We spent a sunny Saturday in the heart of the capital city of Tunisia. We got there again by Bolt from Sidi Bou Said (20 TND, 30 minutes). Tunis was built by the Libyans in the 9th century BC at the end of the shallow Lake of Tunis, an inlet of the Gulf of Tunis. In 146 BC, during the Third Punic War between Carthage and Rome, Tunis and Carthage were destroyed. Through the years Romans, Turks, French, and German ruled the city, in 1943 it was liberated by the British and became the capital of independent Tunisia in 1956. The whole afternoon we have scrolled the ancient streets and alleyways of one of the most impressive medieval medinas in North Africa. It’s home to numerous covered souqs selling everything from shoes to shisha pipes, as well as bustling cafes (fresh grapefruit juice 1,5 TND), back streets full of artisans at work, and residential areas punctuated by grand, brightly painted doorways. We saw many historic palaces, hammams, mosques, and madrassas, many lavishly decorated with tiles, carved stucco, and marble columns. In the late afternoon, we took some refreshments at Ave Habib Bourguiba (Pizza Quattro formaggi 20 TND, fresh lime juice 5 TND).
Parking location – Sidi Bou Said: 36.867469N 10.349877E (💦, 🚻)