Itinerary Tunis, Sidi Bou Said & Sousse

May is an excellent month to visit Tunisia: expect warm, sunny days, pleasant Mediterranean breezes, and lower crowds before the peak summer influx. Beaches are enjoyable, archaeological sites comfortably explored, and the weather is perfect for both city strolling and day trips.

💰 Budget overview

Category	Amount
✈️ Transport	700 USD
🏨 Accommodations	860 USD
🧳 Gear	100 USD
🗺️ On-site	740 USD
Total	2400 USD

🗺️ Activities & landmarks

🇹🇳 Tunis - 3 days

☀️ Daytime

• [ ] 🏛️ Medina of Tunis ⭐⭐⭐ (~2h)
  • UNESCO World Heritage — Explore labyrinthine alleys, souks, and centuries-old mosques.
• [ ] 🏙️ Avenue Habib Bourguiba ⭐⭐ (~1h)
  • Main artery of modern Tunis with French colonial facades and cafés.
• [ ] 🕌 Zitouna Mosque ⭐⭐⭐ (~1h)
  • Iconic 8th-century mosque; dress modestly; non-Muslims can view from the courtyard.
• [ ] 🛕 Dar Ben Abdallah Museum ⭐⭐ (~1h)
  • Beautiful palace-turned-museum focusing on Tunisian arts and traditions.
• [ ] 🏺 Bardo Museum ⭐⭐⭐ (~2h)
  • Premier museum in North Africa; home to world-famous Roman mosaics.
• [ ] 🌳 Belvedere Park ⭐⭐ (~1h)
  • City’s green lung; ideal for walks and local views.
• [ ] 🎨 Palais Kheireddine ⭐ (~1h)
  • Art museum in a splendid historic mansion.
• [ ] 🏙️ Bab el Bhar (Porte de France) ⭐⭐ (~30min)
  • Symbolic city gate between old and new Tunis.
• [ ] 🏛️ Tourbet el Bey Mausoleum ⭐⭐ (~1h)
  • Resting place of Tunisian beys in Moorish-Andalusian splendour.

🌙 Evening & night

• [ ] 🍸 El Ali Café & Restaurant ⭐⭐ (~2h)
  • Elegant rooftop in the medina, excellent for mint tea and sunset views.

🍽️ Must-try food spots

• [ ] 🍜 Souk el Blat food stalls ⭐⭐⭐
  • Bustling local fare — try lablebi (chickpea stew). ~3-5 USD/meal.

🔁 Optional if time permits

• [ ] 🏙️ Sidi Mahrez Mosque (~30min)
  • Ornate Ottoman-era mosque, less crowded.

🇹🇳 Sidi Bou Said - 1 day

☀️ Daytime

• [ ] 🏙️ Village of Sidi Bou Said ⭐⭐⭐ (~2h)
  • Iconic blue-and-white clifftop village, panoramic views over the Gulf of Tunis.
• [ ] 🎨 Ennejma Ezzahra Palace ⭐⭐ (~1h)
  • Moorish palace and music museum.
• [ ] 🌳 Café des Nattes ⭐⭐ (~1h)
  • Historic café — order thé aux pignons and people-watch.
• [ ] 🏛️ Dar El Annabi ⭐⭐ (~1h)
  • Traditional house-museum.
• [ ] 🌳 Bou Kornine National Park (day trip option) ⭐ (~3h)
  • Hiking, pine forests, and viewpoints over the coast.
• [ ] 🏖️ Sidi Bou Said Beach ⭐⭐ (~2h)
  • Relaxed coastal stretch just below the village.

🌙 Evening & night

• [ ] 🍸 Café Sidi Chabaane (Cliffside Café) ⭐⭐ (~1h)
  • Stunning sunset coastal views; informal, popular spot.

🍽️ Must-try food spots

• [ ] 🍜 Restaurant Au Bon Vieux Temps ⭐⭐⭐
  • Seafront Tunisian-French cuisine; fresh grilled fish. ~12-20 USD/meal.

🔁 Optional if time permits

• [ ] 🏙️ Amphitheatre of Carthage (~1.5h)
  • Nearby, famous Roman ruins.

