahra, blending Andalusian and Arab inspirations, later became the Center for Arab and Mediterranean Music, open for visits.
House Museums, Iconic Cafés, and Mediterranean Panoramas
Sidi Bou Said is not discovered by ticking off a checklist, but by wandering the cobbled alleys and viewpoints that open onto the sea. A few places, however, structure the visit.
Former residence of Baron d’Erlanger, this palace turned museum reveals sumptuous salons adorned with stucco and painted ceilings, patios, and a unique collection dedicated to Arab and Mediterranean music. For a modest entry fee, you can explore the rooms and terraced gardens that descend towards the sea.
Higher up in the village, Dar El Annabi recreates, across dozens of rooms, the interior of a grand Tunisian house with collections of costumes, wedding scenes, and festive dinners. Visitors move from patio to patio discovering the traditional art of living.
The cafés play a role almost as important as the monuments. Café des Nattes, with its terrace of stairs covered with carpets, was long a haunt for artists and intellectuals. Café des Délices, clinging to the hillside, offers one of the most spectacular views over the Gulf of Tunis; it even inspired a song by Patrick Bruel. Here, one sips mint tea garnished with pine nuts, strong Turkish coffee, or shares a shisha facing the sea.
In the village alleys, artisan shops offer various objects like ceramics, paintings, and fabrics. The emblematic item, however, remains the decorative wire cages, painted blue and white, which have become one of the characteristic symbols of the place.
Heritage in the Making, Between Mass Tourism and Preservation
Sidi Bou Said was proposed for inscription on UNESCO’s tentative list in 2024, under a title highlighting its role as a “cultural and spiritual hub in the Mediterranean.” This initiative recognizes the village’s value, not only for its aesthetics, but for the dialogue between Sufi spirituality, modern artistic creation, and vernacular urbanism.
Tourist success, however, poses challenges: summer crowds, standardization of offerings, real estate pressure. Local authorities try to regulate construction, while guesthouses and boutique hotels aim for a more respectful approach, such as small establishments set up in renovated old mansions.
Visiting Sidi Bou Said outside peak times, early in the morning or late afternoon, in spring or autumn, allows one to recapture a bit of the contemplative atmosphere that captivated mystics and artists.
Amphitheater of El Jem: The “African Colosseum”
In the heart of central Tunisia, the oval silhouette of the El Jem amphitheater rises amidst low houses. At first glance, one immediately thinks of the Colosseum of Rome: three levels of arcades, elliptical tiers, central arena, underground corridors. Inscribed on the UNESCO list since the late 1970s, the El Jem amphitheater is one of the most spectacular Roman monuments in the Maghreb.
A Stone Giant in the Middle of the Plain
Built in the 3rd century AD in the ancient city of Thysdrus, then a flourishing center of olive oil production, the amphitheater impresses with its dimensions:
| Characteristic | Approximate Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated capacity | Approx. 35,000 spectators (estimates range 30,000–40,000, some up to 60,000) |
| External axes | 148 m (major axis) × 122 m (minor axis) |
| Arena dimensions | 64 m × 39 m |
| Circumference | 427 m |
| Maximum height | Approx. 30 to 36 m |
| Rank among Roman amphitheaters | 3rd largest after the Colosseum of Rome and Capua |
What strikes when circling the edifice is its entirely independent construction, on flat ground, not backed against a hill like many Roman arenas. The building rests on a sophisticated system of arches and vaults, without real foundations, like a vessel placed on the rock.
The stone blocks, a local sandstone sometimes combined with Tunisian marble or marble imported from Italy, were carefully cut. The facade consists of three levels of arcades rhythmically punctuated by columns of Corinthian and Composite orders, some of whose spandrels were adorned with protomes of Greco-Roman deities.
The unit of measurement used during construction, the “Punic cubit”, testifies to the persistence of a local substratum in African Roman engineering.
Games, Revolts, and Sieges: An Arena with Multiple Lives
The amphitheater was built in a context of political tensions. Thysdrus was then a strategic economic center, connected to six major Roman roads. The city contested imperial taxation, to the point of rebelling against the procurator of Emperor Maximinus Thrax in 238 AD. The proconsul Gordian, supported by local elites, had himself proclaimed emperor (Gordian I), with his son Gordian II. Their brief reign lasted only about twenty days.
The amphitheater was initiated under the authority of Proconsul Gordian or Emperor Gordian III, possibly originating from Thysdrus. The construction aimed to restore prestige to the city after a suppressed revolt. Although never fully completed before Gordian’s death, it was advanced enough to host spectacles on a scale comparable to those in the empire’s major cities.
