Country Information - Tourism

Tunisia’s beautiful beaches and historical treasures attract about 7 million tourists from all over the world each year. American and most European tourists do not require visas to enter Tunisia. Seven international airports and seven passenger ports connect Tunisia to the United States and Europe. The capital city, Tunis, is a two-hour flight from Paris and London and a 50-minute flight from Rome. Daily flights connect Tunisia to virtually all European, African and Middle Eastern destinations.

Visitors sunbathe, drive, sail, and fish along the vast stretches of glistening, white sandy Mediterranean beaches along the 800-mile (1300km) coast. Beach resorts include Tabarka, Hammamet, Sousse and Jerba.

The perched village of Sidi Bou Said offers unique scenery of domes, arched doors and balconies in blue and white set against a sparkling sea.

Punic and Roman archaeological sites can be visited in Carthage and other historical areas around the country. They include a second century Roman temple in Dougga, the Phoenician port of Utica, Sbeitla’s Roman temples and arches, Bulla Regia’s Roman villas and El Jem’s Coliseum, which is second only to Rome’s.

Masterpieces of Arab-Islamic architecture attract the attention of visitors. Among them are the Great Mosque of Kairouan, and the Great Mosque of Zitouna at the center of the old city (the Medina) of Tunis.

The vast Tunisian south with its lush oases and sweeping Saharan landscapes is increasingly becoming a favored shooting location for international film productions. Recently shot films include Star Wars and the English Patient.

The island of Jerba is the site of the Ghriba, one of the world’s oldest Jewish shrines.