Tunisia Travel Guide: 10 days in the Mediterranean and Sahara of North Africa

Why travel to Tunisia?

We chose Tunisia because my aunt and uncle are living there for the year. I would highly recommend traveling around Tunisia because it is such a uniquely beautiful and diverse country in Africa on the Mediterranean sea. It is small but has a lot to offer! A road less traveled, from its beaches to countryside, notable historic sites, islands and the Sahara desert, it is a perfect country to experience a bit of everything! Tunisia is similar to other Mediterranean countries and cultures but intertwined with North African, Arabic, Berber, French and Middle East influences. Let’s dive into the lesser known gems, diverse wonders, and flavors that make Tunisia truly unforgettable.

First off, is it Family friendly?

Yes! Everyone was very caring and accommodating with my 15 month old daughter! She was always welcomed and constantly greeted with smiles and she thankfully loves to wave, smile and fist bump back. Many strangers asked if they could kiss or squeeze her hand. Most restaurants have high chairs though it was uncommon to find diaper changing tables in bathrooms. I brought a light travel stroller but many places were not ideal for it so we used the carrier for baby wearing much more often. Babies and families feel like they are included and held as a valued part of the culture and any activities. There were absolutely no restrictions on tours or anywhere for babies, and under 2 children were free and welcome in every experience we had.

Recommend time of year to visit

Late spring (May–June) and early autumn (September–October) offer pleasant weather and fewer crowds. April was just barely warm enough for us to swim and otherwise absolutely lovely for being outside. Pack a light jacket for the cooler evenings! It was sunny everyday and sometimes windy.

Recommended amount of time to spend

1-2 weeks. I was there for 10 days and went to most major cities and main sites, apart from Djerba island. We had a mix of some slower downtime in Tunis and Monastir and then seeing most of the country through 4 packed days of driving. It is a diverse and compact country.

Language

French and Tunisian Arabic (Tounsi) are most widely spoken in Tunisia, and a fair amount of English can be used when interacting with younger folk in some shops and restaurants. We were grateful to be traveling with my aunt and uncle who speak French fluently and know a few basics of Tounsi. Google translate is also great to have on hand! Sometimes we found people who also spoke Spanish, Italian or Portuguese.

Currency

Tunisian Dinar (TND or DT) exchange rate in 2025 is $1 to DT 3. Some places accept credit cards but many are cash only. It is not always straight forward or consistent on the type of places that would accept card.

Transportation

Taxis are common and easy mode of transportation within cities, if the green light is on, it is in use and when the red light is on, it is available. All cabs have meters (usually up high on the rear view mirror) so best to follow it, with an optional tip. There are other options for between city travel such as shared public buses/vans, but we rented a car as a family and drove around and then joined a fully guided 2 day tour for the desert experience.

Foods to try

Tunisian cuisine is influenced by Berber, Arab, Mediterranean, and French culinary traditions. Couscous dishes, Brik, Ojia, bambalouni, pasta and all the fresh seafood were among my favourites, especially with harissa and olive oil.

Gifts and souvenir ideas

Carpets, throws, fouta towels (of all sizes, lightweight, lovely designs, good water absorption, 100% cotton, affordable — a must!), jewellery, lanterns, wooden crafts, ceramic cups and much more! Sealed figs, dates, tuna, olives and olive oil are great to take home, too. 

Itinerary

So what did we do in Tunisia? Let’s get to it!

I’ve included our 10 day Tunisia itinerary with each day in more detail below. I hope you find this helpful. If anything, I have enjoyed putting it all in one place with a few photos for memories of this special trip together. After Tunisia, we headed straight to Turkiye which I will link that travel guide for soon!

All places that I would recommend, from our experience, are in bold so you can easily create your list for Tunisia! Each place is correct using google maps location. If you're here to just find out what we were up to, enjoy! Thanks for being here. :)

Day 1 - Arriving to Tunis

Settling in, spending time with family mostly in Lac 2 neighbourhood and walk along Lake Tunis, pizza and cocktails for the evening. 

Day 2 - La Marsa, Tunis

La Marsa is a charming coastal town in Tunisia, known as a more french style neighbourhood of Tunis, offering a blend of Mediterranean beauty, rich history, and a vibrant artistic and cultural scene. We stayed here for our time in Tunis at an airbnb that was on the beach and walking distance to everything in La Marsa.

Walking tour around La Marsa, noticing the architecture, browsing in shops, experiencing the bubbly atmosphere and getting an understanding of where we would spend the next few days. For dinner, we ate at Bistro Italiano Au Bon Vieuz Temps and had incredible sea food and homemade pasta dishes. My daughter enjoyed sitting in the high chair and eating just as much and as quick as I could serve her! This might have been my favorite meal of all.

Day 3 -Exploring downtown Tunis

Here’s a quick list of what we did! 

