‘Can you spend 3 days in Tunisia?’ I thought as I saw great flights from Manchester to Enfidha Airport in Tunisia? Well, the flight was just 3 hours and I’d fly to Europe for 3 days on a 3-hour flight so why not fly to North Africa for 3 days I figured! So that was that, I booked a solo trip to Tunisia for 3 days and 3 nights and started planning my Tunisia itinerary!
After some research into travelling to Tunisia, I realised that Enfidha where I’d seen direct flights with TUI was the main airport for Hammamet- a popular resort town and area in Tunisia. Because I wanted to relax a bit too on this long weekend in Tunisia, I decided to base myself in Hammamet for the 3 nights and do day trips around Tunisia from there.
I stayed in a resort hotel with a pool right on the beach so I got to spend my mornings in the sun reading and my 3 afternoons in Tunisia seeing Hammamet, Tunis and Sousse.
There are so many places to visit in Tunisia and I would have loved to have seen more and spent longer there but 3 days in Tunisia gave me a good feel for what the country has to offer and I got to see quite a few of the top things to do in Tunis which I was pleased about!
So, here’s my Tunisia itinerary for 3 days, how to spend 1 day in Tunis and how to go from Hammamet to Tunis and Hammamet to Sousse.
Tunisia Itinerary
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Where to Go in Tunisia
With just 3 days in Tunisia, you really can’t go too far. Tunis is the obvious option and if you can base yourself in Tunis for 3 days this is a good idea.
Or, if like me you see better and more direct flights to Enfidha with holiday airlines such as EasyJet & TUI you could stay in or near Hammamet.
You could spend a full 3 days in Tunis if you wanted but if you’re like me and want to see more of the country, here are some popular places to visit in Tunisia that are close to popular areas like Tunis and Hammamet.
- Tunis Medina / City
- Sidi You Said in Tunis
- Carthage in Tunis
- Hammamet
- Sousse
- Kairouan
- Takrouna
Where to Stay in Tunisia
My Hammamet Hotel
Because my flight was into Enfidha which is 45 minutes away from the popular holiday area of Hammamet, I decided to stay in Hammamet.
I stayed at Le Sultan Hotel which I thought was a nice hotel, especially for the reasonable price. I paid for half board breakfast and dinner and the buffet-style food was good. The highlight of Le Sultan Hotel though was the huge pool and garden area and direct access to the beach.
I read that the government put a height limit on buildings in Hammamet when it was being built into a resort town so this means that you can look down the coast and see nothing but the ocean and open sky!
Search for hotels in Tunisia here!
Hotel in Tunis Medina
For a really great hotel in Tunis, I recommend Dar Ben Gacem which is a boutique hotel in Tunis Medina. I know some people who have stayed here and really raved about it and it’s a great base to see more of Tunis from and get a good feel of life in the Medina!
This hotel books up fast as it is a small and highly rated property. Check availability and rates here!
How to Get Around Tunisia
Private Driver in Tunisia
As you’ll read below in my Tunisia 3 day itinerary, I got my hotel reception to book me a private driver to take me to Tunis and Sousse. This was something I was pretty sure the hotel could do for me but I always still worry about these things, however, it was best to wait until I got to the hotel to organise anything and then I asked reception to call a company and get their prices.
Public Transport in Tunisia
Taxis are good for short journeys and are relatively inexpensive. The public buses in Tunisia are really good for getting around the country.
Because I was spending a few days in Tunisia only I didn’t want to waste time working this out but my friends at Very Hungry Nomads have travelled to Tunisia a lot and used a lot of the public buses, so check out their Tunisia blog too!
Day Tours in Tunisia
Organised day trips in Tunisia were an option I wanted so I could see more at a hopefully lower price than a private driver, however, I found that there were not that many day tours from Hammamet.
Having a private driver was good but it did cost me more than I thought (prices below) and understandably the drivers didn’t speak that good English so they did just act as a driver and it was sometimes hard to communicate although they were very hospitable.
Day Tours from Tunis
There are many more day tours from Tunis available though as this is the capital city and if you are travelling to Tunisia alone I would recommend taking an organised day tour because the price will be lower than a private driver, you can meet other travellers and have a guide to explain things whereas a private driver is just a driver and will probably have limited English too.
3 Day Tunisia Itinerary
Ok, let’s get into how I spent my 3 days in Tunisia to help your plan your Tunisia trip and Tunisia itinerary too!
