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Orchid Says: At the top of the town, the castle-like Kasbah, with its crenelated battlements stands guard over the town.There are shady cypress trees near the gate, so if it is closed, sit, wait and catch the breezes. The guardian will turn up soon.Apparently begun by the Byzantines in...
Willettsworld Says: The reason why the town is here in the first place is due to these springs which can be found right in its centre. The springs supplied water to the nearby Roman baths which feature a hexagonal hall as well as the cisterns.
Willettsworld Says: This very early church was first built as far back as the 4th century and has been restored since. It was built on the sire of a Pagan temple during Roman times and features a large naive, two side aisles and an apse which was added in Byzantine times, even though I couldn't...
Willettsworld Says: I think this is the synagogue but I wasn't too sure. Anyway, Le Kef had a thriving Jewish community and this building is all that remains of their culture even though it lies in the middle of the former Jewish quarter. I couldn't get inside but you be able to find someone...
Willettsworld Says: The Grand Fort lies just behind the Petit Fort and was first built by Mohammed Pasha in 1679 before being enlarged in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was used until recently as a barracks by both the French and Tunisians and even today is used to house a large TV/radio...
Willettsworld Says: The Petit Fort (Small Fort) was built in 1601 and was the first part of the Kasbah to be built. It commands the best views over the town if you walk along its upper part and is protected by four corner towers.
Willettsworld Says: The views from the Kasbah are stunning as you get to see virtually the whole town plus a view over the grainfields in the distance.
Willettsworld Says: The Turkish Kasbah in Le Kef was built by Mohammed Bey of Algiers in 1679 on Byzantine foundations, using stone from ancient buildings. Much altered in subsequent centuries, it was used until recently as a barracks by both the French and Tunisians. The Kasbah contains two...
Willettsworld Says: In front of the Kasbah is the former Great Mosque, Djemaa el Kebir, built in the 8th century on the site of an earlier building thought to have been a Basilique. The Basilique may have been built in the 4th century as some sort of storage depot for precious items such as...
Zouia of Sidi Abdallah Boumakhlouf
Willettsworld Says: This gleaming white buildings was built at the beginning of the 17th century and features cupolas and a 19th century octagonal minaret. It was named after the town's Fez-born patron saint who, along with his family, is buried here. Unfortunately, I couldn't get inside as...
Restaurant Sicca Veneria: I'd call it a bar, frankly.
TheLongTone Says: This restaurant is on the ground floor of the eponymous hotel; And, as I've said above, I'd call it a bar. Odd, since the hotel also has a bar attached. Four or five tables of men drinking beer and watching football on a wide-screen TV. I did see the odd plate of food being...
Restaurant Ramzi: Barely passable food
Willettsworld Says: After walking around the town for a while during the afternoon and not really finding anywhere that looked all that good to eat at, I found this place near to where I was staying that looked OK from the outside. The food is very cheap and I had lambs liver and a coke for TD7...
Hotel Sicca Veneria: Fairly raucous drinking spot
Willettsworld Says: Nightlife? Here in Le Kef? Good luck finding any! All there seems to be are a few dead end bars which seem to close early. Your only "real" option is to try the Hotel Sicca Veneria (where I spent the night) where there's a bar area with lots of large wooden tables and quite...
Cafe Sidi Bou Makhlouf and others
maykal Says: Nightlife in Le Kef, like in much of Tunisia, revolves around the many cafes. The nicest during the daytime is definitely Cafe Sidi Bou Makhlouf, by the mosque of the same name, high up in the old town, and at night it also a very nice place to sip coffee or smoke a chicha....
Getting anywhere but to Tunis!
Orchid Says: We found getting here really easy - catch the train from Tunis to Jendouba, out of the station and a quick trip to the bus station and a bus was waiting to take us to El Kef. Easy also to get to Terbersouk (for Dougga) - lots of daily bussesGetting to Sousse was a liittle...
maykal Says: The louage and bus stations lie close to each other down in the new town. Just head downhill on one of the roads from Place de l"independence, and you'll find it. Coming from the louage station, head uphill until you reach a junction, then turn right and follow the road to...
