Tunisian Impressions (Live)

I just found out we can add photos a few days after sending the message!

Hi there,

You can only do this in travel journals, where you can upload photos and edit the text whenever you want.

In 6 weeks, mid-April, I’d rather head (again) to the south with an arrival in Tozeur and a departure from Djerba...

Hi there,

I just checked flights to Djerba from Nice for in 5 weeks, and not only are they super expensive (over 700 €), but they don’t run every day either, which would cost me two days of vacation. And for Tozeur, it’s even worse.

So I’m thinking of booking a round-trip to Tunis, and I’m wondering if there are buses to Tozeur or Djerba. Otherwise, I’ll have to head north or toward the center.

Hi Marie, that’s right—in 5 weeks, it’ll be school holidays again, and flights to Tunisia will be expensive. Have you checked all the airlines that fly there? Isn’t there another airport a bit farther from your place that might serve southern Tunisia better? Aren’t Lyon or Marseille much better connected? And look into Monastir or Sfax—they’d already be a bit closer than Tunis. If you can’t shift your vacation dates... Yes, there are buses to Tozeur and Djerba, but that means about ten hours on roads I’d consider dangerous... You’ve already gotten around Tunis quite a bit, so there’s not much point going back, but you could head north to Cap Bon—though for me, it still won’t be the best time of year.

Looks like there are direct flights to Monastir at decent prices, and I could leave on a Saturday and return on a Monday, which would give me a full 15 days there.

From there, I could head to Djerba with a stop in Sfax; Tozeur seems too far.

Otherwise, for a short stay, there’s really no point in going back to Tunis.

Great job, Marie, on this travel journal! I get the feeling that northern Tunisia is packed with really interesting possibilities that make you want to go. I haven’t looked at the photos yet... except for the doors, which are gorgeous. I’ve never really looked into this destination, but I think I will now. I understand you had date constraints for your vacation. Without those constraints, what do you think would be the best time of year to visit northern Tunisia? Thanks.

I get the feeling that northern Tunisia is packed with really interesting possibilities that make you want to go. What do you think is the best time of year to visit northern Tunisia?

Hi Michel,

The Tunisia expert here is Mraissa, who’s contributing to this discussion—she’s full of great advice and keeps telling me to avoid northern Tunisia in winter because it’s cold and damp.

My trip was culture-focused, and I wasn’t disappointed: the Bardo Museum has stunning mosaics, and together with the archaeological museums in Sousse and El Jem, it holds the world’s largest collection of Roman mosaics. I also loved the three evenings at the Municipal Theatre in Tunis. And for you, since you love hiking, there’s plenty of that too—Mraissa can tell you all about it.

I’ll put together a summary of the trip and create a more "organized" and compact travel journal on MyAtlas.

The photos aren’t great because I’m not much of a photographer, and I’ve got a new camera I’m still figuring out—it’s a touchscreen compact that takes photos on its own if you just tap it lightly....

■ RECAP

This was my first trip to Tunisia, and I loved it so much that I just bought my ticket to go back in five weeks for a full 15 days.

Tunisia is the perfect destination for a short getaway: just 1 hour and 15 minutes from Nice with no time difference in February.

This trip was more culture-focused rather than hiking or beach-oriented.

● BUDGET

Tunisia is a very affordable country for French tourists. I shared some prices in my daily recap. Visiting cultural sites (museums, archaeological sites) is really cheap (less than 5 €), the best seats at the Tunis Municipal Theatre cost 12 € and 15 €, and food is also inexpensive, as are taxis (3 € to 6 € from Tunis airport, 3 € to 5 € for city trips). Just make sure to check taxi prices beforehand, as drivers tend to overcharge tourists.

You can find very cheap hotels, and in Kairouan, you can even stay in a real 5-star hotel for the price of an Ibis Budget in Europe—75 € (in Madrid, some Ibis Budget hotels far from the center cost 100 €!).

● TOURIST CROWDS

I found there weren’t too many tourists—mostly Asians and quite a few Quebecers, thanks to the direct Montreal-Tunis flight.

