What to do in Tunisia - 25 sights and experiences

What to see and do in Tunisia? This glorious Mediterranean country is perfect for sunbathing and swimming, as well as historical sights, Unesco World Heritage sites, great food, golf and desert adventures. We offer all our top tips.

What to do in Tunisia - our top tips

We have visited Tunisia twice, both times on press trips with knowledgeable guides. The first time we travelled around the country by car, going south to the Sahara Desert and east to the island of Djerba. The second time, we stayed around popular tourist centres such as Hammamet and Sousse. Now we thought it was time to share our top tips - on what to see and do in Tunisia.

1. Visit the capital Tunis

When you visit Tunisia, you might want to check out the capital city of Tunis. You can visit the historic city centre, the medina, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. Tunis is also home to the large Bardo Museum, which is filled with collections from different historical eras.

2. Shopping in the medina of Tunis

While in Tunis, you can also go shopping in the medina. There are lots of bazaars where you can find traditional or modern clothes, shoes, jewellery, shawls, hand-woven carpets, baskets, ceramics, souvenirs and spices. If you like food, you can also check out the Marché Central de Tunis food market.

3. Discover the blue-and-white city of Sidi Bou Said

Sidi Bou Said is a small charming Mediterranean town known for its picturesque white houses, decorated with blue carvings, shutters and doors. The town is also famous for being a centre of art, and today attracts tourists with its cosy alleys, art galleries, cafés, restaurants and fine boutique hotels. Don't miss it!

4. Time travel in Carthage

According to tradition, the Phoenicians founded the city of Carthage in 814 BC. The city grew into a powerful trading centre and the success story lasted for over 600 years before the city was violently destroyed. Today you can see the ruins, just outside Tunisia's capital Tunis. Here you can see the remains of Antoninus' bathhouse, but also the ruins of an amphitheatre.

5. Learning about history at the Uthina archaeological site

Uthina, or Oudna as it may also be called, was an ancient Roman/Berber city, which is now an archaeological site. Located about an hour from Hammamet by car, the site includes the mighty Uthina Amphitheatre and the Capitol Temple.

6. Sunbathing and swimming in Hammamet

Hammamet is a Tunisian Mediterranean resort popular with tourists looking for sunbathing and swimming in a pleasant climate, as well as charter holidays. As well as sun and sea, the resort offers a historic medina with a fortress, as well as activities such as shopping, spas and golf.

7. Discover the holiday resort of Sousse

Sousse, Tunisia's third largest city, is also a popular tourist resort on the Mediterranean Sea. Here you can sunbathe and swim, enjoy a spa or even play golf. You can also explore Sousse's medina, with its historic buildings and shopping, as well as the Sousse Archaeological Museum.

8. Take a boat trip to the Kuriat Islands

Located off Monastir, the Kuriat Islands consist of two islands, the smaller of which welcomes tourists. There are daytime boat trips, mainly with large 'pirate ships', but also with smaller boats. On this uninhabited small island, you can enjoy sunbathing and swimming and learn more about sea turtles, which have their egg-laying grounds here.

9. Strolling in the city of Mahdia

Just south of the tourist resort of Monastir is the town of Mahdia. Here you can stroll around the old town centre, where you'll find the Bordj el Kebir fort and a mosque whose oldest parts date back to the 10th century. There are also plenty of nice cafés and shops.

10. Be impressed by the El Djem amphitheatre

The amphitheatre at El Djem was built in the 2nd century, under Emperor Gordian I, and was incredibly powerful at the time. The huge theatre, which is the third largest Roman amphitheatre in the world, once held 35,000 guests. Today you can visit the amphitheatre as a tourist, and nearby you can also check out the El Djem Museum, with beautiful mosaics from the area.

11. Discover oases in Tozeur

Located in the western part of Tunisia, Tozeur serves as a starting point for desert adventures and visits to Star Wars filming locations. You can explore the medina and go to different oases, such as the Chebika Oasis and the Tamerza Oasis. The oases offer a beautiful environment with mountains, palm trees, water and ravines.

