Tunisia

Reasons to go:

1. Tunis

1.1 ★ National Museum of Bardo

Exciting architecture, since the museum is a former palace, and an impressive collection of mosaics.
Make time for it - it is a big one. If short on time, start from the upper floor which is more impressive.
You can take metro (tram) number 4 to Bardo station. Tito’s coffee nearby is good.

1.2 Tunis Centre

★ Dar Lasram - a magnificent palace. It is a great place to start your exploration of Tunis, as it has a small museum section that will draw your attention to other beautiful buildings around Tunis that are being restored. The location is Rue Du Tribunal 24, look for a house number 24 around (36.802309, 10.168075), near Google Maps location for Dar Lasram but not that building. Tickets are cheap and official. There are several more dars (palaces) in the medina, in various states of disrepair.
★ Royal Mausoleum of Tourbet el Bey - a huge mausoleum to explore; magnificent architecture, carved marble and history. Tickets are cheap and official.
Ez-Zitouna Mosque - the most famous one. Entrance at (36.797626, 10.170984). Free. Short opening hours, starting at 14:30?
Abandoned Hôtel du Lac (36.8020, 10.1873) - an architecturally exciting building (from the outside).
There are so many beautiful buildings scattered around the city centre - for example (36.803603, 10.180954), (36.801103, 10.177978), (36.800998, 10.179703) and many more. Decaying Villa Yvonne (36.8051, 10.1811). My favourite spot is (36.798318, 10.180016) - two magnificent public sculptures outside a bank and a fantastic renovated building across the street, beautifully lit up at night.
The medina of Tunis. There are 3 completely different experiences you could have - beautiful architecture of traditional medina around Royal Mausoleum of Tourbet el Bey (where local people live and shop), souvenir lined touristy part just beyond the Bab al-Bhar, and the same touristy part after 19:00 when it is completely dead and you’ll have only cats to keep you company. My advice - have a coffee at Ezzitouna Cafe (36.797573, 10.171856) which is always busy with locals, see National Monument of the Kasbah just outside the medina, and avoid Cafe Panorama (a famous scam) at all costs.
Central market of Tunis is the best place where to buy fruit and veg. Nearby Rue d’Espagne (36.796759, 10.17634) is lined with shops selling dried fruits and nuts. Oulet Zmen has a particularly large selection. And while you are here, don’t miss the beautiful post office building (36.796645, 10.178102).
Marché Sidi El Bahri (36.806599, 10.175173) - a nice local market. Not as big as Central market of Tunis, but it has a nice local vibe. You can find stall baking fresh bread. There is also a fresh juice place - Apollo11 (36.805649, 10.176102).
Try two traditional breakfasts - sorghum porridge and lablebi (a chickpea soup served over stale bread and topped with fresh garlic, herbs and harissa). I tried sorghum porridge (spelled Dro3 or Drôo in Arabic) at So7lob beb El khadhra (36.809661, 10.172985) and lablebi at (36.797602, 10.172317). Both are served in similar clay bowls. Once you learn to spot stalls with these bowls, you’ll find many place.
Avenue Habib Bourguiba - walk from Tunis Clock Tower, past the pretty building of Municipal Theatre, Cathedral of St Vincent (notice the arms reaching out to you from the top of the building), this building supported by beautiful statues (36.799438, 10.176983) and to Bab al-Bhar (an entrance to the medina). For a fun traditional interior pop into Café Dar Zmen for a coffee.

