Medina of Tunis
The old walled quarter of Tunis, a World Heritage site of covered souks, mosques and palaces. The Zaytuna Mosque sits at its heart, and the lanes are best explored on foot.
Tunis
Busy souks, a UNESCO-listed medina and the Bardo Museum's large collection of Roman mosaics are the capital's draws.
Attractive locations
Bardo National Museum
Tunisia's main archaeology museum, set in a former palace. It holds one of the world's largest collections of Roman mosaics, plus Punic, Islamic and Greek artefacts.
Al-Zaytunah Mosque
The great mosque at the heart of the medina, a major centre of Islamic learning for centuries. Non-Muslim visitors are usually limited to certain areas or to viewing the exterior.
Bab El Bhar
A grand gate marking the boundary between the French-built new town and the medina, topped with an arched opening. It is a natural starting point for exploring the old quarter.
Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul
A white 19th-century cathedral on the main avenue of the new town. It is still used for worship.
Tourbet El Bey
A large mausoleum in the medina holding the tombs of rulers from the Husainid dynasty. Its marble courtyards, tilework and carved ceilings show the wealth of the old court.
Dougga
A Roman town on a hillside in open farmland, with a theatre, temples, a forum and the foundations of many houses and baths. It lies about 100 km from Tunis and is a World Heritage site.
Airports
Tunis Carthage International Airport TUN
It is about 7 km in a straight line from Tunis.
Enfidha - Hammamet International Airport NBE
It is about 84 km in a straight line from Tunis.
Tabarka-Aïn Draham International Airport TBJ
It is about 118 km in a straight line from Tunis.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Tunisia page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan11.3 °C64 mm
- Feb11.2 °C50 mm
- Mar13.3 °C63 mm
- Apr16.1 °C54 mm
- May19.6 °C35 mm
- Jun24.3 °C20 mm
- Jul27.5 °C7 mm
- Aug27.8 °C21 mm
- Sep24.5 °C65 mm
- Oct21.1 °C61 mm
- Nov16.1 °C57 mm
- Dec12.6 °C66 mm
Driest months: Jun, Jul, Aug. Wettest months: Jan, Sep, Dec.
Costs
Prices here are about 31% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
Police 197. Ambulance 190. Fire 198. National Guard 193.
local government
Police Secours (national police emergency, 197)
Helps with: The Interior Ministry's e-services portal lists 197 as the Police Secours emergency number. The page has no information aimed at tourists.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Tunisia, including visitors, who needs police help.
Phone: 197
local government
Garde Nationale (National Guard, 193)
Helps with: The Interior Ministry's e-services portal lists 193 as the National Guard emergency number. The page has no information aimed at tourists.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Tunisia, including visitors, who needs help from the National Guard.
Phone: 193
local government
Protection Civile (Civil Protection, 198)
Helps with: The Interior Ministry's e-services portal lists 198 as the Civil Protection number. It is the number for Tunisia's civil protection service.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Tunisia, including visitors, who needs rescue or emergency help.
Phone: 198
local government
Office National du Tourisme Tunisien (ONTT)
Helps with: Tunisia's national tourism office. Its contact page gives head office addresses in Tunis, phone numbers and an email; it lists no tourist helpline.
Who qualifies: Anyone visiting Tunisia or planning a trip there.
Phone: 71 341 077
Email: [email protected]
ngo
Tunisian Red Crescent (Croissant-Rouge Tunisien)
Helps with: Tunisia's national Red Crescent society. Its site gives its head office in Tunis; the site text does not describe specific services for visitors.
Who qualifies: People in Tunisia who need to reach the national Red Crescent society.
Phone: +216 71 325 572
Email: [email protected]
Address: 19, Rue d'Angleterre, 1000 Tunis
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Tunisia
Helps with: The UN migration agency's mission in Tunis. Its contact page also lists a toll-free assistance number (numéro vert d'assistance).
Who qualifies: Migrants in Tunisia. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +216 71 860 312
Email: [email protected]
Address: 6, Rue du Lac le Bourget, Les Berges du Lac, 1053 Tunis
embassy
Foreign embassies in Tunisia (official diplomatic list)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Tunisian foreign ministry's diplomatic list (June 2024) gives each mission's phone, email and address.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy.