Stand at the top of Avenue Habib Bourguiba on a weekday morning and the city shows you its two faces at once: the neo-Romanesque bulk of the Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul behind you, and ahead, through Bab El Bahr, the packed lanes of the Medina. Tunis rewards travellers who are happy to walk, look and ask directions rather than tick off set pieces.
It suits anyone with a tolerance for crowds, noise and the occasional closed door. Non-Muslims cannot enter the mosques or the Quran schools here, and some monuments keep irregular hours, so plan around what you can actually see rather than what you had hoped to.
This guide covers the sights of the Medina and the Ville Nouvelle, the museums and parks beyond them, and how to string the best of them into a single day.
Top things to do in Tunis
1. Tunis Medina
The Medina is the old town at the core of the city, a World Heritage-listed labyrinth of decorated old houses, vaults and street vendors. You move around on foot only, and the reward is a feel for medieval city life that no single monument gives you.
Wandering is the activity here, so give it an unhurried half-day and expect to get lost. The medina is also the easiest place to find a hammam, so ask a local to point you to the nearest one while you are inside.
2. Grande Mosquée Zitouna
The largest and oldest mosque in Tunisia and an important landmark, this Aghlabite mosque dates back to the 8th century, though its distinctive square minaret is a much later 19th-century addition. Its 160 pillars come from the ruins of Carthage.
Modest dress is essential. Non-Muslims may not enter the mosque itself, only a viewing platform on the edge of the courtyard, for which there is a charge. It remains an active mosque and has been closed to tourists since the 2011 revolution, so treat any visit as uncertain and check before you go.
3. Bardo Museum
The national museum occupies the 13th-century palace of the Ottoman-era bey and is renowned for its extensive collection of Roman mosaics, with exhibits from Carthage, Mahdia and Sousse alongside presentations of Arabian culture. The collection covers Tunisia's existence from the prehistoric era until the Ottoman days.
It can be mercilessly hot and stifling inside, so bring water. The only bathrooms are on the ground floor and have attendants asking for change. The museum is segregated into old and new sections, so walk around a fair amount looking for new passages to be sure you have not missed any major areas.
4. Avenue de France
One of the busiest streets in Tunis, bordered with shops and eateries and several architecturally interesting buildings.
Use it as the spine of a walk between the Ville Nouvelle and the Medina rather than as a destination in itself, and combine it with Place de la Victoire at its medina end.
5. Place de la Victoire
A lively square at the entrance to the medina, bordered with shops and cafés and the ornamented building which houses the High Commission of the United Kingdom.
It is the natural place to pause before or after walking the medina, and it sits directly beside Bab El Bahr.
6. Bab El Bahr
Also known as the Porte de France, this is the gate to the sea, unchanged since its erection in 1848, on the Avenue de France. Before it was built, the spot was an empty space where you could see the Mediterranean on one side and Lake Tunis on the other.
Pair it with Place de la Victoire and Avenue de France, since all three sit together at the seam between the old and new towns.
7. Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul
Built in 1882, this is the largest surviving building from Tunis' colonial era, in the neo-Romanesque style. It was named after a priest in the region who was sold as a slave and fought slavery after he was liberated, and its facade is decorated by a golden mosaic of Jesus and two trumpet-playing angels.
It stands on Avenue Habib Bourguiba, so it fits neatly into a walk along the modern city's main axis.
8. Dar Ben Abdallah Museum
A small but interesting folk museum within an 18th-century palace in the medina, covering the everyday life of a rich merchant in the Ottoman era, with exhibits including faience, stucco ornament, costumes and furniture. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 09:30–16:30.
It is a good indoor stop when you need a break from the medina's lanes, and it sits on Rue Sidi Kassem, close to the heart of the old town.
9. Tourbet el-Bey
An impressive 18th-century mausoleum on Rue Tourbet el-Bey, the final resting place for over 160 princes and ministers and their families. The eight-pointed star inside represents the doors to paradise.
Combine it with the Grande Mosquée Zitouna, which stands on the same street.
10. Sidi Youssef Dey Mosque
Opened in 1631, this was the first Ottoman mosque to be built in Tunis and is the largest Hanafi mosque in the city. It was extensively restored in the late 19th century and is now part of the University of Ez-Zitouna, with a beautiful octagonal minaret and white marble mausoleum.
Find it in Souk Trok. As with the other Islamic monuments here, non-Muslims may not enter, so appreciate it from outside.
11. Medersa Bachia
An 18th-century Quran school in Souk El Belat and a monument since 1912, notable for its public fountain outside the entrance. In the 1980s it was converted into an artisan school where students study leather craft, jewellery and embroidery.
Non-Muslims may not enter, so time your visit for the exterior and the fountain, and pair it with the surrounding souks.
12. Théâtre Municipal
A pretty white Art-Deco building on avenue Habib Bourguiba, worth seeing in its own right even if you are not going there to see a play or concert.
If you are interested in classical culture, this is the place to see an opera, ballet or other production, so check what is on during your stay.
13. Parc du Belvédère
A large park created during the French rule, with palm trees, mimosas and azaleas and a great view of Tunis and the lake. It has seen better days and graffiti is commonplace, but it remains a popular place for locals to escape the heat and noise of the city.
It houses the Museum of Modern Art and the municipal zoo, which is closed on Mondays, and it overlooks Lake Tunis.
14. Tunis Clock Tower
The clock tower on Place du 14 janvier is one of the city's most visible landmarks.
It is a quick stop rather than a long visit, and easy to fold into a walk through the modern city.
15. Al-Fateh Mosque
A large white mosque north of downtown, on Avenue de la Liberté near Métro République.
It is a straightforward addition to a day that already takes in the Ville Nouvelle, and the métro makes it easy to reach.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start in the Medina while it is still cool, walking its lanes on foot and looking into the souks. Visit Dar Ben Abdallah Museum when it opens at 09:30, then continue to the Grande Mosquée Zitouna, where non-Muslims can use the viewing platform at the edge of the courtyard, and on to Tourbet el-Bey on Rue Tourbet el-Bey.
Afternoon: Leave the medina through Bab El Bahr onto Place de la Victoire, then walk Avenue de France and Avenue Habib Bourguiba, taking in the Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul and the Théâtre Municipal, and pausing at the Tunis Clock Tower. If you still have energy, take the métro to the Bardo Museum, but bring water, as it can be stifling inside.
Evening: Finish at Parc du Belvédère, which overlooks Lake Tunis and is where locals go to escape the heat and noise of the city. If you would rather end indoors, check whether there is an opera or ballet at the Théâtre Municipal.
Frequently asked questions
Can non-Muslims go inside the mosques in Tunis?
No. Non-Muslims may not enter Islamic monuments such as mosques. At the Grande Mosquée Zitouna you can use a viewing platform on the edge of the courtyard instead, and the same restriction applies at Sidi Youssef Dey Mosque and Medersa Bachia.
What should I bring to a hammam?
Bring spare underwear, flip flops, soap and a towel. Note that a hammam is either men or women only, or open to men in the morning and night and to ladies in the afternoon. The medina is the easiest place to find one.
How do I get around the Medina?
You can move around by foot only. It is a crowded labyrinth, so allow plenty of time and expect to ask for directions.
When is the Bardo Museum open?
It opens Tuesday to Sunday. From 16 September to 30 May it is open 09:30–16:30, and from 1 June to 15 September, 09:00–17:00.
Decide which of these you want most, check the current opening arrangements for the mosques and the Bardo Museum, and start mapping your days in Tunis.