In Sidi Bou Saïd, there were lots of tourists on the main street, which was packed, but just a few steps away, you’ll find completely deserted alleys.

● TRAVELING AS A SOLO WOMAN

On forums, I’d read that many women of all ages were worried about traveling alone in Tunisia. In my opinion, there’s nothing to worry about. I mentioned that sometimes when I asked a man for directions (or even if I didn’t), they’d help me or walk me back to my hotel and offer to grab coffee or tea. Just say no, and there’s no problem—same goes for friend requests on social media.

I’m used to traveling alone in Latin America, and I get all kinds of invitations (an American-Salvadoran guy even offered to show me around Los Angeles!). I think it’s actually *riskier* for a woman to travel alone in Latin America than in Tunisia (don’t forget the high femicide rates there).

● TRAVELING DURING RAMADAN

I talked about this in my recap: restaurants and cafés are closed during the day, except those mostly frequented by tourists.

Bakeries, pastry shops, supermarkets, and markets are open and close around 5:00 or 5:15 PM.

Hotels serve breakfast at the usual times.

Tourist sites may close early, around 3:00 or even 2:00 PM.

The upside of this period is that there might be fewer tourists, some hotels offer discounts, and Tunis has lots of cultural events, especially toward the end of Ramadan.

It didn’t bother me much, but if you have the choice, I’d recommend going at another time.

● LOUAGES

This is a very economical and practical mode of transport since the vans run frequently, but they’re not very comfortable, especially for people with long legs.

For the trips I took, I found the drivers drove pretty carefully (though they still spent some time on their phones). The roads were in decent condition—nothing like the chaotic chicken buses in Latin America, where the roads are often much worse.

■ WHAT I LOVED ❤️

● Being able to improvise

I loved being able to improvise and not book anything in advance. I reserved hotels one or two days ahead by email without giving my credit card number.

● The medinas

I really enjoyed getting lost in the medinas of all the cities—loved the alleys, the beautiful doors, the artisans, etc.

Note that there’s *no* pressure from shopkeepers to buy anything, but if you show interest in an item, they might insist and offer lower prices.

There are touts, but not many (it only happened to me twice).

I recommend stepping away from the main shopping streets and exploring the quieter, more local alleys.

● The mosaics

I loved the Bardo Museum, as well as the Archaeological Museums in Sousse and El Jem.

● Evenings at the Tunis Municipal Theatre

I mentioned this before—it’s the perfect place (though not the only one) to discover Tunisian music. I loved the atmosphere of the last evening with El Mahfel, featuring Berber music from Djerba (wedding-style).

● The doors

I posted some photos—they’re simply stunning!

● The pastries

There are so many, often made with dried fruits.

In pastry shops, you’ll also find Tunisian dessert creams with flavors very different from French dessert creams.

In Tunis, I recommend Ben Yedder pastry shop, across from one of the Monoprix entrances near Avenue Bourguiba. They have a great variety of pastries that aren’t too sweet.

● The bread

Tunisian bread is a real delight—there are so many kinds, you’ve got to try them all!

● Finally, for those who love cats, there are *so* many everywhere. I even saw one strolling calmly through the Bardo Museum and another near the fish section of the Monoprix

A huge thank you, Marie, for this live report! I’ve been nagging my husband for ages to take a trip to Tunisia, and you’ve convinced me. Though, to be fair, he was traumatized by a trip there nearly 40 years ago—he found the medina vendors unbearable. Now I can prove to him that things have changed since then! If you’ve been to Morocco, could you tell me what differences you noticed?

my husband was traumatized by a trip there almost 40 years ago where he found the medina vendors unbearable.

I’ll be able to prove to him that things have changed since then!

Hi Christelle,

All the tourists who’ve known Tunisia for a long time say the vendors have really changed and it’s nothing like it used to be. While I was there, I even heard a French tourist say that before, they were "pushy," but not anymore.

It’s almost like they don’t even want to sell—some are just sitting on a chair, glued to their phones, and don’t even notice people walking by...

