Things to see and do South

The medina is accessed through Bab Diwan, a large door with three arches. It dates from the very beginning of the 14th century. It is close to the Great Mosque, built in the middle of the 9th century, then modified two centuries later under the Fatimids. At the entrance of the medina, you can buy all kinds of fresh bread. Here, there is no pressure to eat. The main attraction of the medina of Sfax, it is its various souks in the north, in particular the souk el-Djedid, close to our flea markets, and the souk el-Attarine, reserved for perfumes and spices.

At the heart of its ancient ruins we meet a family of shepherd who live on site, certainly with some ghosts. The site is magnificent, the fascinating architecture with its vaults, arcades and palm beams. It is also an opportunity to visit the interior of a mosque. Zraoua served as a shooting tray for Jacques Malaterre's Telefilm The sacred Man. The director describes this site as "a virgin site abandoned and built by Berbers with a fairly large architecture corresponding to the historical phase treated by the film that is the birth of the agglomerations and villages".

Built in 849 by a student of the jurist Sahnoun, the cadi Ali Ben Salem Jebenyani. It was enlarged several times, the last one in 1758 by the Turks. The prayer room is square. The courtyard is framed by 4 galleries. The minaret and the big door of access to the prayer room remind those of the mosque of Kairouan. It is on the cool mats of the prayer room that were once taken the major decisions that marked the history of the city. At independence, the renovation work gave back to the building its style and its simplicity.

It is a beautiful fish market with a very typical atmosphere that really deserves a visit. The Sfaxians come here to get fish for the preparation of the marqa, a dish that is eaten with a barley cake. During Ramadan, salted fish is also sold at the auction, it serves as a complement to the charmoula, a sweet sauce with marmalade raisins and onions, the essential dish to celebrate the Eid. The fish market of Sfax will be an interesting step for your understanding of the Tunisian gastronomy!

Wild, the beach of the tourist area Sidi Fredj does not lack charm, but it is one of the most frequented. The sandy and rocky beaches of Sidi Fankhal, 20 min east of Remla, are also nice. The sea at this place is a bit deeper. To get there, you have to cross a small salty desert, the Sebka. Be guided, because it is quite difficult to access. The famous beach of Mkaren Klifa is at the western end. Finally, the beach most popular with the Sfaxians is near the pier and remains pleasant although sometimes saturated.

Of Andalusian inspiration and articulated around a beautiful courtyard, Dar Jellouli was built in the seventeenth century by the rich family of governors Sfax. They had based their fortune on the armament of ships. A visit to the museum brings to life the past of Sfax, from the necessities of daily life to the aspirations of spiritual life. The first floor presents usual objects of kitchen, toilet, clothing and furniture, the second floor of the costumes and traditional jewels, the second floor of the various Arabic calligraphies.

It is in fact a market that spreads over several streets in the center of the city. You can find many spices coming from the region or from farther away. Among the local spices, the dried pepper. Don't miss the henna powder, this coloring and medicinal plant cultivated in the oasis of Gabes. You will also find objects made from palm trees: baskets, hats, etc. Have a coffee on the roadside, close to the souk, or ask for a ride to the "Casse-Croute Fitouri", behind the main square, where you will taste good sandwiches for less than 2 DT!

This fisherman guide, owner of a fellucca, proposes a day at sea for 25 DT with the meal.

Dating at least from the Roman period, the palm grove of Gabes, also called the Maritime Oasis, has long been the main attraction of the city. With its 60 km2 it extends to the sea. From the promontory of Ras el Oued, beautiful view of the oasis. The tragedy of this palm grove, in addition to the strong pollution present, is that the date palms give only "mediocre" dates, not exported and which bring little. As a result, the palm trees are "killed" (word of a guide!) and the number of palm trees decreases every year, from 400 000 in 1980 to 150 000 in 2022. A tragedy!

Its name comes from a Turkish admiral, whose mausoleum is adjacent to the building. The precise history of the mosque is not well documented. In 1893, it was restored to become a mosque-cathedral. The minaret, dating from 1448, is the oldest part. The mosque consists of a prayer hall, a room for the imam and a minaret at the southeast corner. It is surrounded by three patios on the east, north and south sides. The main entrance is on the eastern side and opens onto Sidi Abbas Street. It is distinguished by its typical Ottoman style.

