TunisCapital
Tunisia · Country profile
Tunis is the historic, white-washed capital of Tunisia, the layered city of the North African coast that combines the medieval labyrinth of its great medina, the elegant grid of the French colonial city and the wide modern metropolis that spreads across the lake and the shallow flats between the ancient town and the sea. The capital of the country through the many empires of its history, from the Carthaginian age whose ruins lie on the coast to the Ottoman and the colonial era of the town, it gathers the extraordinary heritage of the whole of Tunisia in its museums, its mosques, its palaces and its markets. The great medina with its souks and its mosque, the museum of the Bardo with its incomparable mosaics, the cathedral and the avenues of the modern centre and the ruins of the ancient Carthage and Sidi Bou Said of the near coast anchor the essential visits, while the cafes, the theatres and the festivals of the town run the elegant Mediterranean rhythm of the republic. Old, graceful and warmly cosmopolitan, Tunis is the serene capital of the Tunisian nation.
About Tunis
Tunis is the capital of Tunisia. The city's documented population is around 560,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Tunisian Dinar (TND) and Arabic is spoken; the dialling code is +216. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Tunis Carthage International Airport.
The Medina of the Souks and the Mosque of the Olive
Tunis is a compact, layered city where the essential circuit moves between the historic medina, the museum of the Bardo and the colonnaded avenues of the French city, with the coast of the ancient sites lying just beyond the lake. The great maze of the medina with its souks, its mosques and its palaces, the incomparable mosaic collection of the Bardo and the cathedral and the avenues of the modern centre anchor the classic days, while the train of the coast reaches the ruins of the Carthage, the villages of the blue-and-white hills and the beaches of the north. The cafes of the old town and the modern district, the seafood restaurants of the coast and the festivals of the capital fill the evenings with the easy, elegant Mediterranean life of the republic.
The Museum of the Bardo and the Mosaics of the Province
The climate of the capital is the mild Mediterranean, with the hot, dry summers, the mild, rainy winters and the long, pleasant springs and autumns of the north African coast, each season comfortable for the walking of the historic town. The dinar is the currency, with the Arabic and the French the languages of the city and the English growing in the tourist districts. The medina, the museum and the avenues make the core circuit, and the coastal sites and the beaches lie within the easy reach of the trains and the taxis of the capital. Light clothing for the summer, a light jacket for the winter and comfortable shoes for the medina cobbles complete the easy preparation for the elegant capital.
The Ruins of the Carthage and the Village of the Blue and White
The great medina of the capital, the enormous walled labyrinth of the souks and the mosques, the palaces and the houses of the centuries that climbs the hill behind the modern city, is one of the finest medieval towns of the whole Arab world, anchored by the great mosque of the olive tree and threaded by the covered lanes of the perfumes, the silks, the carpets and the copper of the market. The museum of the Bardo, the celebrated museum of the city housed in the old palace of the Husainid beys, guards the world finest collection of the Roman mosaics, including the extraordinary panels of the ancient villas of the province. The ruin of the ancient Carthage and the blue-and-white village of the Sidi Bou Said on the near coast, the old town and the avenues of the modern city, and the cafes and the archaeologists of the capital complete the essential, elegant, deeply historic circuit of the beautiful Tunisian capital.
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- Country
- Tunisia
- Population
- 560,000
- Coordinates
- 36.8510, 10.2272
- Capital
- Tunis
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Tunisian Dinar (TND)
- Languages
- Arabic
- Calling code
- +216
- Country code
- TN
Getting to Tunis
Airports we list for Tunis:
Frequently asked questions
Is Tunis the capital of Tunisia?
Yes — Tunis is the capital of Tunisia.
What currency do I need in Tunis?
The local currency is the Tunisian Dinar (TND). Languages spoken in Tunisia include Arabic.
What is the dialling code for Tunisia?
The international dialling code for Tunisia is +216.
Which airport should I fly into for Tunis?
Tunis Carthage International Airport (TUN) is the airport we list for Tunis.
Flying out of Tunis? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.