Over the past 3 years, I’ve had the immense luck and joy, by virtue of my work as a filmmaker and a cultural programmer, to travel across the African continent for the first time (despite being from Egypt). From Essaouira in Morocco and Cape Town in South Africa, through Lagos, Nigeria and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, I’ve had the privilege of getting to learn new things, try new foods, and make incredible new friends along the way. And though these travels have largely managed to fulfill me, they’ve also managed to leave a sense of resentment behind.
Why? Because for the first twenty-something years of my life, Hollywood scripts and French textbooks shaped most of my interests, leaving me with close to no knowledge— or even desire— to see anything beyond Times Square or La Tour Eiffel. In recent years, though, as I began to have the possibility to travel to other Arab and African countries, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of guilt, like I had in many ways “wasted my time” looking so far away when in reality, everything, and more, exists right here. Of course, there are many reasons for that beyond my own volitions; read: decades of cultural imperialism, and even the fact that sometimes it can be more difficult for us, people of the Global South, to get visas to visit other Global South countries than for European passport holders…but still.
So when London-based cultural organisation Hekayyatna invited me on a trip to Tunisia to celebrate their second anniversary, timed around olive harvest season, I took it. It felt like a chance to make up for every missed opportunity. Across 4 days with a group of regional creatives— considered to be a core part of Hekayyatna’s growing community— we got to learn about the North African nation’s heritage and culture from those who are first-handedly cultivating it. Between my time with the group and some solo wandering, I tried to capture the essence of Tunis as it was shared with us below; a starting point if you’re hoping to discover the beautiful country that it is, the way I did.
This non-exhaustive guide is a collage of the program Hekayyatna’s Zeina and Al built for us, Sarah Ben Romdane’s recommendations, and an eating guide I stumbled on by Butheina Ben Salem. To anchor you in the trip, listen to the soundscape Max Saakyan made while we were there, or the playlist I pulled together from the songs I Shazam’d between taxi rides and market stalls.
Getting Sleep
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This little boutique-hotel was the perfect place to stay and enjoy Tunis from. The dar itself was built in the 17th century, and passed through many hands before officially becoming a lodging in 2019. Every corner of it is photogenic, and you can feel the weight of its history while having breakfast, which hits all the spots by the way inside a prestigious dining room. A little secret? There’s a museum of tiles in the basement, with a collection of over 400 hand-painted pieces spanning Tunisian history and all the cultures it intertwined with. The whole hotel was actually designed to honor Tunisia’s tile legacy, with each room named after renowned artists in Tunisian ceramic history. My favorite part about the hotel– aside from its aesthetic and kitchen– was the fact that Dar Ben Gacem is actually a social enterprise, with all profits reinvested in restoring historical buildings in the Tunisian capital’s Medina. It serves as a center point for its ecosystem, with all of its team coming from the neighborhood, and supporting other sustainable tourism initiatives from the community.
I had one extra night to spend in Tunis by myself, and although I felt like staying in Sidi Bou Said would feel too touristy, lord am I glad I did. This room in a shared apartment, hosted by Rania and Antonio, is the perfect little place to stay. Every time I opened the door to my rental room, I felt like I was on a movie set: the bright blue and white houses, the bright sun, and gohanameya tracing graceful lines around each doorway. It’s close and in walking distance to the main street in Sidi Bou, which also happens to lead to café Bleue!
Getting Food
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Probably my favorite restaurant in Tunis by far. I went with a friend on my first day, and then brought a whole group back a few days later. Tucked in the heart of Medina, Dar Slah is a little haven for foodies as it is warm, lively, and serves some of the most authentic Tunisian flavors you’ll find. This restaurant carries on a family legacy that began over a century ago with the current chef and owner’s grandfather, Slah, a beloved seafood vendor at Tunis markets who later opened the first “Chez Slah” by the beach near Carthage. After decades running the iconic downtown spot, Sadri finally opened Dar Slah in Medina to cook the kind of family-style, traditional dishes he grew up with. He still goes to the Central Market every morning to choose the best ingredients to serve his guests himself.
The menu is small in the best way: everything is really good. And the owners are the sweetest; they’ll happily come chat and recommend their favorites. Their Stuffed Olives dish will live rent-free in my mind, like, forever.
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In the few weeks ahead of my trip, every time I would tell anyone I was going to Tunisia, they would tell me to go to Sidi Bou Said and try THE Bambalouni (yes, you can get it in different places but apparently this is THE one). When I had my first bite, I understood why. All of my life’s worries immediately melted away; no wonder this spot has been surviving since 1932!
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I ended up in this spot at La Marsa quite accidentally. It was around 11pm (everything in Tunis closes so early which is very hard for a Cairene girl like me to process) and everything was closed except for some fast food places… My cousin and I took a little walk to see if we’d have any luck with anything else, and we hit the jackpot with this place. Super quaint spot that’s family-run, and the food was absolutely DELICIOUS. Highly recommend the merguez if you eat meat!