But if you show interest in an item, they might insist on showing you more and drop the price a lot (even if you didn’t ask how much it costs).

There are a few touts, but not many, and you don’t have to follow them.

In Kairouan, as I mentioned, there are men stationed at strategic spots where tourists inevitably pass. They’ll approach you and offer to "guide" you—it’s best to shake them off, or they’ll ask for money (I don’t know how much they ask for or how it goes because I got rid of them first).

If you need directions, it’s better to ask a woman—at least then you’ll have peace of mind.

I’ll get back to you later about the comparison with Morocco.

Hi Marie, hi everyone, Yes, a big thank you for this really nice travel journal. Michel, as I told Marie, February isn’t the right season to visit northern Tunisia. I’d say April will be the same. Tabarka in February is a punishment—you should go in May! But it also depends on the hotels you choose. It’s not outside that it’s cold (though in Tabarka, it’s cold outside too), and you generally don’t wear a coat outside. It’s inside—if you’re traveling on a budget—that most hostels don’t have heating, and the rooms and bathrooms are freezing. On the other hand, in March/April, it starts getting nice around Tozeur and then Djerba. About the souks and vendors, I’ll be less categorical than Marie... It depends on where and when! Christelle, I wouldn’t recommend going to Hammamet in season—the vendors are usually awful. I also know Morocco well, and I’d say it’s a bit similar—it depends on the year and the tourist police... Kairouan is well-known for its mopeds waiting for you at every entrance to the city. Regarding Ramadan, while there are often fun activities during the second half, all the hassles with transport schedules, closed shops, and the impossibility of getting anything done make me prefer to avoid this period. And I’m sensitive to smells—people who don’t wash or brush their teeth really bother me. Two months and ten days after Ramadan ends, it’s Eid al-Adha, and for those with a weak stomach, there are sheep skins everywhere—it’s pretty gross. Marie didn’t talk much about garbage in Tunisia—maybe she traveled in decent areas, but that’s not the case everywhere. Many people are shocked by the piles of trash and plastic bags hanging from cacti... When we talk about the minimum wage being 500/600 dinars, most Tunisians can’t afford to go to shows or the restaurants and hotels Marie visited. Don’t hesitate to ask questions—I’ll try to answer them... Have a great day, everyone

Marie didn't talk much about the trash in Tunisia—maybe she only visited acceptable areas. That's not the case everywhere, and many are shocked by the piles of garbage and plastic bags hanging from every cactus...

Hi Michèle,

Yes, I *did* mention (I can’t remember where because I’ve written so much) the garbage bags littering fields and roadsides, and I also talked about the side streets off Avenue Bourguiba, which are really dirty.

About the plastic bags—I wrote that when you travel across different continents, you realize the planet is slowly being taken over by plastic, and it’s terrifying!

But it’s more of an issue for locals than for tourists just passing through.

And Tunisia isn’t the only country dealing with plastic pollution—it affects other poorer countries too, and I think they might have more urgent problems to tackle.

Last summer, I spent two months in Guatemala. I’d read blogs where tourists were shocked by the waste, but what shocked *me* the most was child labor—kids doing hard work in fields or construction—and the situation of Indigenous girls becoming mothers at 13.

Not to mention the "waste" rich countries send to poorer ones—I covered all of that in the conclusion of my Guatemala travel journal on MyAtlas.

And I think we, as people from wealthy countries, pollute more than poorer nations with our lifestyles. We know rich countries emit more CO₂ than poor ones—it’s less visible than plastic bags, but just as harmful to the planet.

PS: I just started a discussion about possible routes from Monastir using public transport!

If you know Morocco, could you tell me what differences you noticed?

I went to Morocco for two weeks in October 2019. I was planning to go back in spring 2020, but then COVID hit.

I visited Marrakech, Casablanca, and Rabat.

In Marrakech, the vendors were much more persistent than in Tunisia, and there were a lot more touts. It wasn’t unbearable, though—I’d read some scary stories, but it wasn’t that bad. They’re just trying to make a living, and that’s how they do it...

