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    Monastir
    Gorik Francois / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

    Tunisia

    Monastir

    City

    Monastir, located on the east coast between Sousse and Mahdia, has an international airport offering connections to many Western European countries.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Tunisia
    7. Sahel & Kairouan
    9. Monastir
    Monastir, located on the east coast between Sousse and Mahdia, has an international airport offering connections to many Western European countries. The city is the birthplace of Tunisia's first president, Habib Bourguiba; his golden-domed mausoleum and the Ribat, dating from 796, define its cityscape. The Medina, Ribat, and Marina are close together and easily reachable on foot, while Sousse is about 20 minutes away by louage.

    Sights in Monastir

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Bourguiba Mausoleum
    Museum

    1Bourguiba Mausoleum

    Construction began in 1963, designed by Olivier-Clément Cacoub, and was extended in 1978. Under the golden dome, between two 25-meter-high minarets, Habib Bourguiba, Tunisia's first president, has rested since 2000. A small museum displays his desk, passports, glasses, and clothes. Admission is free.
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    Marina Cap Monastir
    Restaurant

    2Marina Cap Monastir

    The marina lies north of the Ribat, right by the old town. Restaurants and cafés line the yacht-filled harbor basin.
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    Ribat of Monastir
    Museum

    3Ribat of Monastir

    Abbasid governor Harthama ibn A'yan commissioned the coastal fortress in 796. Since 1958, the south wing's Islamic art museum displays Quran manuscripts, ceramics, and carved wood from the Great Mosque of Kairouan. Ticket included. From the tower, you overlook city and coast; the walls were the backdrop for Monty Python's "Life of Brian."
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    Mosque of Bourguiba

    4Mosque of Bourguiba

    The mosque was completed in 1963; architect Taïeb Bouzguenda modeled it on the Hammouda Pacha Mosque in Tunis. The prayer hall for up to 1,000 worshippers features columns, capitals, and arches of pink marble.
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    Grand Mosque of Monastir

    5Grand Mosque of Monastir

    The mosque near the Ribat dates from the 9th century and was extended multiple times in the following centuries.
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    Restaurants in Monastir

    1

    Marina The Captain

    Restaurant with a bar in a quieter corner of Marina Cap Monastir. The menu features Tunisian and Mediterranean dishes with fresh fish, seafood and meat.
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    2

    El Koojina

    A small restaurant with mid-range prices at Bab El Kram, a gate of the Medina.
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    3

    Restaurant Bel Air Central

    Mid-range restaurant, a few minutes' walk from Marina Cap Monastir.
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    History and Culture

    The RibatThe Abbasid governor Harthama ibn A'yan had the coastal fortress built in 796. Since 1958, it has housed a museum of Islamic art.The Ribat served as a film set, including for Monty Python's “Life of Brian” (1979) and the TV series “Jesus of Nazareth”.The City of BourguibaHabib Bourguiba was born in Monastir and was Tunisia's first president. His mausoleum was built starting in 1963 during his lifetime; he has been interred here since his death in 2000.Good to knowClothing: For the mausoleum, cover shoulders and kneesCash: Credit cards are not accepted everywhere outside of hotelsRamadan: Many eateries not geared towards tourists do not open during the day

    Getting There & Around

    Getting TherePlane: Monastir Habib Bourguiba Airport (MIR) is in Skanes, west of the centre, with its own Metro du Sahel stop.Train: Connections north to Sousse and Tunis, and south to Mahdia.Louage: Shared taxis to Sousse depart from in front of the Medina, next to the station; approx. 20-minute journey.Getting AroundOn Foot: Medina, Ribat, Mausoleum, and Marina are just a few minutes' walk apart.Taxi: City rides are inexpensive.

    Accommodations in Monastir

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    Nearby

    Sousse

    Sousse

    Sousse, with around 240,000 inhabitants (2024 census), is the largest city in the Sahel, on the east coast, a good two-hour train ride south of Tunis. Its walled Medina, with its Ribat and Great Mosque, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988; the Archaeological Museum in the Kasbah displays mosaics from Roman villas. To its north are the hotel zone and Port El Kantaoui marina. Medina, museum, and port are reachable by foot; the Metro du Sahel runs from Bab Jedid to Monastir and Mahdia.
    Sahel & Kairouan

    Sahel & Kairouan

    The Sahel is the coastal plain in eastern Tunisia, home to Sousse, Monastir, and Mahdia, a good two hours by train south of Tunis. Inland lie two of the country's most famous World Heritage Sites: the Medina of Kairouan with its Great Mosque and the Roman Amphitheatre of El Djem. Behind the beaches, olive groves stretch over flat hills.
    Mahdia

    Mahdia

    Mahdia lies on a narrow peninsula on the east coast and is the southern terminus of the Metro du Sahel from Sousse and Monastir. The Fatimids founded the city as their capital in 916; the fortified gate Skifa el Kahla and the Great Mosque date from that time. North of the old town stretch white sandy beaches with hotels; the port is among Tunisia's largest fishing ports.
    El Djem

    El Djem

    The Amphitheatre of El Djem is one of the largest in the Roman world, situated in a small town in the Sahel, about an hour by train south of Sousse. It was built in the first half of the 3rd century in ancient Thysdrus and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979. With the same ticket, you can visit the Archaeological Museum with its mosaics and a reconstructed Roman villa.
    Kairouan

    Kairouan

    Kairouan is located inland, about one and a half bus hours west of Sousse, and was founded around 670 by Uqba ibn Nafi. Its walled Medina, with the Great Mosque, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988. The city, with around 173,000 inhabitants (2024 Census), is also known for carpets and the date pastry Makroudh. Kairouan has no train station; buses and louages stop northwest of the Medina.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI