Tunisia
Mediterranean beaches, a genuinely underrated Roman-ruins circuit, and the Sahara itself — planned out without the guesswork.
Tunisia works well as a 7-10 day trip: 2 days in Tunis and Sidi Bou Said, 3-4 days on the coast (Hammamet or Djerba), and 2-3 days for a Sahara side-trip if you have the time. Best months are May-June and September-October for the coast; October-March for the Sahara (summer desert heat is a genuine safety issue, not just discomfort). Most Western nationalities get visa-free entry up to 90 days as of 2026 — verify the rule for your specific passport. Budget from $40/day backpacking, $80-150/day mid-range comfort.
Tunisia occupies a strange spot in the travel conversation: closer to Europe than Cancun is to New York, cheaper than Greece or southern Spain, and stacked with Roman ruins that would be mobbed with tour buses if they were in Italy instead — and yet it barely comes up when people plan a Mediterranean trip. That's the opportunity. A capital with a real medina and a Bardo Museum full of the best Roman mosaics anywhere, a blue-and-white cliffside village straight out of a postcard, a proper resort coastline, an island with its own airport and its own pace, and the actual Sahara desert (complete with real Star Wars filming locations) all within a country roughly the size of England.
This guide covers everything: where to go, how many days, when to fly, what it actually costs in USD, and the visa rule for your specific passport — not a generic one-size-fits-all answer. Written to be genuinely useful, and updated through the season.
Destinations
All Destinations ←
Tunis
2 days, a walkable medina, and the world's best Roman mosaic collection.
Sidi Bou Said
A cliffside blue-and-white village, 20 minutes from Tunis by train.
Kairouan
Islam's fourth-holiest city, a walled medina, and Tunisia's carpet capital.
Sousse
A UNESCO medina with real fortress walls, plus one of Tunisia's best beaches.
Beaches & Islands
All Beaches & Islands ←
Hammamet
Tunisia's resort coast — big all-inclusives, an hour from Tunis.
Djerba
An island off the south coast, with its own airport and its own pace.
Attractions
All Attractions ←
Carthage and El Djem: Tunisia's Roman Ruins
An ancient capital and the world's third-largest Roman amphitheater.
Sahara Desert Trips: Douz, Tozeur & Star Wars Locations
Real Sahara dunes — and the actual Tatooine filming sites.
Dougga: North Africa's Best-Preserved Roman Ruins
A whole Roman town, largely intact, on a hilltop with almost nobody around.
Matmata: Troglodyte Homes & Star Wars Filming Sites
Real underground Berber homes — and Luke Skywalker's actual childhood home.
Bardo National Museum
Home to one of the world's largest collections of Roman mosaics.
Kairouan Great Mosque
A stunning example of Islamic architecture and spirituality.
Food
All Food ←
Tunisian Food: What to Eat and What It Costs
Harissa, brik, couscous — genuinely good, genuinely underrated.
Where to Eat in Tunis and Sidi Bou Said
From a converted 18th-century palace to a cliffside mint tea.
Practical Info
All Practical Info ←
Tunisia Visa & Entry Requirements (2026)
The real answer, broken down by passport — Tunisia is more open than most assume.
Money, Safety & eSIM in Tunisia
The closed currency, honest safety notes, and getting online.
Articles & Comparisons
All Articles & Comparisons ←
Best Time to Visit Tunisia: Coast vs. Sahara
The coast and the desert want different months — plan accordingly.
7 Days in Tunisia: A Real, Workable Itinerary
Tunis, the coast, El Djem — and how to fit in the Sahara if you can.
The Biggest Mistakes First-Timers Make in Tunisia
The avoidable slip-ups that trip up almost every first-time visitor.
Tunisia Packing List: What to Actually Bring
Coast layers, desert layers, modest-dress basics, and the adapter you'll need.