The Best Hotels in Tunis

Tunis Hotels

The capital of Tunisia is steeped in history, Arabic and French culture colliding at every corner. There are the wide boulevards of the Ville Nouvelle with French café culture dominating the sunny pavements, where you can sip a coffee. In the Medina, the highly patterned mosques and networks of souqs offer Arab exoticism. Bathed by the Mediterranean Sea and surrounded by the arid, rose-tinted Atlas Mountains, Tunis also provides escapes from the city, whether it’s sun-drenched beaches or desert oases.

Things to see

The Medina is the most beguiling area of Tunis – it’s like a city within a city and at first, the crowded, narrow streets can seem like a maze of dizzying souqs and Islamic-pattern tiling, but a structure becomes apparent as you explore. Enter through the forbidding, stone Port de France, linking the Medina with the new town, and follow the Rue de la Kasbah to the souqs. The Zitouna Mosque provides a central landmark. Non-Muslims can only visit the outside and a small viewing gallery, but even with this limited access, it is an impressive sight. The Bardo Museum in the new town is well worth a visit as much for the grandeur of the cloistered, decorative hall as for the stunning mosaics and sculptures. History buffs will also want to take a trip out to the Roman city of Dougga, an extensive site with the remains of Pantheon-like temples.

Hotels in Tunis

Tunis is brimming with a wide variety of accommodation options, and there are some great Tunis hotels waiting to be snapped up, with 5-star beach resorts costing a fraction of what you might pay elsewhere in the Mediterranean. These hotels boast every modern convenience, including outdoor pool and bar areas, as well as international restaurants on an all-inclusive basis. In the center of Tunis, there are a variety of hotels available with a more traditional Tunisian feel, with intricately-decorated furnishings and views of the spires and domes of the Medina. Cheap hotels and more upscale options with greater luxuries are available.

Where to stay

Staying inside the Medina means you’re guaranteed a hotel with plenty of charm and atmosphere, whether it is a basic guesthouse with patterned rugs and shutters on the windows, or a luxurious boutique hotel with opulent seating areas and terraces with city views. It’s the ideal location for a cultural break. If you’d prefer an all-inclusive beach holiday, stay in the Gamarth District, a narrow peninsula between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sabkhet Arina Lake. You’ll have instant access to sandy beaches and the warm waters of the Med, as well as having every need catered for within the resort.

How to get to Tunis

International flights arrive into the Tunis-Carthage Airport, situated 8 kilometers northeast of the city center. The airport receives flights from major Western European destinations, including London, Frankfurt, and Paris; travelers coming from further afield should connect at one of these airports. There are plenty of taxis outside the airport, but it’s a rabble, with taxi drivers vying for your business. Be prepared to hold your ground – and hold onto your case – until you have negotiated the price. Driving into central Tunis, particularly if you are staying in the Medina, is not recommended, but is an easy option for the resorts.