In Tunisia’s medinas, there are hardly any mopeds like there were in Morocco. It’s quieter—I don’t know if it’s always like that in Tunisia or if I just got lucky.

Morocco had way more tourists than Tunisia (except in Sidi Bou Said).

For those who love museums and ancient sites, Tunisia has the amazing Bardo Museum and the archaeological museum in Sousse, not to mention the El Jem museum and its amphitheater—that’s truly unique.

On another note, I’ve always practiced "slow travel," and in two weeks, you can see a lot more than I did. If I’d skipped a day in El Jem and another in Kairouan, I could’ve visited Monastir or somewhere else. I also chose to head back to Tunis early to enjoy the Medina Festival, which happens during Ramadan, and catch some shows.

Okay, you’ve convinced me 😄. Thanks Marie and safe travels home!

Thanks also Michèle for all this info. I’m a huge India lover, so I can tell you that when I come across piles of trash, I know how to look the other way 😄. And as for vendors, nothing bothers me (it’s all part of the game of getting called out). The only time I might show my teeth is if someone grabs me, but with my burly husband by my side, no one’s tried that yet 😆. Anyway, my 2026 schedule is already full, but I’m adding Tunisia to my list for next year. Have a good evening, Christelle

In Marrakech, the vendors were much more insistent than in Tunisia, and there were a lot more touts—nothing unbearable, though. I’d read some scary stories, but it wasn’t that bad. They’re just trying to make a living, and that’s how they do it...

As for how insistent the vendors are, I can’t really say... When my wife and I were young, we went to Morocco twice and never had any issues with men. In Tunisia, it was more complicated for her. She was groped several times (so not an isolated case). Once, on a beach, I ended up getting into a fight with a very rude guy. We’d never had that problem in Morocco.

In Morocco, there were a lot more tourists than in Tunisia (except in Sidi Bou Said)

I think tourism is struggling to recover in Tunisia because of the relatively recent political events. Personally, my preference (in terms of interactions with locals and landscapes) was Algeria (never any scams, insistence, or harassment), then Morocco, and Tunisia last. Of course, this is very subjective. Too bad it’s so complicated for Algeria because of the poor relations between our two countries!

Hi there,

As for the male population, I didn’t have any more problems in Tunisia than in Morocco, and I spent two weeks in each country.

But I’ve read blogs by women who’ve been there recently and also some time ago, and they say things have really changed—and for the better.

I also know a travel agency manager who’s known Tunisia for a long time and often goes there for professional seminars. Before I left, she told me that men no longer behave the same way toward women and tourists as they used to. In fact, she didn’t warn me about anything at all.

I know Latin America better—I’ve spent two months alone in almost every country there—and as I mentioned earlier, for a solo female traveler, it’s a much riskier region than Tunisia. Latin America has a lot of femicides and machismo.

In Nicaragua, men are very direct with female tourists traveling alone (or even in pairs). They believe a woman traveling solo is looking for sexual relationships with locals. During my stay in Granada, a tourist who went out alone at night was raped (though this can happen in any country). I myself could’ve had problems at an isolated airstrip with a young soldier in charge of security. I told him some French tourists were supposed to meet me, and that’s probably what saved me.

In Colombia, I was warned several times about an invisible, odorless drug that’s commonly used.

In other Latin American countries, I’ve seen foreign female tourists dressed quite scantily, and boys shouted vulgarities at them in Spanish—fortunately, they didn’t understand.

In Mexico City, the metro has cars reserved for men and others for women to avoid wandering hands during rush hour.

And I won’t even mention the risks of armed muggings on buses or elsewhere in many Latin American countries—I’ve heard several accounts.

In short, Tunisia feels much safer to me, though I’ve spent far less time there than in Latin America.

As for tourism, I’ve read that since 2024, it’s picking up in Tunisia. Asian and Quebecois tourists are quite present.

In *L'Écho Touristique*, they say that for February’s tour operator sales, Tunisia ranks fourth and is on the rise, ahead of Egypt and Morocco, which is declining.