Day 1 – Hammamet
I arrived at Enfidha Airport from Manchester and got some cash out at the airport which was needed to pay the taxi driver. I did look for how to get a SIM card at Enfidha airport but they didn’t sell SIM cards unfortunately which meant I did my whole long weekend in Tunisia without data except for hotel wifi.
I didn’t get my hotel to arrange a taxi for me but I would recommend this as I was faced with the usual taxi drivers who you’re not sure you can trust situation and I’m pretty sure my taxi cost me more than it should have!
It took just 45 minutes from Enfidha Airport to Hammamet by taxi, I checked into Le Sultan Hotel which I recommend as one of the good hotels in Hammamet, got lunch and chilled by the pool for a bit.
Closer to evening, I got a 15-minute taxi to Hammamet town.
Things to do in Hammamet
Hammamet Medina
To be honest, there aren’t many things to do in Hammamet town, also known as Hammamet Medina.
It’s definitely worth a visit if you are staying within the area but if you are doing your short trip to Tunisia based in Tunis, I wouldn’t recommend driving here just to see it.
I walked through the streets of the Medina to start with which have some nice souk market style shops.
Here, I did have men working in the Medina trick me with a trick I hadn’t heard before but it was to tell me they worked in my hotel so that I trusted them more than if they were a random man and then take me into their shop.
I shared this on my Instagram and many people said they had experienced the same thing so watch out for this tourist scam in Tunisia.
Great Mosque of Hammamet
Within the Medina is the Great Mosque of Hammamet completed in the 15th century which is lovely to walk past. It sounds like it should be quite big as it’s called the ‘great mosque’ but it is actually quite small and even as a Muslim I didn’t go inside because it doesn’t seem like it’s a mosque aimed at tourists to visit and enter.
Fort Hammamet
I didn’t go inside the Kasbah which is Hammamet’s Fort, it is located at the start of the Medina and you can’t miss the large fortress walls that run alongside the Medina and small corniche area so whether you walk past or go inside this is one of the nice things to do in Hammamet.
Walk along the coast
Just before sunset, I walked along the corniche, there is a lovely footpath that runs all the way alongside the small beach by the Medina, the Medina and along the Strandpromenade. I walked to Churros By Zicos which I recommend getting Churros from and then back to the Medina entrance.
Chill at Cafe Sidi You Hdid
On the corner of the Medina and the small corniche walkway is a cafe called Cafe Sidi You Hdid, it’s in an extremely prominent location by the water and the perfect sunset watching spot so I recommend stopping here too.
I had mint tea, and as in many Arab countries, the mint tea is amazing!
Watch the Sunset
Around the fort and beach in Hammamet is a perfect location to watch the sun go down in front of you!
If you are spending longer in Hammamet, check out this fuller travel guide to Hammamet.
Day 2 – Tunis
I spent my morning by the pool and beach at my hotel in Hammamet Le Sultan Hotel which was perfect because this made me feel like I was having a sunny resort holiday during my adventures. I also needed to wait until the midday sun had cooled down.
I hired a private driver who took me from Hammamet to Tunis and then drove me from Tunis Medina once I was finished, around a few sights in Carthage and to Sidi Bou Said. The journey from Hammamet to Tunis is 2 hours so manageable on a day trip.
Things to do in Tunis
Really, I only spent half a day in Tunis rather than one day in Tunis but honestly, especially with the June heat, this was enough and had I gone for a full day without anywhere to rest in the middle of the day I think I would have returned to Hammamet early.
Tunis Medina
My first stop in Tunis was Tunis Medina. I got dropped off at Victory Square by Bab el Bhar and picked up at the top of Avenue Habib Bourguiba Clocktower which was great as it is good to see the tree lined Avenue Habib Bourguiba as well as the crazy streets of the Medina.
Bab el Bhar is the main old gate/door into the old city. I honestly didn’t know where to go so I just headed up a street and from here it took me winding through shop after shop well up into the Medina.
Even though the streets of the Medina are some of the best places to visit in Tunis, I did find the Medina overwhelming, the majority of it is covered and the streets are very small with shops spilling out either side and at some points, it felt like I’d never get to the end and get out into an open street but I did know I was constantly going straight so it’s not like I was going around in circles with no way out.
