A promised sequence of Tunis: The (Obvious) Great Things: The (Hidden) Gems. The hidden gems of Tunis are its restaurants (at least, three of its restaurants) and the biggest mosaics museum in the world, Le Bardo.
The surprising fact is that restaurants are not a big part of the Tunisian culture (coffee shops, on the contrary, are). Food is big in Tunis but people mostly eat at home, cook at home, buy already prepared delights for home and entertain at home. An exception to that are sandwich shops, which are many, (apparently) delicious and as diverse as a sandwich shop can be. That’s why I have marveled that much at Dar El Jed, Fondouk El Attarine and The Cliff.
Dar El Jeld‘s fantastic interior is a reason itself to come dine there. Tucked in the old streets of Medina, Tunis’ center, between its colorful (and soulful) Souks, Dar El Jeld preserves the authentic atmosphere of an old noble Arab mansion, which it was up until 1987. An Arab mansion, or la maison Arabe, used to be a home for several generations of the same family, with parents, grandparents and all their kids sharing the same roof – and the same meal, served in the house’s beautifully decorated internal courtyard, under the stars when the weather was right (which in Tunis should be around 350 days a year). Today Dar El Jeld offers by far the best traditional Tunisian food and the unparalleled setting of beautifully kept mosaic, Ottoman carpets and the finest tableware. Prepare yourself for an enchanting evening with white tablecloth set in an open-air patio. Make sure to visit the rooms upstairs to have a peak at the traditional life of Arab noblesse. A must.
Medina of Tunis: pebbled street leading to Dar El Jeld
Medina of Tunis: you can see Dar El Jeld’s yellow door
Dar El Jeld restaurant of Tunis
Narrow picturesque streets of Medina of Tunis
Like Dar El Jeld, Fondouk El Attarine also used to be an Arab mansion, even though of a more humble origin. It was a caravanserai, a roadside inn for where salesmen travelling in a caravan could station for a day and rest. Today Foundouk El Attarine is a place for a luxurious souk (a series of shops) at the ground floor and at the upper gallery, offering the very fine local products. It is also the place for pine and mint tea, pomegranate desserts and listening to the musicians playing traditional Tunisian music.
Patio of Foundouk El Attarine restaurant, Tunis
Traditional music at Foundouk El Attarine restaurant, Tunis
Upper gallery of Foundouk El Attarine restaurant, Tunis
I did not take my camera to The Cliff and I regret it deeply – even though it would not be exactly appropriate at this glamorous seaside restaurant located in the suburbs of Tunis (predictably, at a cliff). This one really got me surprised. I would expect a restaurant like this – and I have been to restaurants like this – in London, Istanbul and at the Amalfi Coast of Italy. Soft lounge music (becoming house music at some point), beautifully dressed people, diamonds and pearls, French-Italian food. A very different Tunis.
But enough about carnal pursuits, let’s talk about the food for the soul. On this note, Le Bardo Museum, located, again, in the suburbs of Tunis in what used to be a 15th century Hafsid palace, is a pearl. It has many beautiful things, like the ancient jewelry and the Roman marble statues, but its unique collection is that of ancient mosaics, the largest in the world. Not only it is breathtakingly beautiful, the colorful tiles tell a tale of the region: the prosperity of Carthage, the rise of the art, valued by this ancient civilization, the Greek and the Roman influence. Several floors of gorgeous pieces filled with air and light, truly impressive.
One of my favorite locals at Le Bardo, Tunis
That’s the Tunis I experienced the first time I got there. White and blue, authentic and modern, filled with sun rays and sea whispers, made of colors and life. And, at the same time, calm and solemn.
Medina of Tunis, Kasbah Square, at the sunset
🙂
The food. Will you do a post about that?
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Maybe next time when I go (to the beach this time). Was too carried away by the historical and cultural things this time and only had 2,5 days! Are you interested in food topic in general? Do you think it is a good idea for the post? 🤗
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Well, for us as part of any journey we have started to notice the food we ate and the cuisine of the places we visit. Makes for some interesting stories it might!
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looks like an authentic experience in Tunisia! lovely pictures with great account!
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oh thank you 🙂
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🙂
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I had a good time reading your blog! I’ll probably visit Tunis soon so thanks for the advice. thecasualvisitor.wordpress.com
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Great! Happy you found it my writing useful 🙂 have a good time in Tunis!
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Thanks for sharing! I spent a few months in Tunisia myself, back when the country was “in transition.” Loved the Bardo Museum in particular: https://jamesvachowski.com/2018/07/21/museum-in-transition-the-bardo/
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