If I didn’t see many tourists, it’s probably because I was mostly in cities—they might’ve been elsewhere. In Tunis, I was told Djerba was packed with tourists.

I posted the Tunis and Sidi Bou Saïd stops on MyAtlas. I’ll be back to update once I’ve finished everything.

Here’s the link to the start of my travel journal: https://www.myatlas.com/borboleta/deux-semaines-en-tunisie-en-hiver

I’ve finished posting the travel journal on MyAtlas. There are fewer details than here and a bit more photos—the layout is different: https://www.myatlas.com/borboleta/deux-semaines-en-tunisie-en-hiver

Thanks for this second travel journal and all these photos. Really nice!

Hi Marie, I just read your travel journal on MyAtlas—I hadn’t heard of it before! It’s really thorough, a great take on Tunisia. Thanks for all the details. I can’t wait for you to go back; the south will be totally different, and I hope you’ll love this other side of Tunisia just as much. Like in the north, you don’t need to book hotels in advance, but you won’t find places as luxurious except for the Tamerza Palace. Though there might be spots I don’t know about! How’s your itinerary coming along? What are your travel dates? Have a great day! !

Thanks for this second travel journal and all these photos. Really nice.

Hello,

So glad you like the journal!

The live account serves as a bit of a "draft" for my MyAtlas travel journal, which is more spacious and where I include more (too many) photos because I also do it for myself.

I just read your travel journal on MyAtlas, which I didn’t know about.

I can’t wait for you to go back!

How’s your itinerary coming along? What are your travel dates?

Hi Michèle,

MyAtlas is the group that bought VoyageForum—it’s the same "house," and my travel journal isn’t for profit.

I can’t wait to be on vacation and head back to Tunisia! It’s coming up—I leave on April 11th (and come back on April 27th).

For the itinerary, I never plan day by day. I’ll start in Tozeur (from Monastir) and then head toward Douz and the surrounding area.

For accommodations, I’d love to try staying in a place in the Tozeur palm grove and a troglodyte lodging near Chenini—I’ve never tried either.

I hope I won’t have any issues finding a guide for the desert and near Chenini. Everywhere I read, it’s more interesting and safer to have one. Around Chenini, it’s better for explanations about village life, and because there are very narrow paths or shortcuts that lead to dizzying dead ends.

The Hana is also very well located but in a pitiful state of neglect.

Hi there,

I recently watched a documentary on Arte about a Tunisian filmmaker, and part of the interview takes place in the bar on the rooftop terrace of the El Hana Hotel. The filmmaker says this bar is a meet-up spot for Tunisian youth, and the view of Tunis is breathtaking—you can even see the sea! From the sixth floor, the view isn’t bad either, but the terrace is much higher.

I had no idea this trendy bar with such an amazing view existed in this hotel. It’s even surprising in a place that seems stuck in the past. I’d only seen the bar downstairs, where Tunisians who weren’t fasting for Ramadan would come for coffee and a smoke. The rooftop bar was probably closed.

Anyway, if I ever go back to Tunis, I’ll definitely check out this terrace—just for the view, it’s totally worth it!

Hi, how's it going? Have you been to Tunis and Hammamet? What’s there to do in the surrounding area? Best,

Hi there, Tunis is the capital of Tunisia—there’s obviously a lot to do and see here. As Marie described in her February trip. But it all depends on your interests...

Hi there,

I haven’t visited Hammamet, but for Tunis, I’ve shared what I did here—you can add Carthage. Here’s the link to my travel journal on MyAtlas. It’s a shorter summary than this one: https://www.myatlas.com/borboleta/deux-semaines-en-tunisie-en-hiver

Hi there,

For those who are interested, I took a second trip—this time to the south of the country, focusing more on landscapes. It was a really exotic experience (mountain oases, the Sahara, etc.). Here’s the link to the travel journal: https://voyageforum.com/forum/retour-en-tunisie-recit-en-direct-d11467697/