Ville Nouvelle
Tunis, Tunisia
The French-built new town along the grand Avenue Habib Bourguiba, with cafés, the cathedral, theatres and shops. The city's modern, café-lined spine.
Places in Ville Nouvelle
- Medina & street food (brik, lablabi) The stalls and hole-in-the-wall spots serve brik (crispy egg pastry), lablabi (chickpea soup), fricassé and grilled merguez, the true taste of Tunis. Cheap and delicious.
- Ville Nouvelle & medina cafés The boulevard cafés and hidden medina terraces serve strong coffee, mint tea and shisha to a local crowd. Everyday Tunis life.
Practical notes for Tunis
- Best time to visit
- April to June and September to November for warm, comfortable Mediterranean weather. Summer is hot and busy at the beaches; winter is mild and quiet. Spring brings the countryside into bloom.
- Getting around
- The TGM light rail links central Tunis to Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and the beach suburb of La Marsa — the most useful line for visitors. Taxis are cheap and plentiful; the medina is walked. A guide helps for a first medina visit.
- Currency
- Tunisian Dinar (DT)
- Language
- Arabic. French is widespread; English in tourism.
- Timezone
- CET (UTC+1)
- Current trends
- A revival of the medina with boutique dar guesthouses and rooftop cafés; a small modern-Tunisian and international dining scene in the ville nouvelle and La Marsa; a strong café-and-shisha culture; and cultural tourism deepening around Carthage and the Bardo.
Other neighborhoods in Tunis
- The Medina — The UNESCO-listed old city, a labyrinth of souks, mosques, madrasas and palaces around the great Zitouna Mosque. The historic heart of Tunis.
- Sidi Bou Said — A postcard cliff-top village of cobbled lanes, blue doors and white walls above the Mediterranean, the region's most beautiful spot. Essential and enchanting.
- Carthage — The leafy seaside suburb built over the ruins of the ancient Punic and Roman city, with archaeological sites scattered among villas. History by the sea.
- La Marsa — A relaxed, upscale beach suburb with a seafront corniche, cafés and restaurants, popular with locals for weekends. The city's easy Mediterranean escape.
Read the full Tunis guide