Zaytuna Mosque Tunis
The inside streets of the Medina from Bab el Bhar do eventually reach Zaytuna Mosque and if you are unsure where to go like me, this is a good place to pin on your map to head to.
TUNISIA TRAVEL TIP – Remember to download Tunis on Google maps if you don’t have a Tunisian SIM card so you can still use a map, you’ll need it.
I thought you could enter Zayuna Mosque and I think you can enter but when I went, even around the afternoon prayer time, it seemed all the doors were shut and people were hanging around on the steps outside and I couldn’t see anyone actually walking in so I decided to leave trying to work out how to get in.
Dar Othman
In Tunis Medina, like in many busy cities with small streets, it’s a good idea to have a few places to walk to so that you can enjoy the streets on the way but have an aim rather than just wandering aimlessly.
I recommend finding Dar Othman on your map and heading to it. This is one of the Tunis tourist attractions, it’s an impressive courtyard with Ottoman, Andalucian and Tunisian designs. It’s likely it won’t be fully open to visit but you can walk there to see and enjoy the pretty streets on the way.
Dar Ben Gacem
Dar Ben Gacem is actually a boutique hotel in Tunis Medina. If you are looking for accommodation in Tunis then I recommend looking into availability here, especially if you plan to spend your 3 days in Tunisia in Tunis, but even if you aren’t I recommend pinning it on your map and walking towards it.
From the undercover shops of the Medina, I headed here and loved the small residential cobbled streets with so many cafes, flowers, arches and impressive doors along them.
Heading to Dar Ben Game really helped me see a side of Tunis Medina I might not have found had I not planned to walk this way to find the hotel so add this to your list of what to see in Tunis!
And the hotel has an incredibly impressive yellow door!
Tunis Medina Rooftop Cafe
One of the best things to do in Tunis and the best way to escape the crowds and heat of Tunis Medina?? Get up onto a rooftop and lucky there are quite a few rooftop cafes in Tunis Medina.
I went to Cafe Panorama which is here on google maps although it was hard to find using google maps, I ended up asking someone in a shop and of course, the owner was his uncle (lol) and he took me all the way there. The front of the cafe is not obvious either, there’s a photo below to help you.
The view from here is AMAZING! They didn’t seem to have much of a menu and limited English from the waiters but it’s worth figuring out!
Eat a Bambaloni
A Bambalouni is a sweet Tunisian doughnut prepared in dough flour and fried in oil and you HAVE to eat one in Tunisia. You’ll find them being sold in many places around the city so keep a look out!
Things to do in Carthage
Let’s leave Tunis Medina and head to more of the popular places to visit in Tunis. Carthage is on all of the lists of top things to do in Tunis and so it should be.
Carthage used to be its own city but now, it’s an area within the Tunis region. It’s also very close to Sidi You Said so should visit these 2 Tunis tourist attractions together on your Tunisia itinerary.
Carthage was the capital city of the ancient Carthaginian civilization and there are many fascinating archaeological sites to visit within Carthage.
Surprised to see Roman Ruins and an ancient civilisation site in Tunisia? Read more about the history here!
I arrived here at about 4pm so I didn’t have long before the sites were going to close but I got to visit 3 sites in Carthage which I recommend.
Byrsa Hill & Carthage National Museum
First, my driver took me to Byrsa Hill which is where I purchased my ticket which gave me entry into 8 sites for just 12 Tunisian Dinar which is £3.50!
At the top of Byrsa Hill is Carthage National Museum which I entered using the ticket pass. The inside of the museum was closed but walking around the grounds outside was enough and it was amazing to see Roman pillars with a view of the mountains and bright blue ocean in the background!
Roman Theatre of Carthage
You might have seen old Roman Theatres in Turkey, Greece and in Italy but here is one on the North Coast of Africa!
It’s nice to visit and should be on your Tunisia itinerary but it only needs a quick visit. I thought it would be better maintained than it is so don’t expect too much!
Roman Baths of Carthage
Also known as the Baths of Antoninus, the Roman Baths are a pretty big site to walk around and that’s because they were the biggest Baths built in Africa!
As a visitor with a ticket for Carthage, you can walk all the way into and through the old baths which I loved.
As I arrived there was a man was offering to tell visitors more about it and he spoke in good English so look out for him if you want to know more. This is one of the places to visit in Tunis you can spend a while in!
