Tunisia · Tunis · Carthage · Sidi Bou Said · Kairouan · El Jem · Matmata · Djerba · 10 min read
Tunisia Itinerary 6 Days: Tunis, Carthage, El Jem, Matmata and Djerba
6 days · 7 cities
Duration
6 days
Estimated budget
1,200 to 2,400 dinars per person, no flights
Best time to go
March to June and September to October
Visa
Visa free for many passports
This 6 day Tunisia itinerary drives down the country from north to south without backtracking: in through Tunis and out through the island of Djerba, with a short flight back to the capital. There are four bases and drives of up to four hours.
In short: the Tunis medina, the Bardo, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said, Kairouan, the El Jem amphitheatre, the cave homes of Matmata, the Tataouine ksour and Djerba. Visas, seasons and food are at the end.
Day 1: arrival in Tunis, from the Porte de France to Zitouna
Porte de France: the gateway to the medina
Quick stop, 20 minutes, free. Tunis-Carthage airport is 15 minutes by taxi from the centre. Start on Avenue Habib Bourguiba, the boulevard of cafés and trees, which ends at the Porte de France, Bab el Bhar.
The arch marks the line between the new, French era city and the Tunis medina, a World Heritage Site. On the other side, Rue Jamaa Zitouna climbs straight up to the mosque.
Zitouna Mosque and the medina souks
About two hours, free in the souks. The Great Mosque of the Olive Tree is the heart of the medina, and the covered souks of perfumes, fabrics and carpets spread around it, each street with its own trade.
Non Muslim visitors may only enter the courtyard, in the morning and in clothes covering shoulders and legs; in the afternoon, enjoy the view of the minaret from the carpet shop terraces, which invite you up. Bargain calmly and do not feel obliged to buy because you climbed.
Day 2: the Bardo, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said
Bardo Museum: the Roman mosaics
About two hours, 30 dinars for non residents; closed on Mondays. It is 15 minutes by taxi from the centre, in a palace of the old beys of Tunis.
It holds one of the world’s largest collections of Roman mosaics, taken from the country’s ancient cities, with whole floors of gods, hunts and sea scenes. Do not miss the portrait of Virgil between two muses, one of the few of the poet made in antiquity.
Carthage and the Antonine Baths
About 2h30, with the pass of about 30 dinars covering Carthage’s seven sites. It is 30 minutes from the Bardo by the coast road or the TGM train.
Little remains of the Phoenician city that rivalled Rome, because the Romans razed it and rebuilt on top. The highlight is the Antonine Baths, the largest in Roman Africa, by the sea. Climb Byrsa Hill too, with the museum and the view of the Punic ports.
Sidi Bou Said: blue and white above the gulf
The late afternoon, free, 10 minutes from Carthage. White houses with studded blue doors and windows climb a cliff above the Gulf of Tunis.
Walk up the main street to the café at the top of the stairs, where mint tea comes with pine nuts, and stay for sunset. Try bambalouni, the sugared fried doughnut sold at street stalls.
Day 3: Kairouan, the holy city
Great Mosque of Kairouan: the oldest in the Maghreb
About an hour and a half, with the Kairouan combined ticket; open in the morning and closed for Friday prayers. It is about two hours by car from Tunis, so leave early.
Founded in 670 by Uqba ibn Nafi, it is one of the oldest mosques in the Islamic world and the reason Kairouan is counted among Islam’s holy cities. Non Muslims enter the marble courtyard and look into the prayer hall from the doors; cover arms and legs.
Aghlabid Basins: Kairouan’s water
Quick stop, 30 minutes, on the same combined ticket, 1 km north of the medina. The two 9th century circular reservoirs supplied the city with water and rank among the great hydraulic works of the medieval Islamic world.
Then head back to the medina for makroudh, the semolina and date pastries that are the city’s speciality. Sleep in Kairouan.
Day 4: the El Jem amphitheatre and the cave homes of Matmata
El Jem Amphitheatre: Africa’s Colosseum
About two hours, around 20 dinars for non residents including the museum; open 7:30 to 17:30 in winter and until 18:30 in summer. It is 1h15 from Kairouan.
Built in the 3rd century for about 35,000 spectators, it is the best preserved Roman amphitheatre in Africa. Go down to the underground passages where gladiators and beasts waited, and up to the top tiers to see the small town around it.
Matmata and Hotel Sidi Idriss: Luke Skywalker’s home
About an hour, free, with a drink at the bar. It is about 3h30 by car from El Jem via Gabès; arrive before dark.
The Berbers of Matmata have lived for centuries in homes dug around a courtyard in the ground, cool in summer and warm in winter. One of them, now Hotel Sidi Idriss, was Luke Skywalker’s home on Tatooine in the first Star Wars and still has remains of the set. You can sleep there, in simple rooms carved from the rock.
Day 5: the Tataouine ksour and arrival in Djerba
Chenini: the Berber village on the ridge
About an hour and a half, free, with a tip for a local guide if you want one. It is about two hours from Matmata to Chenini, 18 km from Tataouine.
The village climbs the ridge in layers of houses and granaries dug into the rock, with a white mosque at the top and views over dry valleys. Part of it is still inhabited; ask before photographing residents.