1.3 Carthage

You’ll have to buy a ticket at the first place you visit. The ticket will include the list of other places you can visit for free on the same day. All the sites are convenient walking distance away from each other, despite what the taxi drivers would like you to believe. This is the route I took:

Baths of Antoninus - one of the most exciting places, and hence my first stop. The best things were the view of the Roman Bath (36.854707, 10.334351) and underground Chapel of Asterius (36.854482, 10.332556). Entrance at (36.854024, 10.332777). This site borders the President’s palace, so binoculars are not allowed. They’ll find them on the x-ray scan of your bag.
The Roman Villas District. The best bit was the mosaics at (36.857816, 10.331307). I loved the bird stepping on the hedgehog. Entrance at (36.856591, 10.331184).
Roman Theatre of Carthage. Entrance at (36.857089, 10.328947). Now repurposed for concerts, see if you can get tickets to attend one.
Baths of Gargilius (36.856647, 10.325184). Free and hence not mentioned on the ticket.
Walk through Baths of Gargilius (a pedestrian path instead of walking along the road) to reach (36.857729, 10.319321) for a glimpse of Cisterns of La Malga. The security didn’t let me have a look around, but you can see pretty mush everything from the entrance.
Roman Amphitheatre of Carthage. See the best view from (36.855735, 10.314669) and make sure you explore all the tunnels. Entrance at (36.856918, 10.31555).
Carthage National Museum. While the museum was closed for renovation, there is still loads to explore within the ticketed area. The only entrance/exit was at (36.853215, 10.322663).
From there walk around the Saint Louis Cathedral and to the stairs at (36.852671, 10.325435) to descend from Byrsa Hill. Walk past Carthage Paleo-Christian Museum - it is not worth a visit, but you might want to pop in for a free bathroom (some of the ticketed sites include a bathroom, including this one).
Punic Ports of Carthage. Entrance at (36.843292, 10.32549). Don’t miss the tiny building (36.844373, 10.32592) housing the models of what the port used to be like during Carthaginian and Roman times. On your way out, peak through the fence of Marine Sciences Museum to see the whale skeleton. Explore the views of the Punic Ports of Carthage from (36.845056, 10.327396) for free.
From here you could continue exploring - Salammbo Tophet (a cemetery), Quartier Didon and Quartier Magon will be the 3 remaining options on your ticket.
Les Indécis - great restaurant (vegetarian and sea food) to finish off a long walk. This was my favourite restaurant in the whole of Tunisia.

Notes:

Watch OverSimplified videos of The First and the Second Punic Wars before going.
I found Nicki’s blog useful.
The train from Tunis Marine station is more of an adventure than an efficient way to get to/from Carthage. When I visited, I had to take a train half-way, then walk for 1 station and then take another train. I had fun.

1.4 Sidi Bou Said and La Marsa

Sidi Bou Said is a super touristy, but pretty, neighbourhood with cobbled streets and blue-and-white houses. Ben Rahim is a nice cafe.
See viewpoints at (36.870359, 10.350997), (36.869846, 10.352566) and (36.872164, 10.348098). Explore a small local cemetery at (36.873641, 10.347056).
Continue to La Marsa - an upscale neighbourhood. See Kobbet El Haoua (36.885973, 10.334071) - an abandoned hotel on the beach. From here you have a big beach to enjoy.
Continue past this cemetery (36.889393, 10.323212) to reach War Cemetery of Gammarth (36.897237, 10.313049) for a bit of history and great views of the area.

On my wishlist:

Climbing Djebel Ressas.
Walking to Fort Santiago of Chikly.
Exploring the residential area around Symbiose Healthy Tasty Food and PITA-GORE Greek Food Lab.
The Abandoned Casino.

Tunis notes:

Bolt taxi app works in Tunis, but only with cash payments.
Metro (trams) consists of 6 routes. Tickets are sold at the station from a little house; you cannot buy them in advance as you get it stamped with the time of purchase and it is only valid for the next tram. See this blog for a detailed explanation. It seems like nobody knows when the next tram will come.
Tunis airport: You can buy sim cards here with a card payment. There is also an ATM to get cash for paying for Bolt taxi from the airport.
City Sport shop (36.801212, 10.182097) sells “Daty” protein bars, these are the only protein bars I found in Tunisia.

