At A Glance
Seven days in May 2025
| Day | Location | Attractions and Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sousse | Travel from Cairo to Tunis to Sousse Explore Sousse Medina |
| 2 | Sousse | Beach |
| 3 | Sousse | Day trip to El Jem |
| 4 | Tunis | Travel from Sousse to Tunis Explore Tunis Medina |
| 5 | Tunis | Explore Carthage, Sidi Bou Said |
| 6 | Tunis | Rest day |
| 7 | Tunis | Bike ride, fly to Rabat |
Itinerary
Days 1-3: Sousse
Boarding a morning flight from Cairo to Tunis, I was reminded of just how massive the African continent is. I thought it would only take an hour between the two cities, but it actually took three and a half! I then hopped into a louage (shared van) bound for Sousse. After a two hour ride, I arrived at my hotel in the heart of the medina. The hotel itself was charming, with sunlit courtyards and thoughtfully decorated rooms.
I got seafood couscous at a nearby restaurant, and it was one of the best meals I ate during my trip. The fish and shrimp were flavorful and had a nice smoky flavor from the grill. I also didn’t think couscous could be this good until I visited Tunisia. They really know how to do this dish right. I spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the souk, which I found to be less chaotic than the bazaars of Egypt.Travel days are always exhausting, and I ended up calling it an early night.
The next day, I was treated to a breakfast feast. This meal was so filling that I didn’t need to each lunch! I wanted to take it easy today, so I went to the beach and got a massage afterwards. For dinner, I tried brik, a crispy crepe filled with egg and potatoes. On my way back to the hotel, I came across a fight breaking out on the street. Thankfully, a kind stranger saw the fear in my eyes and walked me back to the hotel.
On my last full day in Sousse, I took a louage to El Jem to see the Colosseum, one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world. I’m not big into sightseeing, so I only stayed for a little bit before heading back.
Days 4-7: Tunis
On day four, I said goodbye to Sousse and made my way to Tunis. After checking in, I wandered through the bustling medina in search of food.
With no real plan the next day, I spontaneously headed out to explore. First stop: the Antoninus Baths in Carthage. I wish I had more appreciation for ancient ruins, but to me, they’re just…ruins. Sidi Bou Said was more my speed—stunning views, charming blue-and-white buildings, and bambalouni (fried dough snack). For dinner, I tried another traditional dish called malfouf (flatbread wrap). I told them to double up on the harissa, and that was a mistake. Too spicy, even for me.
On my second to last day in Tunis, I wanted to try something new: stay in my hotel and do nothing. This meant no exploring, no sightseeing, just taking some time to myself to relax. It sounded nice in theory, but I struggled to fully unwind and felt guilty for having downtime. I reminded myself that after a jam-packed Egypt trip and Morocco coming next, this slower pace might be exactly what I needed.
I started the final day in Tunisia with kafteji (a spicy veggie and egg dish). You know the restaurant is authentic when you’re the only foreigner there. With some time to kill before my flight, I decided to go on a 50km bike ride with Nomadic Bike. I was a bit nervous at first, but the guides—Yassine, Mahdi, and Dhia(?)—were super welcoming. The ride itself was brutal though. I don’t know if the bicycle wasn’t the right fit or if I’m just that out of shape, but my whole body hurt. It was one of most physically challenging activities I’ve done in recent memory.
We biked to Carthage and Sidi Bou Said, stopping for a short break in La Marsa before heading back. As we were chatting over coffee, the guys taught me some Arabic words, including ‘shwaya’ which meant ‘a little bit’. When I told them that I haven’t tried fricassé (yet another bread and egg combo), they bought me one at a nearby stand. Small moments of generosity like these mean a lot, and I wished I could speak the language to better connect with them. On the way back, Mahdi asked me if I was tired, and I said shwaya. It was in fact not shwaya. I was suffering. But I’m proud I pushed myself to do something different, even if it left me sore for days.
Reflections
I was worried about visiting Tunisia since there’s not a whole lot of information about it on the Internet, and I didn’t speak the language. As such, I thought it would be hard to navigate the country. Turns out, it was easier than I expected! The hotel staff spoke English, and I managed to communicate with the taxi drivers and shopkeepers with my broken French. If all else failed, pointing and other gestures got the job done.
Tunisia was the perfect stop between Egypt and Morocco. I got some much much needed rest and relaxation, especially since my itinerary for the other two countries were so packed. Even though I tried to relax, I found it hard to do so. I know rest is important, but sometimes, the maximalist in me can’t keep still. I want to go out and do things, to make the most out of my limited time in the country.
I feel like I barely scratched the surface of what Tunisia has to offer during my short stay there. Since the tourism industry is still developing, it was hard to find activities to do on short notice, especially as a solo traveler. My options were limited to sightseeing and exploring on my own.
There’s also much to explore outside of Tunis and Sousse. For example, Yassine told me that there are some great hikes in Southern Tunisia that I would have loved to do. If I were to visit again, I would reach out to local tour agencies in advance to plan a customized itinerary. That way, I can tailor the trip to my interests and engage in more immersive experiences that better connect me to the local culture and people.