A little more
Tunisia.
A lot less roaming.

Travelling to Tunisia: what to know before you go

Tunisia packs Roman ruins, whitewashed clifftop villages, old walled medinas, Mediterranean beaches and the edge of the Sahara into a country you can cross in a day. It suits history lovers, beach holidaymakers and travellers curious about desert landscapes and North African food, from couscous to brik.

Where to go

• Carthage and Sidi Bou Said. The ruins of ancient Carthage, Rome's great rival, spread across the coastal suburbs of Tunis, including the Antonine Baths and the Punic ports.
• Tunis medina. A UNESCO-listed maze of souks, palaces and mosques centred on the Zitouna Mosque.
• El Jem. A remarkably well-preserved Roman amphitheatre, among the largest ever built, rising above a small town in the centre of the country.
• Kairouan. One of the holiest cities in the Islamic world, with the Great Mosque of Kairouan, founded in the 7th century, the Aghlabid basins and a medina known for carpets and makroudh, date-filled pastries.

Best time to visit

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are ideal for sightseeing and the desert, with warm days and cooler nights. Summer (June to August) is hot, particularly inland and in the south, but it is peak season on the coast.

Staying online in Tunisia

Mobile coverage is good in Tunis, coastal cities and most towns, with 4G widely available. Coverage thins out in the interior and the south, and in the Sahara around Douz and Ksar Ghilane signal can be weak or absent at desert camps. Wi-Fi is common in hotels and many cafés, although speeds vary. Download offline maps before heading south. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.