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62°F / 17°C
(Scattered Clouds. Mild.)
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Art & Culture
Museums & Galleries
The most important museum in Tunis, which is actually one of the most important archaeological museums in North Africa, is the Musée du Bardo, famous for its Roman mosaics collection. The archeology lovers also shouldn't miss the Musée National de Carthage. Life in Tunis during the Ottoman times is featured in the museum of the former palace Dar Ben Abdallah, and also at the Sidi Bou Saïd mansion Dar El Annabi. The Mediterranean museum of the Dar Bach Hamba, in the medina, is modest but also benefits from the setting of an Ottoman mansion, as for the contemporary art museum in the Palais Kheireddine , the Dar Bouderbala art gallery and the exhibits of the Club Tahar Haddad.
Dance & Theatre
Theatrical presentations along with contemporary dance shows, operas and ballets are hosted in the beautiful building of the Théâtre Municipal in Tunis downtown. Theatrical performances in Arabic or in French are also given at the dynamic Théâtre de l’Étoile du Nord.
The Festival International de Carthage presents theatre and dance shows each year, with a varity of performances ranging from folk dance to contemporary dance. Dance shows from different countries are also on the program of the Festival de la Médina. The festival of the Journées Théâtrales de Carthage, which takes place every two years, is devoted to Arab and African theatre.
Cinema
Tunis isn't a city for movie-goers, except from certain occasions such as the Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage, which takes place every two years. Tunis' cinemas, such as Le Colisée (45, Avenue H. Bourguiba), the Parnasse (63, Avenue H.Bourguiba) or Le Rio (Street of Yougoslavie) screen commercial movies from Egypt, India and America. Some of them are subtitled in French. Art house movies can be found at the Maison de la Culture Ibn Khaldoun, but also sometimes at the Club Tahar Haddad. During the month of Ramadan, a few outdoor film shows take place for the Festival de la Médina.
Music
In the field of music, Tunis features spearheads of the preservation of the Arab-Andalusian musical heritage. There is of course the famous Arabic music institute of La Rachidia (Street Dar El Jeld in the medina, +216 71 560 844), which was created in 1934 and which is notably devoted to the teaching of Arabic music and to the documentation of the Tunisian music heritage. Concerts of the Rachidia musicians are sometimes hosted in this institute. But there is also the Palais du baron d’Erlanger (Dar Ennejma Ezzahra) where quality Arab-Andalusian music concerts take place all year long.
Each year, various festivals welcome music-lovers. Some of them are thematic, such as the classical music festival Octobre Musical in Carthage or the festival Jazz à Carthage. The others offer an array of music styles, like in the famous Festival International de Carthage or even during the Festival de la Médina.
Those wishing to listen to live music from young Tunisian bands will head to the Théâtre de l’Étoile du Nord and, for the night-owls, to Le Bœuf sur le toit. You can also check the programming of the Club Tahar Haddad, where classical music concerts can also be found.
Coffee Houses & Bars
One of the favorite pastimes of Tunisian males is together at local coffee houses to sip mint tea or coffee and enjoy a water pipe (called shisha in Tunis) to discuss, read the newspaper or play dominoes or cards. While the women may feel more comfortable in the coffee houses of H. Bourguiba Avenue. The Medina has a few beautiful coffee houses, such as the one of the Dar Hamouda Pacha (Restaurant & Salon de Thé), the one of the Hôtel Dar El Medina, the Café Restaurant M’Rabet or the Café Ezzitouna. There is also a nice coffee house in the Souk of the Chechias in the medina.
Tunis city-dwellers come to Sidi Bou Saïd to enjoy its two famous coffee-houses, the Café des Nattes
and the Café Sidi Chabaane. In La Marsa, everybody knows the Café Le Saf Saf where friends or families gather after having enjoyed a delicious ice-cream at Le Grand Salem (Chez Salem).
Bars are far less common than coffee houses. Other than the bars of the surrounding hotels, the most famous ones are located along Habib Bourguiba Avenue, like the Café de Paris.
Nightlife
Most of the discotheques can be found 20 kilometers away from Tunis, in the resorts of Gammarth, for instance the nightclub in the hotel La Tour Blanche. In La Marsa, the Discothèque Plaza Corniche is notably frequented by expatriates. Closer to Tunis is the trendy Light Bar in Carthage, whereas in La Goulette the Club Les Jasmins (6, Rue Bach Hamba) always has a festive atmosphere. A fun venue in Tunis is Le Bœuf sur le toit, which is unfortunately off-center.
Leisure & Beaches
Beaches follow one after the other along the seaside, north (La Goulette, Sidi Bou Saïd, La Marsa, Gammarth) and south (Hammam Lif) of Tunis. They are often very popular and especially crowded by families in the summertime, like in La Goulette. The nicest beaches are maybe those of La Marsa (La Marsa Cube). In Sidi Bou Saïd the beach is unfortunately narrow. Even though the Gammarth's seaside has been invaded by the hotels, it still possesses a few preserved beach corners, but a vehicle is necessary to go there.
Concerning leisure and sport activities, Tunis has some facilities, such as bowlings: the Golden Bowling - which features also a tennis court - or the Bowling Du Lac, both of them in the suburb of the Berges Du Lac, but also the bowling of the hotel Golden Tulip Carthage Tunis. Golfers will enjoy the Golf de Carthage. Close to the Golf is the equitation center of La Soukra. The Centre d’Animation Equestre Tunis Belvédère is closer to the city center, in the park of the Belvedere (Parc du Belvédère).
Various nautical sports are available in some hotels in Gammarth and the Hôtel Dar Saïd rents a sailing boat. Information are also available at the marina of Sidi Bou Saïd. For those wishing to quietly benefit from the wealth-effects of the sea-water, the center of thalassotherapy Les Thermes Marins de Carthage in Gammarth will be perfect.
More basic than this modern Spa are the traditional hammams, those hot popular public baths spread all over Tunisia, whose origin dates from the thermal baths of the Roman times. You will have to bring your own towel and swimsuit, a washcloth (better in bristle for the exfoliation), some soap and shampoo. Massages and exfoliation scrubbing are available on inexpensive extra. In Tunis, the Hammam Kachachine is really worth-it. This is an old hammam of the medina (in the Street Des Libraires), featuring green-and-red pillars, which is open only for men. As for women, they can go in the medina to the hammam of the Noria Street (next to the Dar Lasram). There are plenty of other hammams locations, you can ask at your hotel to have some advice.
Outdoor Activities
A journey in Tunis must include a walk through the medina, the old Arabic town, part of the UNESCO World Heritage. The archeology lovers will not miss the sites of the antique Carthage: the Thermes d'Antonin, the Colline de Byrsa (Byrsa Hill) and the Colline de l’Odéon (Odeon Hill). The families will like the luna park of Tunis, the Dah Dah Happy Land Entertainment Park. Those who need vegetation can make a walk along the Parc du Belvédère in Tunis. And if the domesticated nature of this park doesn't fit them, they can head to the Parc National du Jebel Bou Kornine, 18 kilometers away from Tunis. - Najda Laroussi
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