☕️ Cappuccinos, chocolate and almond croissants from the famous pastry shop au petit Salem in the building we’re staying in

🌊 A moment to soak in the view of the Mediterranean in La Marsa before hopping in a cab downtown

⛲️ A walk down Ave Habib Bourguiba, from the fountain to Bab al-Bhar monument

⛪️ Sunday morning service at the Cathedral of St Vincent de Paul and St Olivia of Palermo

🌆 Medina old city and shops

🍱 Tunisian brunch at a traditional lounge in the Medina

🏙️ View over the city from Kasbah Square

🚶‍♀️ More wandering through the medina and the city

🏖️ Beach time and dinner at our place in La Marsa

Day 4 - La marsa and Sidi Bou Said, Tunis

Another day in La marsa, we enjoyed brunch at A mi chemins with an incredible view and delightful food. A nap in the afternoon and then off we went to Sidi Bou Said! The more touristic part of Tunis that feels like Santorini (read about it here) and might be arguably more beautiful in some ways, if I do say so myself. It’s all cobblestone and no cars in the main parts, you can walk the stairs down to the beach or stay up on the hill for the beautiful sunset. Shops, restaurants, probably some live music and unbeatable views. 

Interestingly, Sidi Bou Said and many other places in Tunisia, were home to the classic white washed and blue buildings before the greek islands. There is debate about who first introduced the town's color scheme, but most credited is Rodolphe d'Erlange, a French painter and musicologist. His interest in Arab culture and music brought him to Sidi Bou Said in 1907, a French colony at the time. The Tunisian city was painted white and blue by 1920 and the Greek islands ordered painting their homes the same palette in 1938.

Day 5 - Road trip day 2 to Bizerte, Cap Angela and Testour

Road trip began with our first stop to Bizerte, a small coastal town in the north of Tunisia. We opted to go up here (and later wind down to some centrally located towns) instead of Djerba. Bizerte is a really lovely town with an amazing market overflowing into every street and alleyway on the Tuesday morning that we were there! Walk along the canal backdropped with different coloured buildings and boats with the sea being just a short walk away. Everything is priced much less than in Tunis and we sure enjoyed our cappuccinos, croissants and other market specialties. This is also a great place for thrifting! Wandering the medina and seeing some ruins along the walk to the beach were other highlights.

Next stop right nearby: Cap Angela - the very most northern point of Africa!  

Sidenote: Exactly 3 years ago, my mom and I (pregnant with my firstborn) drove to the very most southern point of Africa! Read my detailed travel guide to this part of the world!

Back to the most northern point of Africa; there is a lighthouse but it’s gated away so we looked but sadly did not get to climb it. There is an Africa map statue, Tunisian flag, as well as a beautiful beach right on the tip of Africa! It's simple, but worth it.

Tip #1: Make sure to choose if you want to go to the lighthouse or to the Africa statue as they have a different turn off near the end, but just about a 5 minute drive away from one another if you'd like to see both.

Tip #2: Be sure to fill up with fuel and food before, the gas station in Cap Angela said they had been closed for a few weeks, there is no or very little town here for anything you may need, it is just a point on the map.

Low on fuel and high on collective cortisol, with a peacefully sleeping baby thankfully, we drove south to see more of the Tunisian landscape. Late afternoon we arrived in Testour to the “Verger Des Montagnes” Mountain Orchard. The drive was stunning. The roads were mostly very good with a few rough spots. We were reminded that it is always good to consult with someone local as well as the maps in case certain roads are better than where google maps will take you.

Verger Des Montagnes is a farm to table style dining in a gorgeous location: A refuge of nature and flavors. One can simply come for a meal and/or stay overnight. The menu is truly incredible and we were really looking forward to it, even skipped lunch for it! I think for us, the outcome was wonderful but not quite as exceptional as we had expected. The lodging is simple and rustic, the food was good though we missed the story behind the food or understanding how it interacts with the setting, as most farm to table experiences may offer. Regardless, I would still recommend going at least for the day and a meal to see the countryside and get a taste of such beauty! It was a highlight to get to experience another side of Tunisia’s diverse landscape and is worth combining it with Dougga. If you happen to be traveling here in October, there is a pomegranate festival that comes highly recommended.

Although we did not spend much time in Testour, we had a beautiful view over the town which is known to be a historically intriguing mix of cultures and religions. 

Day 6 - Road trip day 2 - Dougga and then to Sousse / Monastir

Dougga is known as one of the best preserved Roman cities in North Africa. It is a hauntingly beautiful archaeological site where visitors can wander among the theaters, temples, baths/ancient toilets, often in complete solitude. We went on a public holiday so it was a little busier than usual, but still had many sites to ourselves or just a few of us, and we saw no large group tours here. After Dougga, we drove towards Sousse and settled into the Hotel Regency in Monastir for one night before beginning our desert adventure! A 3 minute walk over to Oriento for dinner was great.

Day 7 - Sahara desert experience day 1

We chose to do a 2 day all inclusive desert experience mainly because of all it included —more ground and places than we would have known how to cover ourselves, all at a very fair price. It is a ton to fit into 2 days, but it flowed well and its a great way to see so much without having to plan it out or think about it while going along to each destination.

