With the UK FCO recently changing their travel advice to no longer advising against travel to the North African country of Tunisia, it was now the perfect time for a long solo weekend before tourists, crowds and tours start picking up again in this used to be popular travel hot spot. The capital, Tunis, is a few hours flight from London and it was a perfect place for some early sunshine and warm temperatures. The country has a wide range of landscapes, from beautiful sandy beaches by gorgeous blue waters to barren deserts of some Star Wars film locations and old Medinas.
The land is believed to date back to the Antiquity ages with early recorded history stating the inhabitants of Berber tribes. The city of Carthage was formed in the 9th century and has gone through a series of wars before Carthage became a prominent powerhouse of the Western Mediterranean. This strong force was led by Hannibal and nearly crippled the Roman power of Italy. However, Carthage was eventually conquered by Rome in 149 BC and you can still see some of the Roman influences around the country. The region has then been through stages of Arab Muslim conquests to being part of the Ottoman Empire and eventually French colonization. All this led to independence and becoming a republic in 1956. The culture and influences from these stages of Tunisia’s history can be seen quite extensively throughout the country.
A five day trip was perfect to cover the northern part of the country and this is a mini series of my time in Tunisia, starting at the capital before meandering around to the likes of Kairouan, Sousse and El Jem. It has been one of the most immense trips and one that was really enjoyable, especially as a solo traveler!
Right in the centre of Tunis is the historical Medina, which has been a UNESCO heritage site since 1979. This old town was created back in 698 around the main Zitouna Mosque. Essentially the whole labyrinth of bendy roads all lead to this great Mosque. The start of the Medina is Port de France or Bab El Bhar which separates the Medina from the European or more modern part of the city. It is in this little square, where there are lots of pigeons and nice cafes to relax at and people watch.
Start your day off with a nice cup of coffee at Cafe Moez, a local joint round the left side of the Medina. Trying to explain the location is quite difficult, I went back for a second time and it took me a while to find the spot. If you so happen to see it, pop in and ask for a coffee. It is a surreal experience to come here early in the morning, sitting on the bench with the local men, all smoking and chatting away. The owner seems really nice and happy for me to just relax with my coffee, which was thick and strong. The coffee in general take a similar approach to Turkish coffee and brings back some memories of the incredible coffees I had in Sarajevo last year!
After getting fueled up with coffee, head for a general walk around the Medina. The great thing is that getting lost is normal here, so head down any alleyway and just see where it takes you! If you can, try head towards to Al-Zaytuna Mosque, which means the Mosque of Olive in Arabic. This is the oldest Mosque in Tunis and covers around 5000 square meters and is constructed by original columns from the Carthage ruins. This Mosque is known as one of the finest Universities of the history of Islam, with many famous scholars.
The entrance to it has these grand columns and the main courtyard is meant to be incredible. I was hassled near the entrance by an old man try to ‘lead‘ me to the right direction. My gut instinct was to ignore him which meant I wasn’t able to see the main courtyard. I am still not sure if that man was trying to trick me, but I felt it better to be safe than sorry. Nevertheless, seeing the great Mosque from the outside was incredible already.
When facing the Mosque, take a left alleyway around and you will reached School Sulaymaniyah. This place takes you away from the busy streets of the Medina and into a beautiful and tranquil courtyard. This was when I first saw signs of those incredible patterns and tiles, dotted around the architecture of the courtyard. There is something so peaceful and relaxing about this place that makes me want to be a child and study here!
Since I didn’t get a chance to get close to the big Mosque, I somehow accidentally walked into the backyard of Mosque Sidi Youseff Dey. It is normal not being allowed into the actual building but I was able to take a look of the outside and get a good view of the Al-Zaytuna Mosque!
This museum was something I was really looking forward to, but found it to be closed for renovation when I arrived. It is a Tunisian royal mausoleum and a resting place of one of the rulers of Tunisia. The building itself looks really grand and got me very excited when seeing it from a distance. I would recommend others to check this place out when it is opens again.
This experience of walking around the Medina really reminded me of my visit to the Holy city of Jerusalem – market stalls on both sides of narrow stone roads, full of busy people getting on with their day and shopkeepers trying to sell you goods. There’s a real life about these kind of atmospheres and it is just incredible walk around and truly getting lost. No google map will be accurate enough to show you where you are and give you directions. You are disconnected and have to literally find your way around. The Medina here was something I truly enjoyed getting lost in!
An example of getting really lost and just exploring was when I stumbled into this grand and expansive courtyard. It was full of light and these beautiful arches. I actually thought it was some kind of museum or someone’s house but after speaking to some friendly locals, I found out it was an office building. How fancy!
After a bit of exploration, make sure to pop into some of the shops for a browse. It might be a bit off-putting with the store keepers coming up to you trying to sell you things, but admittedly, the goods on offer are actually really incredible. It is much better than most touristy spots that sell you t-shirts and random hats and mugs. The shops here offers really fine handicrafts like handmade bowls and plates with intricate designs, something I am now a proud owner of! Different areas of the Medina sells different things ranging from jewelry, bags and shoes.
One of the best things about the Medina is the local street food. There will be snippets of areas around with people in stalls or carts selling local goods and edibles! The local sweets on offer not only look delicious but you know it is good when locals are queuing up for it. See if you can spot the man in the cart selling what looks like pitta bread stuffed with sauce, eggs and fish!
After all that walking around and taking in the intense atmosphere it is always good to relax for a cup of mint tea before dinner. El Ali is probably the most popular rooftop bar in Tunis. The entrance is a little bit hidden around the alleyways but head on up and out towards the rooftop for a nice cup of mint tea.
Another spot that is less well known is Panorama Medina, just north of the big Mosque. There is a big banner at the entrance to this building but no one really around to drag you in . Tackle the few flights of stairs which looks like someone’s house and you will be right at the top with the best views in town. The sight of the great Mosque is pretty incredible up here and seeing the rest of Tunis spread out below and beyond is just so relaxing! I loved sitting here with a hot cup of tea and just looking out.
The best dinner I had was at Restaurant Essaraya, which is located in a quiet area of town. It is in what seems like an old building filled with rich colors and patterns. It is one of the more costly meals I had in Tunis but really worth it. They serve local and authentic Tunisian dishes, where I tried a dish baked in the oven in a old looking clay pot! The meat and salad were both delicious! A great experience to try out, with the folk music in the background.
Tunis is a fantastic place to start any North African adventure. It has a beautiful old Medina that has so much life, history and is a perfect place to get lost and explore. After seeing Tunis, I couldn’t wait to see what the rest of my trip around Tunisia has to offer.
Also published on Medium.
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