Over the centuries, the edifice changed function. In the 5th century, during Vandal incursions, and in the 7th century facing Arab armies, the population found refuge there. The monument gradually transformed into a medieval fortress. In the late 17th century, during a dynastic crisis within the Mouradites, Mohamed Bey El Mouradi opened a breach in the wall with cannon fire to dislodge the supporters of his rebel brother Ali Bey. This gash, widened around 1850 by Ahmad I ibn Mustafa, still marks the monument’s silhouette.
The amphitheater’s stones were reused to build the neighboring village and contribute to the construction of the Great Mosque of Kairouan. Later, between the late 18th and 19th centuries, part of the monument was occupied by workshops, shops, dwellings, grain stores, and even a saltpeter factory.
It was only at the beginning of the 20th century that the site’s archaeological dimension was fully recognized. In 1904, the vast hypogeum was rediscovered: two vaulted galleries under the arena, punctuated by cells and corridors where wild beasts and gladiators were kept before their appearance. After its UNESCO inscription in 1979, a first major restoration campaign was entrusted to architect Jean‑Claude Golvin.
A Living Colosseum, Between Tourism and Symphonic Music
Today, the El Jem amphitheater attracts over a million visitors each year, for an entry fee of about 10 Tunisian dinars. It remains famous for hosting an international symphonic music festival every summer: the acoustics of the stone tiers and the arena’s vastness surprisingly suit large orchestras. Orchestras from around the world have performed there for closing concerts, giving this “African colosseum” a second artistic life.
The site served as a setting for scenes in Monty Python’s film ‘Life of Brian’ and for a Nike commercial in the 1990s. Contrary to popular belief, the film ‘Gladiator’ was not filmed there.
The amphitheater is located in the small town of El Jem, served by the meter-gauge train line connecting Tunis to Gabès and by the A1 highway between Tunis and Sfax. From Tunis, it takes just over two hours by car. The train station is a five-minute walk from the monument, making it a realistic day trip from the coast (Sousse is about 60 km north).
Tunisian authorities have implemented specific protection measures: the classified site covers about 0.3 km² and a decree caps building height at 5 meters within a 300-meter radius from the arena’s center, to preserve sightlines. The city’s urban plan also envisions archaeological zones, controlled zones, and “view cones,” while a wider buffer zone is under study to curb urbanization too close to the site.
Management of the monument is jointly ensured by the National Heritage Institute (INP), responsible for scientific and technical matters, and the Agency for Heritage Development and Cultural Promotion, in charge of tourist operations.
Djerba: An Island-World Between Sea, Religions, and Heritage
In the southeast of the country, the island of Djerba holds a unique place in the Tunisian imagination. Nicknamed “Djerba the Gentle”, it juxtaposes fine sandy beaches, white villages, potters, millennia-old synagogues, troglodyte mosques, and club hotels lined up along the “tourist zone.”
Beyond the seaside clichés, Djerba was recognized as a World Heritage site in 2023 for a much more subtle reason: its original model of dispersed settlement, adapted to a semi-arid island with scarce water.
An Island Classified for Its Social Organization
With over 500 km², Djerba is the largest island in North Africa. Connected to the mainland by a 6 km causeway dating back to Roman times and by a ferry between Jorf and Ajim, it is now home to more than 160,000 inhabitants, spread across a myriad of hamlets called *houma* or *menzel*.
Rather than grouping in a single town, the Djerbians, from the Middle Ages onward, developed a network of essentially self-sufficient units: each menzel combines a family house, a well or cistern, farmland, and sometimes a small mosque or marabout. This loose mesh, adapted to low rainfall and the need to cultivate every plot, was a central argument for the island’s UNESCO inscription, as a “testimony to a mode of occupation of insular territory.”
Denser villages, like Houmt Souk (administrative capital), Midoun, Erriadh, or Guellala, punctuate this network. Each developed specialties: pottery in Guellala, weaving or basketry in others, lively weekly markets.
Religious Coexistence and Multiple Legacies
Djerba has known all the major regional powers: Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Ottomans. A persistent legend even makes it the “**Island of the Lotus-Eaters**” from Homer’s Odyssey, where Ulysses’ sailors were enchanted by fruits that made them forget their return.
The island’s Jewish community has been present for over 2,500 years, one of the oldest in the world.
The Ghriba Synagogue in Erriadh is considered one of the oldest in the world. Tradition holds that it was founded shortly after the destruction of the First Temple of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC, using an architectural element – a stone or door – brought from Jerusalem. The current building, rebuilt in the 1920s, is an interior architectural gem: multicolored faience, intricate woodwork, candelabra. Each year, a major pilgrimage takes place there, about a month after Passover, gathering faithful from Tunisia, Europe, and Israel. Despite several terrorist attacks in recent decades, the site remains a strong symbol of North African Jewish memory.
