Tunis Favorites

Favorite thing: In some parts of the Medina, you'll find these useful maps which have been made from tiles. Most of the alleys and passageways have their names in both Arabic and French so it shouldn't be hard to find where you are and where you want to go but if you do get lost then simply ask someone or try and head back to the Zaytuna Mosque and get your bearings there.

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Favorite thing: All ancient sites, mosques, museums and antiquities charge a photographic fee. The ticket for this has to be purchased when one buys the entrance ticket. For each camera a separate fee has to be paid. During my visit the fee was 1 Dinar.

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Favorite thing: The medina of Tunis has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The medina contains some 700 monuments, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas and fountains dating from the Almohads and the Hafsids periods.
These ancient buildings include:
-the Great Mosque (including the Muslim University and library)
- Aghlabid Ez-Zitouna Mosque ("Mosque of the Olive") built in 723 by Obeid Allah Ibn-al-Habhab to celebrate the new capital.
- the Dar-al-Bey, or Bey's Palace, is comprised of architecture and decoration from many different styles and periods and is believed to stand on the remains of a Roman theatre as well as the tenth century palace of Ziadib-Allah II al Aghlab.

Fondest memory: Shopping in Medina

Favorite thing: Habib Bourguiba (1903-2000) was the leader of the independence struggle of Tunisia and country's first president 1957-1987.
As a president he was almost like a North African Ataturk. During his time the politics of Tunisia was a long time one of moderate, European-like solutions.
Under the present presidentship of Tunisia, the monumet was removed from its original position and today it is positioned in between Municipal Theatre and the Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul.

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Favorite thing: Not so long ago, here stood the monument to Habib Bourguiba, the first and longtime president of Tunis. Then the new sheriff came to the town and the monument was removed to a new location, but still in this avenue.
As I could noticed, there is a presidential system of governing in Tunis, it seems the president is very powerful man, almost like a medieval kings.

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Favorite thing: Actually, I haven't seen much of the town, except for medina and Le Bardo district. It was a half day trip only and the main target was to visit the Bardo National Museum.

Fondest memory: Avenue Habib Bourguiba is a fine example of how strong the French influence was in the architecture of the city. Everything you see around here remainds on Paris, except for the flags.

Favorite thing: It happends something strange…Once I got to the airport, I had still some hundred box in my pocket and I though, ok, I will buy something in the airport, cigarettes or whatever else…

…I got to the shopping area and they accept only USD or EURO, nothing else, even not the local currency!!!!!

You can spend the local currency buying in the cafeteria…com’on I will not spend 100 Dollaz drinking coffees!!!

So, remember to change your money left before overtaking the custom, or simply spend them all, otherwise are just paper!!!! (clear, you can change it at home, but the exchange rate will be definitely
another!!!!)

Favorite thing: Many Tunisian towns and cities, including the capital city of Tunis, have since long been famous for the beautiful gates and windows of the houses. While the houses might be simple and minimalist, with just white walls and occasionally, scenes of the Hadj to Mecca, the wealth of the owners transpired in the workmanship of these traditional - and highly useful :)) - elements.

The dominating colours for doors are blue and beige (remember the door on the front page of one of the Lonely Planet guides?) with iron decorations in ornaments and often elaborate door knobs, while windows are dominated by blue.