A Travelogue on Tunisia. 1 Day in Tunisia – Sights
How we were welcomed at the harbor, what to watch out for in Tunisia, which French baron ordered what colors people should paint their houses in and what sights you can see for the undead - this and more interesting information, read in the current travelogue about Tunisia, Part of the series of travelogues "With children on the Cote d'Azur + Mediterranean cruise + Amalfi Coast".
SEE THE ITINERARY, SCHEDULE, AND COSTS FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP HERE.
TO THE PREVIOUS TRAVELOGUE IN THIS SERIES: HERE
Attention!!! In my preliminary study about Tunisia, a lot of the information I found on the Internet was about how dangerous it is to walk alone there, how we must pay for an organized group excursion, and how tourists have been robbed, threatened and even kidnapped for the purpose of blackmailing and receiving large sums of money.
I would not allow myself to dispute these claims, as there were probably some such isolated cases, but what I saw with my own eyes differs radically from the information on the Internet and I have not felt threatened for a moment.
However, there are some tips that should be taken into account, such as:
- do not walk alone at night
- dress decently (it applies to women mostly) - no big necklines, no short skirts and cropped pants. The heads - covered with a cloth, hat, cap. A long summer enchanting dress with a cap on the head would do a great job. Keep in mind that it's warm in Tunisia and the sun is burning very hard and the head covering is even welcome.
- Hold your children's hands
- do not touch goods, souvenirs, etc. Unless you're not going to buy them
How to get around - by excursion, train or taxi?
Our ship MSC Grandiosa docked at the port in La Goulette. During our one-day stay in Tunisia, we wanted to visit the beautiful town of Sidi Bou Said, as well as the medina in the capital city of Tunisia. Everything was about 10 kilometers from the port, so at first I decided that we would get through the public transport. The ship's excursions were at insane prices, so they (as an option) were dropped at the beginning.
The public transport I was considering was actually the oldest railway in Tunisia (Tunis-Goulette-Marsa Train) founded in 1872. The closer the cruise approached, the more I started to read that this line is in a very bad condition - very dirty, miserable, without air conditioning in June and with an inaccurate train schedule, so at the last minute we decided that we would move not by train, but by taxi.
The big mistake we made was that immediately after leaving the cruise terminal we agreed to the first taxi price we were offered, and it was 70 euros for a whole day (for the whole car in total) and the price included a stop at Sidi Bou Said, in Carthage and V Medina. Later, from other Bulgarians we had met on the ship, we found out that there were other taxis a little further away from the port, which were much cheaper and took, for example, 10 euros just for the one-way transfer from the port to Sidi Bou Said i.e. it would have been halfway...
Excluding this cab overspending blunder, I can tell you personally that Tunisia unexpectedly liked it. The rest of the family members do not share my opinion at all, but I am personally impressed by what I have seen and would return here for longer.
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Sidi Bou Said – Tunisia's Blue-White Pearl
Arriving at the harbor in Tunisia, we were greeted by Arabic music and camels at sunrise. We had a quick breakfast on the ship, passed through the stalled cruise terminal, and here we are - in the taxi, traveling in the direction of Sidi Bou Said.
Sidi Bou Said is an extremely picturesque city, an architectural landmark that fascinates its visitors through whitewashed houses decorated with blue doors and roofs! In 1920, the French baron Rodolph d'Erlanger managed to issue an order for all newly built buildings to be white and blue, as well as to be on a maximum of 2 floors. Today, Sidi Bou Said is part of the UNESCO cultural heritage, as well as the nearby ruins of Carthage. Sidi Bow Said is very reminiscent of some picturesque Greek village and is the perfect place for Instagram spam.
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The Dar El-Annabi Ethnographic Museum was also held in the blue and white range outside, and on the inside showed much of the culture, traditions and lifestyle of the local population.
The aroma of jasmine and orange was everywhere. The wooden lattice screens characteristic of the local architecture on the windows and balconies are called moucharabiehs and keep the atmosphere in the houses cool, while at the same time fresh air enters in a natural way. The whole town is calmly toured for 2 to a maximum of 3 hours.
American Cemetery
After Sidi Bou Said, our taxi driver offered to stop so we could check out Carthage, which is located between Sidi Bou Said and La Goulette, but we’re generally not big fans of archaeological sites, and besides, we have kids who, if you take them to any archaeological site, will start saying “I’m bored” the very next second. So we skipped Carthage, and the next place we stopped at was the North Africa American Cemetery. Admission is free. I was really impressed by the photos of this American cemetery online and wanted to see it in person. It’s definitely worth seeing in person—an exceptionally well-kept place, with lush green grass and rows of white crosses. One of the reviews of this place mentioned that it’s the only place in Tunisia where you can freely see a Christian cross.
It was interesting to enter the cemetery. There was a guard and the man asked us if we were Americans. We replied that we weren't and he first said we couldn't get in, but then he decided to ask us where we were anyway. When we said we were from Bulgaria, he smiled, shook his head affirmatively and showed us with a gesture that we are welcome. And so we entered.
There is another “attraction” in the Carthage area that we didn’t have time to visit—the Tophet de Carthage. It is a cemetery for children who were sacrificed to the Phoenician gods.
The medina in the capital Tunisia
Then again with the same driver we reached the medina of the capital Tunisia. The medina begins at the Bab al-Bahr gate - also known as the Porte de France, which is reminiscent of the time when Tunisia was under French rule (1881-1956). The medina of Tunisia was founded in the 7th century after the fall of Carthage.
The place corresponds 100% to the description for Medina, i.e. if you go inside, you can't get out if you're without a map. Literally! You think you're going east, and it turns out you're going north. You go north, and at the same time you started going south. In the maze of the Medina, one is completely confused about the directions of the world, and the easiest thing to do is to get lost.
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In this regard, I recommend GuruWalk's free tours. These tours are made with meat guides that walk you through the most notable places on the chosen march and share interesting facts about them. Tours are paid on a voluntary basis, leaving everyone as they see fit in the form of a tip.
The medina in Tunisia - narrow paths, strong smells, all colors and fabrics, kitsch, chaos, noise, carpets, spices, handmade clay vessels, curtains, scarves, women's dresses, children's clothes, workshops, cafes and Many, many other things in abundance and variety. The French language was the one that the locals used to address us. Separately, Arabic is the official language in Tunisia.
It struck us that there was a gendarmerie in several places in the Tunisia area that does not allow it to be photographed with a phone. Otherwise, the phone will likely be confiscated.
–> Browse and book a budget hotel in Tunisia at a discount. See here!
It was afternoon and the driver brought us back to the ship. What we weren't prepared for in Tunisia was the weather outside - very dry and very hot. The temperature during our visit at the end of June was around 45 degrees. According to the taxi driver, in the summer the degrees rise to 50-55.
I didn't expect it to be clean in Tunisia. I had prepared myself mentally that it would be dirty and unsettled as it is with almost every Arab country, but alas - I was pleasantly surprised! Overall, I liked Tunisia a lot both with the pretty quiet streets of Sidi Bou Said and the wacky amp in the medina.