Total number of mosques recorded on the island, 22 of which are inscribed as UNESCO heritage.
Towns, Museums, and Open-Air Street Art
Houmt Souk, the island’s main town, concentrates administrative and commercial functions. Its medina lines up white houses, covered souks, and old funduqs, those caravan inns with arcaded interior courtyards. Some have been transformed into hotels or restaurants, like the Hotel Marhala or the restaurant El Fondouk. The Museum of Traditions (Heritage Museum) offers a dive into the costumes, jewelry, wedding chests, and everyday objects of Djerba’s various communities.
Near the fishing port, the fortress of Borj el Kebir – also called borj Ghazi Mustapha – dominates the harbor. Built in the 16th century on the foundations of an older fort, it has been restored since the 1960s and tells the island’s turbulent history, a stage for battles between corsairs, Ottomans, and European powers.
Further south, Guellala built its reputation on pottery. Workshops dug into the hill produce jars, dishes, and clay decorations, while the Guellala Museum stages Djerbian life through dioramas: henna ceremony, couscous preparation, crafts, festivals.
In Erriadh, another face of Djerba is displayed with Djerbahood, an artistic project launched in 2014: over 150 artists from around the world created more than 250 murals in the medina. Monumental graffiti, stencils, contemporary calligraphy blend with carved doors and whitewashed walls, creating an ever-evolving open-air street art museum.
The provided table illustrates the variety of cultural points of interest present on the island, highlighting the richness of the heritage and cultural activities available.
| Place | Type | Particularity |
|---|---|---|
| Houmt Souk | Main Town | Souks, restored funduqs, fishing port, Heritage Museum |
| Erriadh | Village | Historic Jewish quarter, Ghriba Synagogue, Djerbahood project |
| Guellala | Village | Pottery center, Museum of Arts and Traditions |
| Midoun | Town | Large weekly market, proximity to tourist zone and golf course |
| Borj el Kebir | Fortress | View over the port, military history of the island |
| Meninx | Archaeological site | Remains of a Roman city in the south of the island |
Beaches, Lagoons, and Outdoor Activities
Of course, Djerba remains a major seaside destination. On the northeast coast, Sidi Mahrez beach, about ten kilometers long, concentrates many hotels and clubs. Its fine sand, shallow waters, and offered activities – camel or horse rides, kayaking, paddleboarding – attract families and groups.
Further south, Seguia beach, between Aghir and Ras Lalla Hadria, offers a calmer, less urbanized atmosphere. To the west, near Ajim, wilder beaches like Cheikh Yahya appeal to lovers of preserved spaces. Offshore, the islet of Ras Rmel, often called “Flamingo Island,” is accessible by boat and borders a lagoon where birds gather, especially in spring.
The Djerba Explore complex, near Midoun, brings together several attractions: the Lalla Hadria museum, dedicated to the arts and cultures of the Islamic world with over a thousand pieces across fifteen galleries; a crocodile farm in a landscaped lagoon setting; and a reconstruction of a traditional menzel.
Golf enthusiasts will find a 27-hole course designed by Martin Hawtree, while divers can explore the region’s seabed with local clubs.
Finally, Djerba is a convenient starting point to explore southern Tunisia: Zarzis oasis, the ksour of Médenine and Tataouine, the troglodyte villages of Chenini and Douiret, the Douz desert, and the hot oasis of Ksar Ghilane are all possible excursions for one or several days.
Coastal Medinas and Historic Cities: From Sousse to Kairouan
Besides Tunis and its hinterland, Tunisia is home to several seaside or inland medinas classified by UNESCO, each illustrating a particular facet of the country’s Islamic and medieval history.
Sousse: The Fortified Medina by the Water
Nicknamed the “**Pearl of the Sahel**,” Sousse lines up ramparts, a ribat, and a great mosque facing the Mediterranean. Its seaside medina, a World Heritage site, served as a defensive base in the Aghlabid era. It features:
– A ribat – a monastic fortress – considered one of the best-preserved in the country, with crenellated towers, ramparts, and a panoramic view over the city and sea.
– A sober great mosque, without an ostentatious minaret, integrated into the defensive system.
– A kasbah and powerful fortifications encircling the maze of alleys.
– An archaeological museum rich in Roman mosaics, reminding that the region was a major center of Roman Africa Proconsularis.
Around it, Sousse is also an active seaside resort, with beaches like Bou Jaafar and the neighboring area of Port El Kantaoui, a very busy marina.