Sidi Bou Said
Sidi Bou Said cannot be missed in Tunis! It’s very touristy yes, is one of the top Tunisia tourist attractions but it is great to see.
Sidi Bou Said is its own town but it is located close to Tunis City and Carthage.
It’s famous for its Blue and White buildings and small cobble stone streets, and it almost feels like you could be in the likes of Mykonos or Santorini in Greece!
Sidi Bou Said is quite small with only a few main streets. There are a few things to do in Sidi Bou Said like shopping and visiting some small museums there but the main thing is to wander the streets and have a drink in one of cafes taking in the vibe.
If you haven’t yet had a Bambaloni, one of the Tunisian Donuts, you’ll see a shop on the Main Street selling them with a big queue outside!
Sidi Bou Said Beach & Harbour
Below the blue and white town is Sidi Bou Said Beach which is a beautiful white sand beach and harbour.
Sidi Bou Said Beach does seem to get pretty busy and it’s not a super big beach but if you are happy with that you should pack your swimwear and enjoy the beach as well as the town.
Sidi Bou Said Harbour is worth a walk along if you are at the beach as it’s just a few meters down the road and there are some cafes here to get food and drink.
One of the things to do in Sidi Bou Said is to walk between the town on the hill and the beach and harbour but do be warned that it is a steep hill down, and back up!
Day 3 – Sousse
This was my least favourite outing, to be honest as I didn’t enjoy Sousse that much but this may have just been me and my experience as I have heard of people staying in Sousse and enjoying it.
After another morning relaxing on the beach, I got a private driver from Hammamet to Sousse which was another long journey, a bit longer than Hammamet to Tunis at about 2.5 hours.
Things to do in Sousse
I got dropped off in Sousse Medina near Sousse Grand Mosque to start with and spent the next 2 hours walking around seeing some of the Sousse tourist attractions.
Sousse Medina
As with Tunis and Hammamet, the streets of Sousee Medina are filled with shops and like in Tunis there are some undercover. I found the shops to not be as interesting as in Tunis but I did enjoy that they weren’t as busy and the overall Medina is much smaller and more manageable too.
Sousse Ribat
Visiting Sousse Ribat should be on your Tunisia itinerary if you visit Sousse because it was pretty interesting to see inside the walls of the Ribat and go to the very top to see a full 360 view of Sousse!
Sousse Grand Mosque
The mosque is worth a look inside and everyone can enter. For me, it was pretty easy to see the open door which led into the Mosque courtyard.
If you are male you can enter the main prayer area which is for men. If you are female you seem to not be able to do this as you can in tourist-friendly mosques like in Istanbul. The guard said no to me and I am Muslim wearing a hijab, but I did go into the women’s area instead.
Just remember to take your shoes off if you step inside the prayer area.
Sousse Archaeological Museum
I liked going to Sousse Archaeological Museum because it helped me navigate the medina streets as this was my aim to get to.
I found the museum surprising good actually as it covers a large ground inside and outside.
Personally, I didn’t find the inside that interesting but I’m glad I went in and it gave me more things to do in Sousse on my Sousse trip.
Cafe Aladin
I didn’t find the best places to eat in Sousse Medina although I didn’t look that hard. But a place I literally stumbled upon was Cafe Aladin which is very close to the Archelogical Museum.
It is a bit hard to find but here is their facebook page and from the Archelogocal Museum if you walk to Beb el gharbi and then walk straight down Souk el Caid you will come across it on the right hand side. It’s also near a cafe on Google Maps called Cafe Kasba.
The staff here were really friendly and appreciative of customers coming in, plus they have a rooftop with an amazing view!
They made me a Tuna and Harissa Crepe mixing the French and Arab influences and it was really good!
Port El Kantaoui
Last on my day trip to Sousse from Hammamet I went to an area called Kantaoui up the coast and stopped at Port El Kantaoui.
From what I’d read online about the top things to do in Sousse and top places to visit in Sousse I thought this would have been good but I didn’t enjoy it at all.
I’d say mainly because it is aimed at families on holiday and probably Arab families more specifically not at a solo female traveller in Tunisia so if you are reading this Tunisia itinerary and are like me, I’d recommend not going here.
Cost to Travel Tunisia
As you know, I spent just a short time in Tunisia and I had breakfast and dinner included in my hotel rate so I can’t give you all Tunisia costs but here are some photos I shared on my Instagram with the costs of food and drink I found and transport.