Early morning hotel pick up at 6am, then to collect other passengers in Sousse and on to our first stop. El Jem, truly a gem, maybe even a hidden gem for much of the world?! The 3rd largest amphitheater in the world, but often thought to be 2nd after the Colosseum because of how well preserved it is. Would you have guessed to find such an important and impressive historic monument ruins in Tunisia? The tour guide gave us the brief history about it and then let us walk around and underneath (where the animals and humans used to wait before their fights). The stadium used to seat 35,000 spectators, who came for the gladiatorial fights and chariot races. It was pretty quiet at the time we were there with just 2 other groups, the early morning weather was crisp but sunny. 

We then had a long drive into the desert which the drive alone was enough to be enamoured through out, though most of us napped along the way! Every time I peaked out the window, I was awestruck — especially as we were winding up the desert hills full of palm trees and such rugged, classic desert look: The Sahara, at last! We stopped at a lookout point for panoramic views and then straight to lunch, filling up on a local Tunisian dishes of chicken couscous with starters of brik and creamy soup, washed down with a local brew.

After lunch, we toured the rock-cut homes in the village of Matmata, seen in Star Wars! It was special, and a little strange, to go into their homes and see the way of life here. Some of the ladies prepared tea and treats and they couldn't get enough of our baby girl — giving her extra treats, smiles, kisses, well wishes and blessings.

Just before sunset, a true bucket list experience…a camel ride in the Sahara desert!

I found it uncomfortable for the first few minutes until getting more used to it. The scenery was simple yet iconically gorgeous. There was no problem or concern at all with bringing my 15 month old baby onto the camel (I wore her in the baby carrier for it) and then she fell asleep within minutes! I had faced her out to see the excitement but ended up wishing I had faced her in so she could rest on me to sleep….instead I was holding onto the camel with one hand and holding her head up with the other.

We checked into the hotel, a desert oasis in Douz, aperitivo by the pool before the buffet dinner at 8pm and off to bed for an early start the next day! 

Day 8 -Sahara desert experience day 2

5am bus departure (surprise!) and they are on time down to the millisecond! A short drive and we began crossing the rust-washed salt lake of Chott el Djerid while admiring its simple yet impressive landscape.

We stopped at a cafe for a light breakfast / coffee and loaded up in 4x4 trucks for another exhilarating ride in the Sahara desert. They took us to the iconic Star Wars city film set at Onk Jemal while riding up and down sand dunes in a 4x4 along the Algerian border.

From there we headed back to Sousse and Monastir with stops for lunch in Gafsa and then visiting the famous city of Kairouan, known as the fourth most sacred place in the world for Islam and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to marvel at the mosques.

We arrived back at sunset and were tired after the packed 2 day excursion. Our hotel room had a dinning table so we opted for take out from the same Oriento restuarant that we had enjoyed 2 nights before and booked another night at the same hotel to ensure plenty of relaxation in the lovely coastal town before heading back to Tunis!

View from our hotel balcony for the last 2 nights in Monastir.

Day 9

Monastir is one of the many coastal towns on the Mediterranean sea in Tunisia, and this came as a top recommended spot for beaches. We stayed for 3 nights in total at the Hotel Regency in Monastir, though we only had one full day to explore, apart from the evenings and mornings. The hotel has an impressive spread for breakfast so after finally sleeping in, we had a late breakfast by the pool. For the day, we walked around to the notable monuments such as the Mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba through the cemetery, Bourguiba Mosque, Ribat of Monastir, the Monastir marina and port.

There are a number of beaches all within walking distance but the one recommended to us as the best of all, and truly was a perfect little beach, is called Qaraiya Beach with the Qaraiya Cliff. It is a 10 minute walk from the hotel and has soft white sand (not the common rocky beaches) with clear crisp Mediterranean sea, perfect for a swim for us all!

We stopped by a local grocery store (best travel hack for local food items to take home, plus...much needed diapers for baby girl). We spent the rest of the day enjoying the hotel pools (heated indoor and unheated outdoor), ending with a quick walk to Calypso restaurant for a seafood dinner on the Monastir marina at sunset.

Day 10 

A slow morning, hotel breakfast and then travel day back to Tunis, which is about 2.5hrs away. We shared one more light meal together of fresh bread with local olive oil for dipping, olives and a few other snacks. Repacked and then to the airport to fly out in the evening.

Tunisia, a land of it all, spent with my mom, aunt, uncle, cousin and baby girl.

Tunisia, somewhere I never had on my travel list but that I am beyond glad made it! Would you add Tunisia to yours after reading all about it? Comment below to let me know if so! 

The more I explore Mediterranean countries, the more I’ve come to love their countrysides, beaches, historic ruins, food, culture, people and just about everything! And who knew in Africa we have such scenery? A bountifully beautiful continent, don’t let anyone tell you anything different.