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Tucked away in a quiet alley in Carthage, Les Indecis is a café that doubles as a restaurant and an easy third space to hang out. While it could be seen as one of Tunis’ more expat-leaning spots, it felt genuinely lived-in when I visited, with students revising for exams alongside couples cozying up. Known for its pescatarian and fusion-leaning menu, I went for the ceviche—solid and well balanced—though the rest of the menu suggested plenty of equally tempting options.
Getting Caffeinated
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This cafeteria is an ideal pause point after wandering the city’s main markets, or a first stop to properly caffeinate before diving in. Founded in 1888, it carries a palpable sense of history, even if recent renovations have subtly refreshed the space. For something a little different, order a “café direct” finished with a splash of zhar, or orange blossom water.
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This is almost an embarrassing addition—of all places in Tunis, that specialty coffee spot where the expat crowd gravitates. And yet. The coffee is genuinely good, the shelves are stocked with local and artisanal products, the brunch menu delivers, and for better or worse, it’s the kind of place that instantly feels familiar. People studying, friends catching up, tourists pausing between shops—it functions as a comfortable, if predictable, anchor.
Getting Rest
Though I initially headed to Carthage to see some of the Roman archaeological ruins, I arrived a little too late to be allowed in. But it was a happy mistake, as I ended up stumbling upon this little nook by the beach and watching the sunset instead, listening to the Maghrib Adhan surrounded by fishermen. Definitely one of the most memorable moments of my trip.
Between a sunset dip in Mahdia (highly recommended) and dinner at Le Lido, a stop at the Great Mosque felt essential. Built in the Fatimid style—echoing many of Cairo’s great mosques—praying Isha there offered a rare moment to slow down, reflect, and feel grounded in the land and the people around us.
Getting Cultured
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This cultural center, tucked into the heart of Medina, is beautifully decorated inside and offers a welcoming pause from the bustle outside. It’s an easy place to rest, chill, or learn something new. We joined a ceramics and pottery workshop, but the space regularly hosts a wide range of other activities as well.
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We went to Sociale for a purpose a little different than usual: a supper club hosted by Hekkayatna on our first night. But this coworking space in the heart of Sidi Bou Said is a great place to put your feet up, meet people, and get some work done, if you really have to.
Walking around the Medina and its Markets
I highly recommend just walking around the Medina and wandering around without a clear purpose. You’ll fall upon many small artisanal stores, bookshops, and hidden coffee shops. One of my favorite finds was the Library of the City of Tunis– a nook in the middle of the Medina where students were, you guessed it, studying, and you can just grab a book and spend some time in its courtyard. If you want a slightly more structured experience, we took a walking tour with WildTunis & mdintitunisia. We were shown all of his favorite spots growing up, gave us a 101 to Tunisian history, and even took us to Tunis’s last bookbinding workshop. The most meaningful spot? Jninet Al Hafsia– a community garden built from rubble that has now become a meet-up space for women, men, and children from the Medina.
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If you’re an architecture fan, or just like pretty views with a spice of history, I recommend taking a walk at this Palace, which used to belong to French painter and scholar Baron d’Erlanger. The palace itself is beautiful, but it’s the views that really make it a not-to-miss location. I suggest ending your walk at the Hub Créatif Sidi Bou Said where you can treat yourself to a coffee or some souvenirs… I was lucky enough to end up there during their “Brunch of Palais: Pomegranate Edition” where a number of female artisans were exhibiting their products related to the pomegranate.
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B7L9 is exactly the kind of place I love stumbling upon in any city. A cultural center with a year-round program of talks, workshops, and gatherings, it’s a space built around curiosity; inviting each one that passes through their doors to try something new, meet someone new, learn something new, as Hekayyatna’s slogan goes. We visited for a Hekayyatna event on “How to Decolonise Our Food?”, where participants collectively drafted a manifesto. The discussion ranged from the centrality of olive oil in Tunisian cuisine to the paradox of Tunisia exporting its best tuna only to reimport lower-quality versions, ending with reflections on where we last ate. The rooftop sealed it, with a DJ set by Rara and an easy, communal atmosphere.
KAIA’s farm
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Saving the best for last: the KAIA farm. An artisanal, family-run olive oil project led by Sarah Ben Romdane, KAIA feels as much like a homecoming as it does a brand. After spending most of her life abroad, Sarah returned to her ancestral land in Mahdia after COVID, where her family’s olive groves have stood for over five generations. Determined to care for them properly once again, she rooted herself back into the land in the process. Walking through kilometers of olive trees—each a different variety—listening to Sarah tell her story, with her father quietly trailing behind, was unexpectedly emotional. Maybe this is what it’s really about: leaving, then returning to plant deeper roots. Lunch was nothing short of majestic—couscous with seasonal vegetables, bread baked by nearby farmers, and generous helpings of harissa and olive oil. We even tried harvesting ourselves, a moment that carried particular weight for the Palestinians in our group, whose own harvests were unfolding elsewhere, out of reach. A few hours at KAIA was a powerful reminder that connection doesn’t require distance from home.
