Culture and Customs of Tunisia

Arts, crafts and architecture

Arts

Crafts

Architecture

Museums

Customs and traditions

Local traditions

Etiquette

The main points of etiquette and social norms in Tunisia.

Attire

Tunisia is a 99% Muslim country. Although tourism has been widespread for many years, it is advisable to respect certain dress codes when leaving beach areas, especially for women travellers. Avoid mini-skirts, overly revealing outfits, and low-cut tops outside tourist zones or beach areas.

Behaviour

When entering a place with carpeted floors, it is customary to remove your shoes.

When it comes to hospitality, it is considered rude to refuse the welcome tea. In some circles, it is common to eat with your fingers at the table. In such cases, only the right hand should be used, as the left is traditionally reserved for ablutions.

During Ramadan, even though visitors are allowed to eat and smoke during the day, it is best to do so discreetly.

The pace of life in Tunisia differs from that in Europe; the concept of "quick service" is not widely established.

For couples, public displays of affection should be "limited".

In general, mosques are off-limits to non-Muslims.

Sensitive or taboo topics

Languages

Arabic is the official language. French is very common in Tunisia, especially in cities and tourist areas. It is, in fact, the most widely spoken foreign language in the country. In short, communication should never be a problem.