From the bustling alleys of Tunis to the renowned oases and the «island of the Lotus-Eaters».
By Taxideutoula
Tunisia seemed like an exotic destination, but we knew the truly interesting part of this trip would be the tour of the oases, for which it is famed! In summer, temperatures in the Sahara are almost prohibitive; at Christmas the northern cities are cold in a way that doesn’t suit Africa, so spring felt like the only option.
Once again we found ourselves spending Easter in a Muslim country. Our flight was late at night, so we went straight to the hotel. The exploration would begin the next day.
It is April 28, my birthday, and we are roaming the bustling alleys of Tunis. Beautiful Arab doors, shisha cafés where you see only men sitting, vendors in the souks asking where you’re from, sweet shops offering you the traditional date confection, women in headscarves doing their shopping, and so much more.
Outside the Medina walls, gorgeous Art Nouveau buildings from the era of French rule. Tunis, the capital, is a blend of the Mediterranean and North Africa. After all, French together with Arabic are the main languages Tunisians speak.
As a beautiful, full day drew to a close and we listened to the muezzin calling the faithful, just as I was taking one last photo, in seconds a hand snatched my phone and bolted into the narrow alleys! An unbelievable chase began, shouts and pounding footsteps echoing through the lanes. A local tried to stop him in a long alley but by a split second the young man slipped through our hands; our inevitable fall slowed us down, and in the crowded square that followed, all hope vanished.
The local who tried to catch him led us to the nearby café, where a friend of his offered to help. He put my husband on his scooter and they set off in search of the thief. Two hundred meters away they spotted him and his friend strolling casually on the opposite sidewalk. They approached, and he quickly admitted he took it and agreed to return it for 30 euros. The birthday spirit was on my side—so all’s well that ends well! These things happen, and not only on trips.
The next day the wonderful people working at the hotel helped us withdraw cash from a machine that had no English option (we don’t know French), and also to get a SIM card for the phone and the taxi app. We have to say, all the staff at Dar El Medina in central Tunis were exceptional! They made us feel as if we were at home.
Outside the city, a visit to Ancient Carthage is almost a given, mainly for its historical significance. We preferred to visit its seaside side. The ultra-touristy Sidi Bou Said, very close by where we sat for a coffee, perhaps we should have avoided.
In Tunisia, the way you travel from city to city is interesting: the so-called louages, something between a bus and a taxi. Small vans that seat 8 passengers and cost just a few euros for 2–3 hour journeys. You just have to wait for all seats to fill before they leave! Which means you might have to wait up to two hours—luckily, we never waited more than 30 minutes.
Our next stop after Tunis was the famed Kairouan, the fourth holiest city in Islam after Mecca, Jerusalem and Medina. A beautiful, atmospheric Arab city that transports you to the past. Many scenes from the film “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” were shot here. First stop, after a few hours of wandering, an old café.
A distinctive character whom at first we thought was a regular turned out to be a waiter lounging at a table—a striking, almost caricature-like figure, tall and lean with a mustache and curly hair, extremely talkative. Within the next half hour he had recounted his life story and expounded his views on all the big questions that concern humankind! Our new, likable friend then offered to guide us to discover the secrets of the Holy City; he did show us some lovely spots and helped us figure out how to leave the next day by taking us to the bus station. There, luckily for us, he latched onto two tourists he tried to help orient, and thus left us in peace!
The next morning we found ourselves traveling by bus (there’s no louage to the next town). Tozeur, swathed in palms and with rising heat, gives you the sense you’re nearing the south; it’s famed for the country’s vast date production!
The biggest surprise, though, was the hotel, tucked into the small yet very distinctive Medina! You opened its doors and stepped into a little paradise! We began exploring Tozeur at the Berber Café, a traditional café with a very friendly owner, kind-hearted and humorous. We then wandered the streets in and out of the Medina, walked through a vast palm grove (250,000 date palms, we were told), and bought (what else?) dates from a local grower. Tozeur is an atmospheric town, a serene oasis, ideal as an introduction to southern Tunisia!
The next day it was time for the famed tour of the oases, Chebika, Tamerza and other surreal landscapes where many films were shot, most famously “Star Wars.” After a three-hour tour we ended up in the town of Douz, the so-called gateway to the Sahara!
Strolling around town we met a Berber outside his little shop, in traditional dress with the classic turban on his head—talkative and very friendly, he treated us to tea and, as you can imagine, we immediately sat with him! Born in the desert without even knowing when! He traveled to Europe, lived a few years in Spain (he has a son there), and returned, unable to stand life in a city apartment. Back in his country, every summer he takes his camels and moves to his tent deep in the desert, guided by the stars! (now try going back to the office after that!).
The next day a mustachioed man—Mustapha with his huge turban and battered jeep—picked us up, and we vanished into the desert. Two hours of rough driving over giant dunes before reaching the oasis of Ksar Ghilane, where we would camp overnight. A camel ride at sunset before dinner was a must.
In the morning, leaving the oasis behind, we set out to visit the Ksour, those unique clay structures used as food stores in old times. We headed with Mustapha and his beat-up jeep into the Berber desert. Then on to Matmata, famous for its troglodyte homes, with the Sidi Driss hotel where “Star Wars” was filmed. The hospitable locals let us satisfy our curiosity and wander the underground corridors of the troglodytes, where the Berbers lived to escape the southern heat.
Somewhere there we said goodbye to Mustapha, who dropped us at a strange desert station (it felt like a movie set somewhere in Mexico!), waiting for the bus with five locals in the café next door, to take us to the nearest town, from where we would catch the next louage to transfer to the island of Djerba.
Late at night we arrived at the country’s largest island, believed to be the land of the Lotus-Eaters (known from Odysseus’ voyage). Here we would rest for two days from the desert dust. We soaked up the sun and sea before setting off for Sfax with the next louage. An underrated city without tourism, which made it more appealing in our eyes. In fact, its vast Medina, the day we arrived, was deserted because the market was closed, and we saw a completely different side of it compared to the next day when the bustling crowd brought it to life and noise. We left enraptured for our last stop, the very beautiful Sousse!
Here tourism began to make its appearance again, yet there was a very charming Medina with Arab cafés and magical corners where you could lose yourself at the next turn. We wrapped up the trip beautifully before returning to Tunis, where we would catch our flight home. We skipped famous Hammamet. We feared that as the most touristic city it would spoil the magic that comes from mingling with locals.
The truth is that in this country we felt a bit like we were at home. Perhaps because we were in the Mediterranean, perhaps because we moved around by public transport; mainly, though, I believe it was because people treated us like friends, opened their homes and hearts to us, and told us their stories, while being curious to learn about us too.
We won’t forget dear Aziz from Tunis, who helped us so much, nor the good-hearted, jokey owner of the Berber Café in Tozeur—let alone the authentic Berber who treated us to tea in Douz—and so many others we will always hold in our hearts.
Tunisia isn’t as Instagrammable as, say, nearby Morocco, but it is more authentic, and a traveler may well appreciate it even more!
