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Alleys and bazaars in Tunis - shopping and people watching

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We are still on the ground in Tunisia, but our journey is coming to an end. Here is a first report on our experiences in the alleys and bazaars of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia.

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Tunis in Tunisia

Tunis is the capital of Tunisia. There is an old part of the city, the so-called medina, and a newer part. The medina is one of the largest in North Africa and offers a maze of narrow alleys, large bazaars, mosques and churches. This old neighbourhood has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

gränder och basarer i Tunisien

Tunis is located in the northern part of Tunisia, just off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Walk along "Les champs Elysées de Tunis".

The big avenue in Tunis is actually called Avenue Habib Bourguiba, but is sometimes referred to as "Les champs Elysées de Tunis", to remind you of the parade street in Paris. We took a stroll here, before it was time to find the alleys and bazaars of the Tunisian capital.

First, we peeked into a shop that we found at one end of the avenue. Here, artisans from different parts of the country displayed their crafts, ranging from clothes and carpets to baskets and ceramics.

gränder och basarer i Tunisien
gränder och basarer i Tunisien

Marché Central de Tunis - food market in Tunis

We then moved on to a food market called Marché Central de Tunis (Municipal Market). Here you can look around all the stalls selling mainly vegetables and fruit, as well as fish and seafood. We really like to look around food markets and see what products are available in different countries.

We saw plenty of seabream, but also swordfish, squid, giant shrimp and some fish we don't know the name of. There were also lots of live snails crawling around in plastic tubs.

Fruit and vegetables abound, including clementines, plums, pomegranates and - of course - dates. If there is any fruit we have enjoyed during this trip in Tunisia, it is precisely dates. There are lots of date palms here and it's also the season for harvesting the fruit.

Bazaars in Tunis Medina

Last but not least, we looked around the bazaars in the medina of Tunis (médina de Tunis). There is a myriad of narrow alleys that constantly turn off in all directions. If you're not careful, it's easy to get lost, or perhaps lose your travelling companion ... But above all, it's fun to look at all the things in the shops, or just soak up the atmosphere and the people.

basarer i Tunis

What to find in the bazaars in Tunis medina? All kinds of things! You can shop for traditional or modern clothes, shoes, jewellery, scarves, hand-woven carpets, baskets, ceramics, souvenirs or spices.

basarer i Tunis

In some alleys you can see that the shops specialise in certain types of goods. For example, we entered a street where almost all the shops seemed to specialise in traditional weddings, with everything needed for them.

Among the bazaars in the medina of Tunis - The Ed Dar shop

One shop in Tunis medina that we have to mention specifically is a shop called Ed Dar (8 Rue Sidi Ben Arous / 7 Ettrouk). This is a traditional old house from the 17th century, and just looking around the building is fascinating. The house also serves as both a shop and an exhibition, with a large selection of products for sale, but some that you can only look at. Many of the gadgets here are antique, and carry a lot of history.

There are also plenty of beautiful hand-woven carpets, in different price ranges.

We were also invited to take a look at the house's roof terrace, which offers a great view of this part of the city. Here are some photos!

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

Not too far from Tunis is the charming blue and white city. Sidi Bou Said, with cosy alleys, cafés, galleries and boutique hotels. It's also not far from archaeological sites to see ruins of the ancient city. Carthage. For those who want to experience sun and sea, there are of course also places like Hammamet, Sousse and Monastir.

All our top tips for Tunisia. Click on the image!

Have you visited Tunis?

Have you visited Tunisia, and have you perhaps also looked around the bazaars in Tunis? How was your experience? Please tell us!

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