Attraction
Bardo National Museum
Tunisia's oldest and most important museum, set in a former beylical palace and home to one of the world's great collections of Roman mosaics.
Medina of Tunis
The walled old city of Tunis, founded in 698 around the Zitouna Mosque and listed by UNESCO, with around 700 monuments, souks and palaces.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic old town
- Area
- Medina, Tunis, Tunisia
Good to know
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Souks
- Free to wander
Why we recommend it
The Medina of Tunis is the historic core of the city, a walled old town where daily life still goes on around centuries-old monuments. It grew from 698 around the Zitouna Mosque, and today it covers around 270 hectares, plus the former kasbah district, with some 700 monuments including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas and fountains. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1979.
The usual way in is through Bab el Bhar, the free-standing gate on the eastern side also known as the Porte de France, which links the old town to the avenues of the colonial-era Ville Nouvelle. From there, lanes climb gently towards the Zitouna Mosque, surrounded by the covered souks. Further south and west you reach quieter residential streets with studded doors, the mausoleum of Tourbet el Bey and the house museum of Dar Ben Abdallah. Bab Sidi Kacem, part of the old kasbah fortifications, still stands on the south-west side.
Several of the medina's old houses have become restaurants, cafés and small hotels, which means you can eat in a palace courtyard at lunch, drink tea on a roof terrace above the souks, and sleep in a restored dar. Fondouk El Attarine, a former merchants' inn in the perfume souk, is a good example of this kind of reuse.
Plan at least half a day, and ideally a full day split between the souks in the morning and the southern quarters in the afternoon. The lanes are narrow and uneven, so wear comfortable shoes. The souks are at their liveliest in the late morning, while the residential quarters are calmer in the afternoon. A local guide is useful on a first visit, because many of the finest buildings are hidden behind plain walls. Dress modestly out of respect for the mosques and residents, and carry cash for small purchases.
The medina suits curious travellers of all ages, although pushchairs and wheelchairs will struggle with steps and crowds. Taxis can drop you at Bab el Bhar or near the Kasbah square, and the Avenue Habib Bourguiba leads straight to the main gate from the city centre. Combine the visit with lunch in a medina restaurant and a stroll along the avenue in the early evening.
Medina of Tunis FAQs
Is the Medina of Tunis a UNESCO site?
Yes, it was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1979.
Where is the best place to enter the medina?
Bab el Bhar, the old sea gate also called the Porte de France, is the main entrance from the Ville Nouvelle.
How long do I need in the medina?
Half a day covers the main souks and the Zitouna Mosque, while a full day lets you reach the quieter southern quarters.
Is it easy to get lost?
The lanes are irregular, but the main routes lead uphill to the Zitouna Mosque and back down to Bab el Bhar, which makes it easy to reorient.
When are the souks liveliest?
Late morning is usually the busiest time in the covered souks, while the southern residential quarters are calmer in the afternoon.
Should I hire a guide?
A guide helps on a first visit because many fine houses and monuments are hidden behind plain walls and are easy to miss.
What should I wear?
Modest clothing covering shoulders and knees is respectful in the old city, especially near mosques.
Is the medina accessible for wheelchairs?
Not easily, because of steps, slopes, uneven paving and crowds in the souks.