Many Asian and African countries, including Egypt, are predominantly Muslim, so the religious sites you are most likely to encounter, are, predictably, mosques. This is a brief tip of advice, written from the point of view of a non-Muslim, female traveler (yours truly!!!):
- Do dress modestly, covering arms, legs, shoulders and the like, no frivolous dressing will be allowed. Hire the modest dress if needed;
- Check whether you are allowed into the mosque at all, since most of them admit you only into the courtyard, and some do not admit non-Muslims at all. However, in several countries you may be able to visit the interiors of many mosques;
- Respect the boundaries laid and do not attempt to enter further (I saw such a thing once, and it did arouse ill-feeling);
- If possible try to avoid going even to the courtyard on Friday afternoon, since I remember this is the most important praying time of the week;
- If you are curious, feel free to ask questions (though not of people hurrying to pray) and most likely you will be answered: I’ve always found people proud of their culture and heritage and ready to explain it;
- Do not criticize things we in Europe and in the West might (such as separate praying space for men and women), for such are the customs of the land and mosques are the least appropriate places for such topics.
This advice is based only on common sense, but it allowed me to see something of the mosques and learn loads of interesting info on Muslim countries, their religion, and culture. Really helped me when we had a general education class on religions at University:))
Written Jan 6, 2004
Miscellaneous: Travels to places like Tunisia involves a lot of fighting the heat, especially if you, like me (I am still surprised as to why I did that), go there right in the middle of the summer. Hereýs a list of useful items to take:
- Hats and other covering: Large brimmed hats that provide head covering and some shade. For women, they are also a proof of modesty, welcomed when visiting old churches and mosques. Scarves and the like covering shoulders and arms can keep the sun off during treks. A cloth hat or scarf can be soaked to help keep the head cool.
- "Squeeze Breeze": this is a water bottle with a sprayer and a battery-operated fan attached. The beach toy to take with you!
- Sun block: While sun blocks may be purchased in Tunisia, people tend to prefer sticking with their own favourite brand (the skin, too, ýgets usedý to it), and thereýs not guarantee youýll find it on the spot. So take your own, if you have preferences!
Written Jan 3, 2004
Willettsworld Says: When you arrive at the Kasbah, you may have to find the guy who has the key so as to let you in and when you find him, he'll show you around and give you a guided tour in French only! Give him a tip afterwards, won't you!
aliante1981 Says: Today El Kef looks really peaceful, and even sleepy. To the point that it is extremely difficult to imagine that it had an eventful history - but so it was. The headquarters of the national movement of Algeria, a large Jewish community until the 1950's, a major centre of...
El Kef is situated in the northwest of Tunisia, close to the Algerian border. El Kef is arabic for 'the rock', and the town is built around the Kabah (castle), perched on huge outcrop of rock on a...
Le Kef, just 30 kilometres from Algeria, was one of my favourite places in Tunisia. Located on a hilltop, whitewashed houses spill down the slopes under an impressive Ottoman kasbah. Climb the...
El Kef is a quiet, reasonably attractive town. perhaps not quite the gem implied by the guidebooks, but worth a short diversion anyhow. The crennelated walls of the old kasbah guard the town, and...
SO WHAT EL KEF ACTUALLY IS, OR AN OFFICIAL VIEW El Kef, or Le Kef - town, northwestern Tunisia. The town is situated at an elevation of 2,559 feet (780 m) on the slopes of the Haut (high) Tell, 22......
The old town of Le Kef (kef = "rock"), known in Arabic as Chikka Benar, is picturesquely situated on the slopes of Dir el Kef, an outlier of the High Tell. The upper town, crowned by the Kasbah, has...
Build your own El Kef page
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