Tunis Nightlife

Hotel Africa is one of the nicer or more upmarket Hotels in Tunis (Villa Nouvelle) and while we chose not to stay there we did have some tea one night on our way back from our Metro adventure in Sidi Bou Said. Wait staff is great and the prices will not drain your pocket book. It is just a great place to relax and enjoy the evening.

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One of the best spots for a drink in Tunisia is the bar at El Hana International hotel. The bar is on the roof of the hotel and it has a small terrace from where there are fantastic views over the city. This is one of those hidden spots that when you find it you just want to keep it to yourself. We could see all the way to the Lake in one direction and to the medina on the other side.

We had the terrace to ourselves though the bar inside was busy with young, affluent Tunisians. Drinks were very good value given the excellent location. A beer and orange juice cost only 3.5 Dinars and we were given a plate of olives and crisps to accompany our drinks.

There are no signs for the bar and we wouldn't have heard of it without our Rough Guide. Take the lift in the hotel lobby to the 10th floor and then you can walk out onto the roof. The bar is at the far end. You can probably come up here just to take pictures though it's nice to sit out on the terrace with a drink.

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As well as having a great bar on its rooftop, El Hana International has a nice cafe/bar downstairs which fronts onto Avenue Bourguiba in the Ville Nouvelle. We came here for a drink every evening we were in Tunis. This cafe is nicer than many of the places which serve alcohol in Tunis. There is a lovely terrace overlooking the street and it's a good place to enjoy a drink and watch the world pass by.

As far as I could tell, Tunis is not a place for nightlife, especially if you are female, the very few bars I did see (from the street) were filled with males only, also I do not think they serve alcohol either.

Sousse has some nightlife, where the best clubs and bars are found in tourist complexes and hotels. These are not terribly much cheaper than Europe.
Sousse also has a section of seedy bars, which offer its male clientele beer and hookers. These places are easy to spot, in order to avoid or enter. It's your choice. If you're uncertain, remember that any place with a cover charge allows you to enter and have a look, before you buy your ticket. Or if you ask, the doorman will tell you what kind of place it is.
There is also a nice section of clubs with live performances. These places are generally licensed, even if there are kids running between the tables.