🇹🇳 Sousse - 3 days

☀️ Daytime

• [ ] 🏖️ Sousse Beach ⭐⭐⭐ (~2-4h)
  • Wide sandy stretch; sunbathing, swimming, and water sports.
• [ ] 🏛️ Sousse Medina & Ribat ⭐⭐⭐ (~2h)
  • Walled old city, UNESCO-listed, with fortress-like ribat offering panoramic views.
• [ ] 🏛️ Great Mosque of Sousse ⭐⭐ (~1h)
  • Stark early Islamic architecture.
• [ ] 🌳 Boujaafar Promenade ⭐⭐ (~1h)
  • Seaside walk, lively atmosphere day and night.
• [ ] 🏛️ Kasbah & Archaeological Museum ⭐⭐ (~1.5h)
  • Impressive fort and artifacts, including mosaics.
• [ ] 🎨 Dar Essid Museum ⭐⭐ (~1h)
  • Intimate museum in a former noble residence.
• [ ] 🏙️ Port El Kantaoui ⭐⭐ (~2h)
  • Modern marina, shopping, eateries, and boat tours.
• [ ] 🌳 Hergla Village ⭐ (~2h)
  • Peaceful day trip for traditional crafts and quiet beaches.
• [ ] 🏛️ Catacombs of Sousse ⭐ (~1h)
  • Early Christian burial galleries, atmospheric and cool.

🌙 Evening & night

• [ ] 🍸 The Saloon Bar (Marina) ⭐⭐ (~2h)
  • Popular for live music, cocktails, and sea views (dress smart-casual).

🍽️ Must-try food spots

• [ ] 🍜 Restaurant du Peuple ⭐⭐⭐
  • Local institution for seafood and couscous. ~8-14 USD/meal.

🔁 Optional if time permits

• [ ] 🏙️ Monastir and Ribat Monastir (~0.5 day)
  • Easy day trip; more fortresses and marina.

🎬 Films & series to watch

🇹🇳 Tunis

• [ ] 🎬 The Silences of the Palace (1994) — ⭐ 7.4 — Acclaimed film set in Tunis, exploring women’s lives under colonial rule. Prime Video
• [ ] 🎬 As I Open My Eyes (2015) — ⭐ 7.4 — Coming-of-age during Tunisia’s revolution; strong music/cultural themes. Netflix

🇹🇳 Sidi Bou Said

• [ ] 📺 A Summer in La Goulette (1996) — ⭐ 6.5 — Captures daily life near Tunis and Sidi Bou Said during the 1960s. VOD

🇹🇳 Sousse

• [ ] 🎬 Black Gold (2011) — ⭐ 6.6 — Epic desert drama with scenes filmed on Tunisia’s coast. Netflix

🍜 Local specialties

🇹🇳 Tunis

• [ ] Couscous au poisson (fish couscous)
• [ ] Brik à l'œuf (deep-fried pastry with egg)
• [ ] Lablabi (chickpea, garlic, and harissa stew)

🇹🇳 Sidi Bou Said

• [ ] Grilled Mediterranean fish
• [ ] Bambalouni (Tunisian doughnut)
• [ ] Thé aux pignons (pine nut tea)

🇹🇳 Sousse

• [ ] Ojja merguez (spicy tomato and sausage stew)
• [ ] Mechouia salad (grilled salad with olive oil)
• [ ] Makroud (date-filled semolina pastry)

📍 Maps - places to pin

🇹🇳 Tunis

1. Medina of Tunis
2. El Ali Café & Restaurant
3. Souk el Attarine
4. Dar Ben Abdallah (recommended hotel location)
5. Souk el Blat stalls

🇹🇳 Sidi Bou Said

1. Village of Sidi Bou Said
2. Café Sidi Chabaane
3. Ennejma Ezzahra
4. Dar Said Hotel
5. Restaurant Au Bon Vieux Temps

🇹🇳 Sousse

1. Sousse Medina & Ribat
2. The Saloon Bar
3. Port El Kantaoui Mall
4. Hotel Marhaba Beach Sousse
5. Restaurant du Peuple

✈️ Transport to book

• [ ] ✈️ London → Tunis
• [ ] 🚅 Tunis → Sousse
• [ ] 🚅 Sousse → Tunis (or direct transfer to Tunis airport)
• [ ] ✈️ Tunis → London

🏨 Accommodations

City	Nights	Accommodation	Price
Tunis	3	La Maison Blanche or similar	330 USD
Sidi Bou Said	1	Dar Said	120 USD
Sousse	3	Marhaba Beach Hotel	410 USD
Total	7		860 USD