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    El Haouaria
    Smailtn / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Tunisia

    El Haouaria

    Point of Interest

    El Haouaria is located at the northeastern tip of Cap Bon, about 120 kilometers from Tunis.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Tunisia
    7. Cap Bon & Hammamet
    9. El Haouaria
    El Haouaria is located at the northeastern tip of Cap Bon, about 120 kilometers from Tunis. You come for the ancient quarries of Ghar el Kebir by the sea, and for the falconers who celebrate their Sparrowhawk Festival every year in late June.In spring, around 40,000 raptors of 24 species rest at the cape before crossing the Mediterranean. Off the coast lie the islands of Zembra and Zembretta.

    Sights in El Haouaria

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Ghar el Kebir (ancient quarries)
    Historic Landmark

    1Ghar el Kebir (ancient quarries)

    Artificial quarries by the sea west of the town. Carthaginians and Romans quarried stone here for almost 1,000 years and shipped it to Carthage; today you enter the chambers via wide side openings.
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    Lighthouse Cap Bon
    Attraction

    2Lighthouse Cap Bon

    The lighthouse stands at the extreme northeast tip of the peninsula, about four kilometers northeast of El Haouaria, at the entrance to the Gulf of Tunis.
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    Restaurants in El Haouaria

    1

    Restaurant La Source

    Small fish restaurant in town. Guests praise the very fresh fish, partly self-caught by the family.
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    2

    La Daurade

    Restaurant with Mediterranean cuisine at the northern tip of El Haouaria.
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    History and Falconry

    Quarries for CarthageAbout three kilometers west of the town lie the caves of Ghar el Kebir. These are artificial quarries, operated by Carthaginians and Romans for nearly 1,000 years; ships transported the stone across the Gulf of Tunis to Carthage.Access: Following damage in World War II and subsequent collapses, you now enter the chambers through wider side openings.FalconryFamilies in El Haouaria have trained sparrowhawks and falcons, caught in March, for generations. The Festival de l'Épervier has existed since 1967; in 2026, it was held for the 57th time. Sparrowhawks and peregrine falcons are displayed.Bird Migration and IslandsBesides the birds of prey, thousands of storks migrate over the cape in spring. The offshore islands of Zembra and Zembretta form a National Park, recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve in 1977.

    Access

    Getting ThereEl Haouaria lies about 120 km from Tunis, at the tip of the Cap Bon peninsula. A rental car offers the most flexibility, letting you combine the visit with Kélibia and the Punic city of Kerkouane on the east coast.On-SiteGhar el Kebir: About three kilometers west of town, by the sea.Festival: Late June, with falconry shows and competitions, 2026 from June 25-28.

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    Nearby

    Kélibia

    Kélibia

    Kélibia is located on the east coast of Cap Bon, about 100 kilometers from Tunis, beneath a fortress on a promontory overlooking the sea. The town is a starting point for the Punic ruins of Kerkouane, the UNESCO World Heritage site about eleven kilometers north.Kélibia has about 55,000 inhabitants and one of Tunisia's most important fishing ports. North of the center lies the sandy beach of El Mansourah.
    Cap Bon & Hammamet

    Cap Bon & Hammamet

    The Cap Bon peninsula juts into the Mediterranean in northeast Tunisia, and on its southern edge, about 60 kilometers south of Tunis, lies the seaside resort of Hammamet. The region combines long sandy beaches with the Punic ruin city of Kerkouane, the pottery craft of Nabeul, and the falconry tradition of El Haouaria.Hammamet, Nabeul, and Kélibia are suitable as a base; all three are located on the coast.
    Sidi Bou Saïd

    Sidi Bou Saïd

    Sidi Bou Saïd is a village on a cliff above the Gulf of Tunis, about 20 kilometers northeast of the capital and directly above Carthage. Its white houses with blue doors have been protected by a 1915 decree, and in July 2026, UNESCO added the village to its World Heritage List. Its alleys host traditional cafes overlooking the bay, and the palace of Baron d'Erlanger. The TGM suburban train takes about 35 minutes from Tunis Marine.
    La Marsa & Gammarth

    La Marsa & Gammarth

    La Marsa and the adjoining Gammarth to the north are Tunis's beach suburbs, located about 18 to 20 kilometers northeast of the capital on the Gulf of Tunis. In summer, Tunisians gather at the beach and around the Café Saf-Saf; in the evenings, life shifts to Gammarth's bars and clubs. La Marsa is the terminus of the TGM suburban train, coming from the city center via Carthage and Sidi Bou Saïd.
    Carthage

    Carthage

    The ruins of Carthage are scattered among residential areas on the coast northeast of Tunis and are directly accessible by the TGM suburban train. Traditionally founded by Phoenicians in 814 BC, the city was destroyed by Rome in 146 BC and later rebuilt as a Roman colony. Since 1979, the archaeological site has been a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visible attractions include the Antonine Baths by the sea, the Punic Ports, the Tophet, and the Amphitheater.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
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