2. Around Monastir

★ El Jem. A single ticket (available in both locations) includes both Amphitheater of El Jem (it is magnificent!) and El Jem Museum (mosaics, a lot of hunting scenes with blood). Visit the museum first, so you can spend the rest of the day enjoying the amphitheatre - walking through its many passages, finding the most photogenic angles and simply sitting and admiring it.
Monastir. Ribat of Monastir (not free) is a lot of fun and has great views from the top of the tower. Mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba (free) is beautiful and won’t take long to explore. This (35.77498, 10.837918) is a great viewpoint. Monastir seems like an enjoyable city, perhaps I should have work-from-homed here instead of Tunis.
Sousse Archaeological Museum - great mosaics and great views from the top. This Roman column (35.822686, 10.639498) is so random. On my wishlist - Sofra Cistern (35.824379, 10.637587).
Basins of Aghlabides was my favourite thing in Kairouan. With a single ticket for all attractions in the city, I visited Zawiya of Sidi Sahib and Great Mosque of Kairouan; having already visited Dar Lasram and Ez-Zitouna Mosque in Tunis, for me these two didn’t add much. If I’d have more time, I’d visit Mausoleum Sidi Abid el Ghariani too.
On my wishlist - Sebkhet de Sidi El Hani salt lake.

3. Around El Kef

Jugurtha Tableland - an exciting plateau to explore, with great 360 views. Accessible via staircase at (35.745364, 8.383878), where there is also parking. The tours show up after 11am, before that you’ll have the whole plateau to yourself.
Malleg Dam - an exciting dam open to the public? I arrived on Sunday afternoon and there were a couple of tour buses there, so I could follow “the official route” if you can call it that. Parking at (36.315701, 8.703836), go through the unlocked yellow gate at (36.314594, 8.701649), the “official” hike goes through (36.315835, 8.698247) and you end up on top of the dam at (36.314907, 8.700136).
Dougga - ruins of a Roman city. The best place in Tunisia to get a feel for what a Roman city was like. Parking at (36.419162, 9.216621) if you approach from the south, there is a different parking if you approach from the north.
Roman Forum of Sufetula in Subaytilah - Roman ruins, the best bit is the well preserved forum. Entrance at (35.237217, 9.121151).
Bulla Regia - Roman ruins, the best bit are the mosaics in the underground villas - House of the Hunt, House of Amphitrite and House of the Fisherman (was under renovation). Entrance at (36.556991, 8.754021).
Great Mosque of Testour - a rare example of a minaret with a clock, worth a stop if it is on the way.
Mine de fer Djerissa - from the outside (35.842461, 8.638752) you can see the old iron mine equipment.
This is a beautiful spot for a picnic lunch (36.215829, 8.731787).
On my wishlist - El Feidja National Park.