Kairouan: Holy City and Matrix of Maghrebi Islam
Founded in the 7th century, Kairouan is considered the fourth holiest city in Islam and the first major Arab-Muslim foundation in the Maghreb. Its UNESCO classification is based on an exceptional urban ensemble: the Great Mosque, often described as one of the oldest and most influential in the Muslim West; the Mosque of the Three Doors; the medina and its ramparts.
Kairouan is recognized not only for its religious architecture but also as an important center of Islamic learning and craftsmanship, particularly famous for its carpets. Culinary-wise, the city is the birthplace of makrouds, pastries made of semolina, filled with date paste, fried, and then coated in honey, which later spread throughout Tunisia.
Medina of Sousse and Other Coastal Gems
The medina of Sousse illustrates the role of coastal cities in the medieval Tunisian defensive system; together with Monastir and Mahdia, it forms a trio of fortified cities dotting the Sahel. Monastir, less than an hour south of Sousse, also has an impressive ribat – often considered the most beautiful in Tunisia – as well as the mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba, father of independence.
Mahdia, further south, is a rocky cape surrounded by beaches, with a compact medina, a ribat/kasbah, and a monumental main gate, Skifa el Khala. These towns offer a pleasant balance between heritage, fishing ports, and seaside life.
Dougga, Kerkuane, and Ichkeul: Ancient Heritage and Nature
Inland, Dougga, another UNESCO site, is often described as the “**Pompeii of the Maghreb**.” Built on the foundations of an ancient Libyco-Punic settlement, the Roman city displays a theater, capitol, temples, baths, and houses with mosaics in a setting of green hills. Its state of preservation and integration into the rural landscape make it a major stop to understand the Romanization of the Maghreb.
On the Cap Bon coast, the Punic city of Kerkuane, abandoned in the 3rd century BC and never rebuilt, offers a rare vision of preserved Carthaginian urban planning: orthogonal plan, houses with water rooms and rudimentary bathtubs, narrow streets leading to the sea. The associated necropolis completes this ensemble.
Further north, Ichkeul is the only natural site in Tunisia inscribed as a World Heritage site. This national park, formed by a freshwater lake and marshes surrounded by hills, is an essential stop for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds: geese, ducks, coots, storks, flamingos. Long threatened by dams that altered water and salt inflow, Ichkeul was on the list of endangered heritage before being gradually restored.
A Constellation of Sites in the Making: Desert, Ksour, and Mountains
Beyond already inscribed sites, Tunisia has placed several regions on its UNESCO tentative list, indicating their potential global importance. Among them are the Roman hydraulic complex of Zaghouan-Carthage, the El Feija and Bouhedma National Parks, the Chott el Jerid, or the landscapes of the Table of Jugurtha.
Southern Tunisia is renowned for its troglodyte dwellings (Matmata), its fortified ksour (Medenine, Tataouine), its oases (Gabès, Nefta, Tozeur), and the dunes of the Grand Erg Oriental. A specific dossier is dedicated to this heritage. Saharan circuits including Douz, Ksar Ghilane, Mides, or Tamerza are well established. Authorities seek to promote this heritage sustainably.
In parallel, geological sites like the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary of Jebel Tebaga or the K-T stratotype testify to the scientific interest of certain Tunisian landscapes.
A Mosaic of Experiences, from Souk to Beach
Running through this overview, one perceives the diversity of experiences offered by Tunisia’s must-see sites. A day can start in the narrow souks of the Tunis medina, continue on the blue and white heights of Sidi Bou Said facing the sea, and end under the millennia-old arcades of Carthage. Another takes you from the tiers of El Jem to the alleys of Sousse, from the fortress of Monastir to the fishermen of Mahdia.
A sample travel itinerary in Tunisia heads down to the island of Djerba to explore its synagogues and mosques, visit potters’ workshops, and discover deserted beaches and flamingo lagoons. The journey then continues south to venture into lunar landscapes, observe beehive-like ksour (fortified villages), and spend nights camping under the stars of the Sahara Desert.
UNESCO figures confirm Tunisia’s place on the world heritage map: nine sites already inscribed, sixteen others on the tentative list, several decades of participation in the World Heritage Committee’s work, and dozens of international assistance projects.
Tunisia is a moderately priced destination. For transportation, you can rely on a varied network including trains, buses, and the famous louages (shared taxis). Accommodation is also diverse, ranging from palaces rehabilitated into guesthouses to seaside resorts.
The key for the traveler is to think of their journey not as a succession of “Instagram spots,” but as a crossing of a territory where for millennia Punic, Roman, Arab, Ottoman, European, Jewish, and Amazigh cultures have coexisted. The great must-see tourist sites in Tunisia – medinas, amphitheaters, islands, ancient ports, holy cities – are then no longer isolated postcards, but milestones of a continuous history, still being written.
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Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.
On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.
Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.
