Sidi Bou Said

Perched on a cliff overlooking the Gulf of Tunis, Sidi Bou Said is the most photographed village in Tunisia: white façades, blue doors and mashrabiyas, bougainvillea and cobbled lanes. Painters and writers have followed one another here for a century. You come to stroll, drink a pine-nut tea on a terrace and watch the sun set over the bay.

Things to see and do

• The main street and its craft shops, up to the lighthouse.
• The Café des Nattes and the Café des Délices, village institutions.
• Dar El Annabi, a traditional house open to visitors, and the Ennejma Ezzahra palace (Centre for Arab and Mediterranean Music).
• The marina below and the beach.
• The walk to La Marsa, or a visit to nearby Carthage.

How to get there from Djerba

Sidi Bou Said is about twenty kilometres north-east of Tunis. From Djerba, fly to Tunis (about an hour), then take the TGM train from Tunis-Marine station (35 minutes) or a taxi. The village is seen in half a day, ideally combined with Carthage. We arrange flights, hotel and a guided day on request.

When to go

All year round, preferably spring and autumn. In summer, late afternoons are the most pleasant, when crowds thin and the light gilds the façades. Winter offers a quiet village, perfect for photography.