4. Around Tozeur

Mides canyon adventure: Chebika Oasis is a souvenir city, and you definitely don’t need a guide. Parking at (34.320464, 7.938893), walk to (34.323145, 7.941008) and through (34.322321, 7.939369); or better skip it altogether. Stop for a great viewpoint at (34.366575, 7.907988). Skip the meagre waterfalls at (34.376759, 7.912137) and (34.381981, 7.933125). Stop at (34.390631, 7.948159) for the view of Tamaghza El Gdima (ruins of Tamaghza Oasis, 34.388829, 7.94909). This (34.395271, 7.94822) is a nice place for a picnic lunch by the lake. Mides canyon - parking at (34.407104, 7.92053) for viewpoints at (34.406707, 7.917789) and (34.406581, 7.922431). Rommel road is a beautiful and exciting drive on unpaved road. It starts at (34.370568, 8.166043) with a short drive through a landfill (nothing to be worried about), stop for a viewpoint (34.355557, 8.176538) - note how the ground is made up of sea shell fossils and climb down to the cave right below the viewpoint for a view of the ceiling made of fossils of bigger sea shells, and re-join the paved road shortly after (34.317633, 8.155696).
Sidi Bouhlel Canyon - nice hiking opportunity. From the mosque (34.034904, 8.280933) you can hike to a great viewpoint (34.037953, 8.277881). From (34.032926, 8.282237) you can hike as far as you want along the bottom of the canyon; I stopped at (34.041312, 8.278571) as by then it stopped being canyon-like. The car park at the beginning of the hikes seems to be a refuge camp, nothing to worry about.
A desert road through filming locations: Mos Espa Star Wars filming set at (33.994253, 7.842802). The road is paved until (33.989885, 7.847776), the only thing to watch out for are grey poles that used to mark the parking area but are now broken, barely visible and well located to damage your car. Prepare for an assault of the sellers (camel rides, fennec foxes, scarves, souvenirs) as you arrive. I stayed in the car and read a book for 10 minutes after arrival and they lost interest and started chasing other tourists. From here walk to the beautiful dunes at (33.992616, 7.839111). Take a sand road through (33.992594, 7.848142) and (34.010873, 7.917077) to arrive at Ong Jmal (34.01603, 7.912405) which is fun to climb. Another assault of the sellers, wait it out. Continue to Kingdoms of Fire filming location (34.010036, 7.9899). Here (33.975852, 8.040001) is a nice place for a picnic lunch by the lake.
Driving over the Chott el Djerid salt flats on the P16 road. Stop for the abandoned bus at (33.942947, 8.419198) and to climb a nice sand dune at (33.820835, 8.717863).
Lars Homestead (33.842795, 7.778923) - a Star Wars filming set in the Chott el Djerid salt flats. The road is paved until (33.865361, 7.779019).
Medina of Tozeur - beautiful brick buildings with distinctive patterns. Here (33.920689, 8.136413) is a good place to start exploring.
El Hamma Water Cooler at (34.005001, 8.174466) is awesome and free to explore. I found a similar one at (34.019234, 8.287626) but it was not as interesting/photogenic.
All of the above can be done in a normal rental car, no need for a 4x4 car or paying for tours.
Maison d’hôtes Villa Fatima and Dar Fatima Elbahbouha are two hotels run by Fatima, a chef who worked in a vegetarian restaurant in Belgium for a long time. She offers dinners at Dar Fatima Elbahbouha for her guests, vegetarian/vegan option is available. Not cheap, but this was the only place in the whole of Tunisia where vegetarian me was able to experience a wide range of traditional flavours.
On my wishlist - Jebil National Park.

5. Around Tataouine

★ Ghorfas - grain storage facilities that inspired Star Wars architecture:

Ksar Hadada (33.100085, 10.314059) - a big one with areas in different states of renovation, and loads of opportunities to climb on top of things. It is a hotel and there is a very small charge to enter, but it is absolutely worth it.
Ksar Tounket (32.882276, 10.498402) - a perfectly round one. Completely abandoned. Don’t miss the second oilery (32.882226, 10.49886) with awesome geology at the back - bring a headlamp.
Ksar Zemmour (33.267873, 10.199359) - completely abandoned. Parking at (33.270054, 10.207476) followed by a short hike.
Ksar Hallouf (33.291323, 10.157318) - a nice one, looks like it is being renovated into a hotel.
Ksar Ouled Soltane (32.788403, 10.514769) - a nice one, but full of souvenir shops.
Ksar of Medenine (33.34751, 10.491968) - located in the middle of a city and used by local people (not for grain storage anymore). I ignored the museum/ticketed area.
Ksar Ouled Oun (32.863782, 10.472146), Ksar Aouadid (32.854679, 10.47109)- having seen the ones mentioned above, I didn’t feel like these added much. But if you want more, there are many many more to be found in the area.