In the southern suburbs (mines are located a little further in the mountains), like port facilities. This Faubourg is also a regular meeting for all the Sfaxiens of the Suburbs who invade a huge market where, in the sand and dust, we buy everything for the year: clothing, crockery, furniture and even household equipment.

The foundation of the Kasbah began under the Aghlabid government in the 9th century. Since its construction, it has served several purposes during the history of the city: control tower for the Aghlabids, seat of the local administration and finally barracks for the armed forces. Today the Kasbah houses a museum that presents a complete panorama of the traditional architecture of the region from a didactic point of view.

The Archaeological Museum of Sfax presents collections of the prehistoric, Roman and Islamic periods of the region. You will find here collections of mosaics, glasses, potteries, coins recovered from the archaeological sites of the area. The objects presented come for the most part from Thyna, the Kerkennah Islands, Acholla and Skhira. The museum is housed in a beautiful house in the Medina, Dar Jellouli, an Andalusian-style palace that was the home of the local caïd before independence. The palace was recently renovated.

It was founded by the Arab dynasty of the Beni Lami who reigned on Gabes in the th century following the hilalienne invasion.

Its architecture is unique: The vaults of the prayer room are supported by broken horseshoe arches and antique columns.

"Archaeological excavations have revealed to the amazed eyes of Kerkennians and visitors one of the Roman quarters of Cercinae, the ancient capital of the archipelago. A survey carried out at the foot of the borj which is located on an eminence allowed to meet archaic strata dating from the seventh century B.C. This discovery shows that the site is a Phoenician foundation and that the strategic position of Kerkennah was noticed and occupied very early by the Phoenicians in their expansion in the West... Paved streets, some of which date back to the Punic era. Large transit port with its quays and its lighthouse whose submerged structures have just been found. On the sea side, it was defended by a beautiful and imposing wall built in the^5th century B.C. Very rich mosaics in the houses... Beautiful oblong cisterns very well preserved testify to the mastery that the Kerkennians of the Antiquity had to save water... " (Excerpt from La Presse.)

Today, there are no more excavations in progress in this area, which is nevertheless very rich and just waiting to reveal its secrets; the fineness of the visible elements allows us to affirm that the Phoenician city was civilized (mosaics everywhere, many cisterns, etc.) and rich. Given the rarity of Phoenician ruins, it is surprising that nobody cares about them! The fort, as for it, is of more recent construction, because Roman, and was built just behind the city. It is still standing and in a fairly good state of preservation.

Located in a Koranic school built at the end of the th century with a beautiful garden. Various kitchen utensils, wedding clothing and traditional clothes in exhibition. Perfume, soap and natural cosmetic products in the region.

A vast natural fishpond, the El Bihan lake represents a paradise for the fish that come to reproduce there. Fishing in Zarzis, a real spectacle, is practiced according to age-old techniques: as soon as a school of ouzaffs, highly prized dwarf fish, is spotted, the fishermen start beating the water with flippers to push it towards the opening of the kiss, a fine net skilfully stretched. Salted, then dried in the sun, the ouzaff is stored in amphorae and kept for winter consumption. The market starts at the Place de l'Horloge, where the minaret stands.

This museum is located in the former church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, built at the beginning of the 20th century. It presents the history of Zarzis and the ancient sites of the region through archaeological pieces and objects of daily life. The Carthaginian period is represented there. A model of the site of Gigthis reminds us of the importance of economic exchanges in the Roman period. One also discovers instruments used by the Zarzissians in the activities which marked their daily life since Antiquity, namely the culture of the olive tree, fishing and trade.

It is necessary to make speak the stones of this imposing site to measure its importance! In front of us, there are remains of the forum, and of religious and official buildings, the most important of which was the capitol. On the edge extend the vestiges of middle-class dwellings. Of Punic origin, the city of Gigthis was, in the 6th century B.C., part of the territory submitted to Carthage. In the first century, Gigthis was an elaborate city, and then it became a municipe. From then on, it never ceased to flourish and became one of the most prosperous city-countries of the Gulf.

For a simple ride at sea, it is possible to arrange with a fisherman from any coastal village; Don't hesitate to call the adorable Abdessatar.