Intro
When you travel through Tunisia, you can find a mix of Mediterranean coastlines, historic cities, and cultural traditions that make the country an amazing place for travellers to visit. Whether you’re exploring markets, tasting Tunisian street food, or exploring archaeological sites, Tunisia has something for everyone. In this blog you will learn about travel tips, food prices, transportation, cycling, things to do, accommodations and culture. We hope our experiences will help you navigate Tunisia.
Our Food Experience
Food in Tunisia has been one of the highlights of our travels. Each dish is comforting and full of flavour. We’ve learned that we like harissa, but only a little bit, shwia as they say in Arabic, just enough to add warmth without being too spicy. Ojja served with fresh bread is our favourite dish, a sizzling stew of tomatoes, peppers, spices, and eggs. Couscous is a close second, especially the version Dylan loves, topped with pomegranates and nuts, which adds a refreshing and sweet touch. We’ve tried mloukhia, a green, slow-cooked stew made from dried mallow leaves with an earthy flavour. A great Tunisian dish to warm you up on a chilly day is Loubia, a white bean stew simmered in tomato sauce.
We’ve also enjoyed keftaji, fried vegetables chopped together with egg. Mechouia, a smoky grilled pepper and tomato salad. Djerba rice, a yellow rice cooked with vegetables and spices. Malawi, a chewy layered flatbread perfect for stuffing and tabouna, round bread baked in a clay oven. We love brik, a crispy fried pastry filled with egg, potatoes, or cheese. And fricassé, a savoury fried sandwich stuffed with egg, potato, and harissa.
Tunisian sweet treats have our hearts. Tunisian rifissa is malawi bread cut up in a bowl with milk, honey and dates. Kaak warka is an almond-filled cookie scented with rosewater. Bambaloni, our favorite, is a warm sugary doughnuts found at the beach or in small shops. Tunisia has some of the best tea, often served with nuts, making every cup taste like dessert.
The bakeries here are incredible, and our favourite, Pâtisserie Altra Cosa, serves croissants fresh from the oven. Sometimes we treat ourselves to massive chocolate hazelnut filled croissants for just 2.2 dinars each. When dining out, Restaurant La Rose de Sable in the Medina is a must visit. One order of ojja for 15 dinars is perfect for 2 people to share. If you want to rest in an instagramable spot, Café Panorama offers sweet tea and a stunning view of the Medina. The drinks may be pricey, but the scenery is worth the cost.
Across Tunisia, there are countless hidden gem restaurants, but our favourite meals have been the home cooked ones. Being welcomed into local’s homes has shown us that Tunisian food made with love is the best food.
Transportation: Getting Around
There are many different ways to get around Tunisia. Compared to some other countries we’ve visited, transportation here is straightforward and stress free. Whether you choose to bike, drive, take a taxi, bus, metro, train, or hop in a louage, getting from place to place is easy and affordable.
If you’re new to biking in Tunis, it’s a good idea to ride with a group for safety and comfort. We biked from Bardo to the Medina and were led down quiet side streets, arriving in under twenty five minutes. The group from the Nomadic Bike community were great guides. Pointing out potholes to avoid, when to stop and our next turn. It was a fun way to see more of the city.
Driving can feel very different. At the beginning of October, we rented an eight seater SUV with a group of friends for eight days for 150 dinar per day. We didn’t personally drive and were relieved. As soon as we left the airport, Google Maps tried to send us into oncoming traffic, and throughout the trip it often suggested strange merges or unnecessary detours that brought us right back to the same road. We always reached our destinations, but the “shortcuts” weren’t always helpful, so be prepared for some confusing navigation.
Within Tunis, we mostly relied on taxis. They are everywhere, and outside of rush hour it’s very easy to catch one. They’re affordable too. A ten to fifteen minute ride usually costs around 4–5 dinar. Just make sure the driver turns on the meter. The train and shared taxis, or collective taxis, were also convenient. We went from Bardo to the city center by train for 1 dinar per person, then we caught a shared taxi near the Clock Tower to La Marsa for 1.7 dinar per person. Both options were simple and budget friendly.
Our favorite way to travel around the country was by louage. Louages are eight seater minibuses that leave as soon as they fill up, and they make long distance travel easy. Prices are reasonable. From Tunis to Medenine, a five to six hour trip, was 23 dinar per person.
Tunis to Jendouba, about two and a half hours, was 15 dinar.
For shorter routes around an hour cost 2–3 dinar.
