Founded in the 7th century around the Zitouna Mosque and walled ever since, the medina of Tunis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with something like 700 listed monuments packed into its lanes — palaces, madrasas, mausoleums, fondouks and hammams, most of them still in ordinary daily use.
It is a working market city rather than a museum quarter, which means it is loud, crowded and occasionally pushy, and also that it is the real thing. Thirty minutes from Sidi Bou Said on the TGM.
- Area: Half-day trips nearby
- Zitouna Mosque
- Souk el Attarine
- Rooftop views over the medina
Top things to do at The Medina of Tunis
The Zitouna Mosque
The oldest mosque in the capital, founded in the 8th century, with a prayer hall built from columns recycled out of Roman Carthage. Non-Muslim visitors can usually access the courtyard gallery during set hours.
The covered souks
Each trade has its own street: Souk el Attarine for perfume, Souk des Chéchias for the red felt hats, and separate souks for silver, leather, fabric and books. The vaulted lanes immediately around the mosque are the oldest and the best.
A rooftop terrace
Several carpet shops and cafés near the mosque will take you up to the roof for the classic view over the medina’s white cubes to the minarets. Expect a sales pitch; it is usually a fair trade.
The palaces
Dar Ben Abdallah, Dar Lasram and Dar el Jeld show what lies behind the plain medina walls — courtyards, tilework and painted ceilings on a scale you would never guess from the street.
How to get to The Medina of Tunis
- TGM from Sidi Bou Said to Tunis Marine (about 30 minutes), then walk or take the tram along Avenue Habib Bourguiba to the Bab Bhar gate — roughly fifteen minutes on foot.
- By taxi it is 20–30 minutes from Sidi Bou Said outside rush hour.
Insider tips
- Go in the morning. The souks close early afternoon on Fridays and much of Sunday.
- You will get lost. That is fine — head downhill and you come out at Bab Bhar.
- Ignore anyone who tells you the souk is closed today but there is a special Berber market. It is the oldest trick in the medina.
- Fixed-price government craft shops (ONAT) are useful for calibrating what things should cost before you haggle elsewhere.
The Medina of Tunis FAQs
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Sidi Bou Said to the Tunis medina?
Take the TGM to Tunis Marine, then walk fifteen minutes up Avenue Habib Bourguiba to the Bab Bhar gate. Allow about 45 minutes door to door.
Is the medina safe?
Generally yes, and it is busy with locals all day. Normal city precautions apply: watch your bag in crowded souks and be firm but polite with persistent touts. It is quieter and less comfortable after dark.
Can I visit the Zitouna Mosque?
Non-Muslim visitors are usually admitted to the courtyard gallery during set morning hours, not to the prayer hall. Modest dress is required.