Ksar Ouled Soltane: the four storey granaries
About an hour, free, 40 minutes from Chenini. It is a 17th century fortified granary with four storeys of vaulted mud cells around two courtyards, and a set for Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
Late afternoon light turns the mud gold. Then carry on to Djerba, about two hours away, crossing to the island on the El Kantara causeway.
Day 6: Djerba, El Ghriba and Houmt Souk
El Ghriba Synagogue: the oldest in Africa
About an hour, with a small fee and a security check at the entrance. It is one of the oldest synagogues in Africa, and Djerba’s Jewish community has lived on the island for over two thousand years, according to tradition.
The interior has blue arches, tiles and chandeliers, and in spring it hosts a pilgrimage that draws Jews from around the world. Cover shoulders and legs and remove your shoes if asked.
Houmt Souk: the souks and the fort over the harbour
About two hours, free, 15 minutes from El Ghriba. The island’s main town has souks of fabrics, pottery and jewellery, old fondouks turned into guesthouses and the Borj el Kebir fort above the fishing harbour.
Have grilled fish near the harbour and head to Djerba airport, 10 km away, for the one hour flight to Tunis.
Do you need a visa for Tunisia?
Citizens of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the EU and many other countries enter Tunisia visa free for up to 90 days with a passport valid for six months. Travellers arriving from countries with yellow fever risk, such as Brazil, must show a vaccination certificate.
Check your government’s advice before travelling and avoid the border areas with Algeria and Libya, which are far from this route. The dinar cannot be taken out of the country: change only what you will spend and keep receipts to change back at the airport.
When is the best time to visit Tunisia?
March to June and September to October. Temperatures are pleasant in the north and bearable in the south, and Djerba’s sea is warm enough to swim in September.
July and August are very hot in the south, over 40 degrees in Matmata and Tataouine, and beaches are packed. Winter is rainy and cool in the north. During Ramadan museum and restaurant hours change.
How to get to Tunisia and get around
Tunis-Carthage airport has flights from across Europe and the Middle East. To leave, fly from Djerba to Tunis, about an hour, and connect there.
Rent a car in Tunis with drop off in Djerba; main roads are good, but only drive in daylight in the south. Carry an International Driving Permit with your licence, which rental companies and police often ask for. The alternative is the louage, the shared van linking the cities, and the train from Tunis to El Jem.
Where to eat in Tunisia: signature dishes and what to order
Tunisian food is the spiciest in the Maghreb, thanks to harissa, the chilli paste on every table. What to avoid: tourist menu restaurants at medina gates, with foreigner prices; eat where Tunisians eat, in popular restaurants with a dish of the day.
Couscous is the national dish, but the Tunisian version is red, cooked with tomato and harissa, with fish on the coast and lamb inland. In Djerba, order the fish one.
Brik is thin pastry fried with a whole egg inside, tuna, capers and parsley. Eat it holding the corner, carefully so the yolk does not run.
Lablabi is the worker’s breakfast: chickpea soup poured over stale bread with cumin, harissa, egg and olive oil, assembled in front of you at snack bars.
For something sweet, Kairouan’s makroudh, semolina diamonds filled with date paste, fried and dipped in honey, and mint tea with pine nuts.
Are 6 days enough for Tunisia?
They are enough to cross the country from north to south and see the essentials: Tunis and Carthage, Kairouan, El Jem, Matmata, the Tataouine ksour and Djerba, by car and without backtracking. The pace is brisk on driving days; with seven or eight days you can add a night in the south.
What was left out and deserves more days: Dougga, the best preserved Roman town in North Africa; the Douz desert and the Chott el Jerid salt lake; the mountain oases of Tozeur, Chebika and Tamerza, with the Mos Espa sets; and the beaches of Hammamet and Sousse.
If you want to continue through the Maghreb, we have an 8 day Morocco itinerary. Save this itinerary on Galmund to fit the days to your calendar.
Estimated budget per person
Prices checked on 25 September 2026. Check current prices at Embaixada do Brasil em Túnis, setor consular.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 6 day trip to Tunisia cost?+
Between 1,200 and 2,400 Tunisian dinars per person excluding international flights, counting a mid range hotel in a double room, food, a car split by two, the Djerba to Tunis flight and entrance fees. The Bardo Museum costs 30 dinars for non residents, the Carthage pass about 30 and El Jem about 20; Chenini and Ksar Ouled Soltane are free.
Where were the Star Wars scenes filmed in Tunisia?+
On this route, in two places: Hotel Sidi Idriss in Matmata was Luke Skywalker’s home on Tatooine in the first film, and Ksar Ouled Soltane near Tataouine appears in The Phantom Menace. The Mos Espa set near Tozeur is off this route.
Is it safe to travel to Tunisia?+
The regions on this route, from Tunis to Djerba, welcome tourists all year. Governments advise avoiding the border areas with Algeria and Libya, which are off the route. Check your government’s advice before travelling and only drive in daylight in the south.
Can tourists visit the Great Mosque of Kairouan?+
Yes, the courtyard, in the morning, with the Kairouan combined ticket and clothing covering arms and legs. The prayer hall is reserved for Muslims, and the mosque closes for Friday prayers.
Can you take Tunisian dinars out of the country?+
No, the dinar is a closed currency. Change only what you will spend, keep the exchange receipts and change the rest back at the airport before leaving.
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