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    Sousse
    BishkekRocks 15:01, 29 December 2005 (UTC) / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    Tunisia

    Sousse

    City

    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.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Tunisia
    7. Sahel & Kairouan
    9. 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.

    Sights in Sousse

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Ribat of Sousse
    Museum

    1Ribat of Sousse

    The fortress received its current form in 821 under the Aghlabid Emir Ziyadat Allah I. Excavations reveal an older predecessor structure beneath it. From the round watchtower at the southeast corner, you look out over the rooftops of the Medina.
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    Great Mosque of Sousse
    Mosque

    2Great Mosque of Sousse

    The Aghlabid ruler Abu l-Abbas Muhammad had the mosque built in 850/851; Ibrahim II later enlarged it. Non-Muslim visitors may enter the courtyard in the morning; the prayer hall is reserved for Muslims. Shoulders and knees must be covered, and wraps are available at the entrance.
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    Archaeological Museum Sousse
    Museum

    3Archaeological Museum Sousse

    The museum is in the Kasbah on the south-western edge of the Medina; the entrance is outside the city wall. After the Bardo in Tunis it holds the largest mosaic collection in Tunisia, including the Triumph of Bacchus and a 2nd-century head of Medusa. It reopened in 2012 after a redevelopment.
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    Port El Kantaoui
    Attraction

    4Port El Kantaoui

    The marina, about 12 km north of the centre, was purpose-built in 1979 as a holiday resort. From Sousse, you can reach it by taxi, tuk-tuk, or tourist mini-train.
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    Museum Dar Essid
    Museum

    5Museum Dar Essid

    Small museum in the Medina, about 300 meters west of the Ribat. Opening times and admission on site.
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    Zaouia Zakkak
    Historic Landmark

    6Zaouia Zakkak

    Complex of mausoleum, mosque, and madrasa in the Medina. The rectangular minaret was erected by the Ottomans in the 17th century, its facades are richly adorned with ceramics.
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    Restaurants in Sousse

    1

    Restaurant du Peuple

    This family restaurant on Rue des Remparts, at the edge of the Medina, is run by the third generation. They serve couscous, chorba, and braised lamb; at lunchtime, there's an affordable daily menu.
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    2

    Restaurant l'Escargot

    The restaurant with French cuisine is located in the hotel zone north of the Medina, opposite the Marriott Hotel.
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    3

    Restaurant Lido

    Fish restaurant at the harbour, opposite the replica pirate ships. It serves spiced grilled fish, and beer is available too.
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    4

    Seles Café & Restaurant

    Small restaurant in the Medina with a terrace overlooking the old town. Known for Brik and fresh fish from the Gulf.
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    5

    Le Capoul Beach

    Beach restaurant north of the center towards Port El Kantaoui. The menu features Tunisian and French dishes, including grilled fish and skewers. Breakfast served daily.
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    Food & Beverages

    In Sousse, you eat well and cheap at food stalls in the Medina and around the Old Town. You'll find these dishes almost everywhere.

    Chapati

    Flatbread fresh from the griddle, halved and filled with omelette and tuna. Many stalls also offer the Mahdia version, where the filling is wrapped into the dough before baking.

    Lablabi

    Chickpea stew with Harissa, egg and capers, served over soaked day-old bread.

    Fricassee

    Small fried bun, filled with tuna, Harissa, mashed potatoes and olives.

    Brik

    Deep-fried pastry with egg, tuna, and potato, on request with Harissa.

    Mlawi

    Thin flatbread, filled like a wrap with various ingredients.

    History and Culture

    Aghlabid MedinaThe Ribat, Kasbah, and Great Mosque largely originate from the 9th century, the era of the Aghlabid dynasty. The Ribat attained its present form in 821 under Emir Ziyadat Allah I, and the Great Mosque was built in 850/851.Ancient HadrumetumBeneath the modern city lies Roman Hadrumetum. The mosaics in the Archaeological Museum, which come from its villas, constitute the country's largest collection after the Bardo in Tunis.Good to KnowAttire: In the Great Mosque, shoulders and knees must be covered; wraps are available at the entrance.Opening Hours: Mosque open mornings only; Ribat and museum open into the afternoon, longer in summer; check current times locally.Nickname: In Tunisia, Sousse is known as the Pearl of the Sahel.

    Nightlife

    1

    Mokis Restobar

    Wine bar with kitchen on Rue Victor Hugo, a few steps from Bou Jaafar Beach.
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    Arrival and Getting Around

    Getting ThereTrain: SNCFT trains from Tunis several times daily, journey time approximately 2 hours 25 minutes; the station is located directly north of the MedinaPlane: Monastir Airport is around 20 minutes away and connected via Metro du Sahel, alternatively Enfidha-Hammamet north of the cityLouage: Shared taxis to Tunis, Monastir, and Kairouan depart from the Louage station south of the Medina once fullGetting AroundMetro du Sahel: Electric trains from Bab Jedid station at the Medina, via the airport, to Monastir and Mahdia, approximately every 40 minutes on averageTaxi: Taxis operate with a meter; a higher fare applies at night from 9 PM to 5 AMPort El Kantaoui: Approximately 12 kilometers north, accessible by taxi, tuk-tuk, or tourist mini-train

    Accommodations in Sousse

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    Nearby

    Monastir

    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.
    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.
    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.
    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.

    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