Salt Lake of Zarzis - stop around (33.395214, 10.915038) for unlimited fun on the salt flats/lake.
Ksar Chenini - an ancient Berber village on a hill. Parking at (32.910337, 10.261271). To reach the best viewpoint (32.91235, 10.262348), go through the souvenir shop (32.911966, 10.263568) and left.
Ksar Guermassa - an ancient Berber village on a hill. Parking at (32.987204, 10.252523). Don’t miss the oilery at (32.986057, 10.251123) - it is under a roof, you can’t see it from above.
Dinosaur prints at (33.081545, 10.347535). I believe there are more print locations in the area, but I didn’t look for them.
Viewpoint of Ksar Toujane ruins (33.469544, 10.126579), and another great viewpoint at (33.126786, 10.293413).
Hotel Sidi Idriss in Matmata - it is free to look around this hotel where Star Wars was filled, but it is a bit gimmicky.
There is a Carrefour (32.935795, 10.451322) in Tataouine.

6. Island of Djerba

Djerbahood in Erriadh - an area with a lot of street art. Most of it is either decayed or replaced with durable prints of original works, but I did find original works by Horor and Ardif that I really liked.
Gazi Mustapha Fortress is beautiful from the outside, but my favourite thing was birdwatching on the shore just outside it. With binoculars I could see flamingoes, spoonbills, egrets, various wading birds and party “pirate” ships taking tourists to the tip of Ras Thraya peninsula where there might or might not be some flamingoes.
Ras Thraya peninsula. Park around (33.871128, 10.938125) for an enjoyable walk through the wetlands and along the beach. Don’t try to make it far off the paved road by car, especially if it has been raining recently, I saw a 4x4 car getting stuck and being towed out.
The big Yati 1 beach that continues as Yeti 2 is nice.
Abandoned Underground Mosque of Sedouikech (33.721635, 10.911936) is a fun stop if you are driving past.
I read a lot about exploring abandoned hotels, of which there are indeed many. I found most of them were guarded by people or dogs, or located on main roads where police frequently drive by.
Carrefour Market Midoun is a particularly well stocked supermarket.

7. Around Bizerte

Wreck of Ydra at (37.252554, 9.946461). Parking at (37.251063, 9.941536).
Cap Angela - the most northern tip of Africa. Parking at (37.344731, 9.744114).
Bizerte - the walled medina and the colourful buildings around the old port. See (37.278726, 9.877294) viewpoint. Don’t miss a freshly made knafeh at (37.278392, 9.874739).
The Saint-Felix Church of Schuiggu - this abandoned church looks like it will collapse soon, so it’s your last chance.
On my wishlist - pretty mountain drive through Ayn Darahim.

Notes:

Ooredoo sim worked well. Check two things before leaving the location of purchase: Dial *153*2# to check what is included in the package you’ve purchased (calls, texts, data) and the date until which the package will remain valid. Dial *121# to check the date until which your connection will remain valid - the simcard will stop working after that day even if you have a valid package. It is possible to extend this date by several months for a small fee; I did it at an Ooredoo shop, I don’t know if the airport stall can do it.
For stays over 30 days, register your phone with the government, as explained here.
Most ATMs charge a flat fee per withdrawal. BIAT and BNA ATMs allows up to 800 TND withdrawal for a flat fee - a fee similar to other ATMs but much higher withdrawal limit. I used ATMs inside banks, which might have higher withdrawal limits than those on the street.
My EU chargers worked everywhere, but all sockets have a third pin sticking out of them, which might not be compatible with all EU chargers.
I found Nicki’s blog useful.
I used this list to identify 18 brands of natural mineral water. My favourite ones were Tijen (great taste and distinct packaging making it easy to spot), Marwa, Hayet.
Monoprix was my favourite supermarket chain. You’ll find best fruits and vegetables in a market (search “marche” on Organic Maps) or at a greengrocer. You’ll find nuts and dried fruits in dedicated “dried goods” shops.
Food and drink: Italian-style espresso is the way to have coffee in Tunisia. Some places also do cappucin - an espresso with a little milk, nothing to do with cappuccino. Tunisian mint tea (on the street and in teabags in supermarkets) contains green tea (with caffeine). I struggled to find vegetarian food outside Turkish/Lebanese restaurants. On the road trip, my favourite food was a chickpea can with a jar of salade mechwia and some dried apricots.