Barrel-vaulted Souq El Berka dates from Ottoman times: this was the slave souq where prisoners of Muslim corsairs were sold from a wooden block. Later, with piracy on the wane, sub-Saharan Africans were traded instead (slavery was finally abolished in 1846). Restored, the souq is now a goldsmith’s market where courting couples come to pick out wedding jewels.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.18 MILES
This sprawling maze of ancient streets and alleyways is one of the most impressive medieval medinas in North Africa and one of Tunisia's great treasures…
2.09 MILES
The main draw at the Tunisia's top museum is its magnificent collection of Roman mosaics. These provide a vibrant and fascinating portrait of ancient…
12.93 MILES
On the cultivated amber slopes of Mt Mekrima, the fascinating but little-visited ruins of ancient Uthina are the remains of one of the Roman Empire's…
0.06 MILES
A medina highlight, this hugely atmospheric souq is filled with exquisitely decorated shops producing and selling chechias, Tunisia's traditional blood…
0.41 MILES
Tunisian food markets offer a great introduction to local culture, and Tunis' Marché Centrale is particularly atmospheric. The original market building…
28.29 MILES
This appealing golden curve of beach is anchored by a rock-hewn castle-like villa, said to have belonged to Wassila Bourguiba, the wife of the former…
9.93 MILES
The Romans chose a sublime seaside setting for this monumental terme (bath complex), a short walk downhill from the Roman villas. Begun under Hadrian and…
0.09 MILES
Located in the heart of Tunis' medina, this important mosque was founded in 734 and built on a site once occupied by a church. It was totally rebuilt in…
Nearby Tunis attractions
0.01 MILES
This was Tunis’ first Ottoman-style mosque (1615), designed by Andalusian architect Ibn Ghalib in a colourful mishmash of styles. Surrounded by Turkish…
0.02 MILES
Souq El Attarine leads into the Souq El Trouk (the Turkish Souq), traditionally the tailors’ souq, and still selling some outfits among the souvenirs. It…
0.06 MILES
Running behind the Zitouna Mosque, the Souq des Étoffes (Fabric Souq) is the geographical heart of the medina's main mercantile enclave, leading to the…
0.06 MILES
This palace dating from the late 17th to early 18th centuries was the Husseinite rulers’ city pad, but the beys preferred the Bardo, so it was used as an…
0.06 MILES
A medina highlight, this hugely atmospheric souq is filled with exquisitely decorated shops producing and selling chechias, Tunisia's traditional blood…
0.07 MILES
This 16th-century mausoleum was built on the site of a funduq (caravanserai or travellers' inn), in which the 13th-century mystic and professor once lived…
0.08 MILES
Harmoniously designed and richly decorated, this 17th-century mosque reflects the prosperity of that period. Its witch’s-hat minaret is octagonal, which…
0.08 MILES
Souq El Attarine (the Perfume Makers’ Souq) dates from the 13th century and is still home to shops selling fragrant oils and waters. Its location on one…