Overall, transportation in Tunisia is affordable, accessible, and easy. Just keep in mind that Google Maps isn’t always reliable, and asking for help from locals or the Nomadic bike community makes navigating even smoother.
Places to Visit & Things to Do
During our time exploring Tunisia, we were amazed by how many experiences were in one country. In El Jem (12 dinar), we stepped into history at the massive Roman amphitheater. It is well-preserved and gives the Roman coliseum a run for its money! We also travelled south for the Zammour Trekking Festival in October. There, we joined locals for biking, ziplining, hiking, and cultural performances that felt so authentic. In the north, we visited Tabarka’s beautiful coastline and famous Needles. On our way to Tabarka we made a quick stop in Aïn Draham that surprised us with snow, so we had a snowball fight in Tunisia! We stopped by Bulla Regia near Jendouba (8 dinar). We explored incredible underground Roman houses and preserved mosaics. We also spent a couple of days in Sousse, enjoying its seaside modern feel and our favourite souk in the country.
In Djerba, we visited the crocodile park (30 dinar) and held baby crocodiles. They usually have a feeding show but we weren’t there in the tourist season so it was cancelled. We wandered Djerbahood and saw beautiful street art and tried our favorite Tunisian dish Ojja for the first time. We loved seeing the pirate ships in Djerba. We had booked a tour on a pirate ship (25 dinar) that would have brought us to Flamingo Island and back with lunch included. Unfortunately, it was too wavey. We did some swimming and snorkeling near Plage Yati 1. We also explored the Midoun and Houmt Souk souk.
In Tunis, we wandered the Tunis Zoo (2 dinar). The lions and wandering peacocks were our favourite. We explored the lively Tunis medina and relaxed at Café Panoramique. In La Marsa, we went snorkelling. To find the good spot just walk along the main beach toward the distant mountains and look for the spear fishermen. We spotted crabs, fish, and some coral. Carthage (12 dinar for the archaeological park) gave us a glimpse into the ancient Punic and Roman world, from baths to temples scattered around the neighbourhood.
At the Bardo National Museum (13 dinar), we loved the mosaics, each room so beautiful and unique. For a more modern feel, we visited Azur City Mall to shop and relax with a movie. However, you can’t leave Tunisia without visiting the iconic blue and white neighborhood, Sidi Bou Saïd. It’s a great spot for photos and I personally liked it more than Santorini in Greece!
Accommodation and Social Culture in Tunisia
Most of our accommodations in Tunisia have been with Workaway hosts, which we highly recommend. Staying with Workaway hosts allow you to instantly connect with local culture and community while keeping travel costs affordable. Occasionally, we stayed in other types of accommodations. When traveling, we tend to avoid hotels and expensive options whenever possible.
On the island of Djerba, in Midoun, we stayed in an Airbnb. We had a full apartment to ourselves, along with access to a shared pool. Although the price was slightly higher than other options, it included reliable Wi-Fi, which was essential for us as digital nomads. The cost was 100 dinar per night. On the opposite side of the country, we visited the seaside city of Tabarka, where we stayed at one of the most affordable options we could find through Airbnb, costing 98 dinar for one night.
Coffee culture is a huge part of social life in Tunisia. Walking down any street, you’ll notice cafés everywhere. They are perfect places to connect, relax, and enjoy daily life. Prices can vary, an espresso for example can range from 1.5 dinar to 3.5 dinar. Some cafés are traditional and mainly cater to men, but female tourists are generally welcome. Mixed cafés tend to be more modern and slightly more expensive.
Learning a few local phrases can go a long way. One essential word is labas, which means “How are you?” The typical response is labas (“I am good”), followed by Alhamdulillah (“Thank God”). Greeting someone with labas, whether it’s a local or a taxi driver, often brings an immediate smile and an enthusiastic response. It’s a simple gesture but a meaningful way to show respect for the culture and connect with people during your travels.
Final Tips
We found Tunisia so easy to navigate, and we quickly fell in love with it. If we could offer one extra piece of advice, it would be to make friends. Tunisian people are genuinely warm, welcoming, and always willing to help. Connecting with locals is easy, and having a Tunisian friend can make a huge difference. Whether it’s getting recommendations for the best restaurants, finding your way through a souk, or asking them to help negotiate a price. If you love hospitality, rich culture, delicious food, history, and the freedom of exploring by bicycle, Tunisia is a great destination. It’s a place that invites you to learn about a beautiful culture, make friends, and enjoy the ride.