12. See the filming locations for Star Wars

One thing you won't want to miss doing in Tunisia, if you're a Star Wars fan, is checking out the Star Wars filming locations. Just outside Tozeur, in an area known as Onk Jemel, you'll find a filming location from what is supposed to be the planet Tatooine. The village of Matmata is another location, where filming for both the Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

13. Checking out cave dwellings in Matmata

Matmata is a small Berber village in southern Tunisia, where people have traditionally lived in underground caves. Throughout history, these subterranean dwellings could protect against both heat and intruders. In modern times, the caves have inspired the Star Wars setting on the fictional planet Tatooine.

14. Fascinated by the Chott el Djerid salt lake

Chott el Djerid is a salt lake located 120 kilometres west of the town of Gabès. There's supposed to be some water here in winter, but all we saw on our visit was a dried-out crisp surface. The dry lake offers spectacular views that can be used for photos, and has also been used by film makers and writers, such as Jules Verne and the Star Wars production.

15. Get to Douz - the gateway to the Sahara

Douz is a town in southern Tunisia sometimes referred to as the 'Gateway to the Sahara'. Indeed, it's a great starting point for those looking for adventure in the desert, whether it's staying in tents, riding camels or even quad biking.

16. Living in tents in the Sahara

One thing you don't want to miss out on in Tunisia, if you're into great nature experiences, is staying in tents in the Sahara. There are several different places to choose from, and we stayed at Abdelati outside Douz. A fantastic experience! Here we experienced dinner in the desert, singing by the fire and a night under the stars.

17. ride a dromedary

With the Sahara spreading over a third of Tunisia, it is only natural that camels (or dromedaries to be more specific) are important animals. The camels are used in many different contexts, and also to take tourists on tours. We went on a tour just outside of Douz, and found this to be an amazing experience.

18. Riding a quad bike in the desert

Riding a quad bike, or quad as it is called in English, is a fun and wonderful way to experience the desert in Tunisia. We did a quad bike ride just outside Douz and it was a really fast-paced adventure.

19. Holiday on the island of Djerba

Djerba is a Tunisian island perfect for those who want to enjoy holiday fun, swimming and spas. Here you'll find luxurious holiday hotels and beautiful beaches, but also crafts, historical sights and a Jewish neighbourhood with the country's oldest synagogue.

20. Admire street art in Djerbahood

The neighbourhood of Djerbahood, located on the island of Djerba, is very charming with white houses, blue gates, colourful flowers and nice little shops. The neighbourhood also offers an extensive collection of street art. In 2014, 150 artists from 30 countries participated in the creation of around 250 murals in Djerbahood, and since then the project has expanded to include even more artworks.

22. Relaxing with thalassotherapy

Thalassotherapy is a spa treatment using sea water. Treatments may include, for example, a water pressure massage, jet spray shower, mud wrap or sea water bath with algae. In addition, different types of massage are often offered. We have tested on Royal Thalasa Monastir hotel off Sousse and on Ulysse Djerba Thalasso & Spa on the island of Djerba. Not bad at all!

22. play golf

One very popular thing to do in Tunisia is to play golf. There are fine golf courses in several places in the country, such as for example Golf Citrus outside Hammamet or Port El Kantaoui Golf outside Sousse.

23. try Tunisian food

When you visit Tunisia, you won't want to miss out on trying Tunisian food. For example, you can try the traditional dish "brick", which is a kind of fried dough dumpling that can be filled with tuna and eggs, for example. Also, don't miss the spicy red sauce harissa.

24. Tasting Tunisian wine

Did you know that wine is produced in Tunisia? You can try local wine in restaurants or maybe visit a vineyard. We have visited the Domaine Neferis vineyard, outside Hammamet, which was very interesting. You can read even more about Tunisian wine at the link below.

25. Travelling by motorhome in Tunisia

Travelling with a motorhome in Tunisia may not be common, but it is possible. You can reach the country by ferry, from Marseille in France or from Citavecchia in Italy. There are fewer campsites than in European countries, but there are campsites. For example, we have visited nice Camping Désert Club in Douz that accept motorhomes. In addition, places where you can stay overnight are listed in the Park4Night app.

Any other suggestions on what to see and do in Tunisia?

Do you have any other suggestions for what to see and do in Tunisia? Please leave a comment in the comments section!