ATM Tour – Tunis – Day 2 – 8 January 2026

The day promised to be bright. The weather forecast was good. I had a lot on the itinerary for the day. Taking into consideration the experience of the previous day I wore the bottom portion of the inners and relied on the Kathmandu jacket to keep the torso and neck warm. This arrangement proved adequate. The first two places to explore were in the Medina.

The Dar el Jeld is one of the most written about and spoken of restaurants in Tunis. It is attached to the hotel and spa resort. An ancient elegant whitewashed building is the host. Both the hotel and the restaurant are quite busy throughout the year and it is quite popular for the authentic Tunisian food served here. The restaurant is designated 5-star boutique and prices naturally match that. I was there early in the morning when the restaurant was not yet open. So, I didn't have to pay the five-star charges!

Dar Lasram is a lavish palace in the Medina. The Lasrams, originally descendant from a Yemeni tribe of rich landlords, were well connected in the ministries and their aristocratic standing gave them clout in society. Hammouda Lasram, one of them, bought the surrounding buildings and constructed a superb mansion between 1812 and 1819.

Dar Lasram, with a surface area of 2250 sqm, is a supreme example of a large traditional Tunisian residence. The ground floor contains the warehouse and the service area; the first floor is reserved to family members while the upper floor is reserved for guests.

Until abolition of the inalienable right to the property by independent Tunisia in 1974, the descendants of Hammouda Lasram occupied the mansion. The state took over the property under the aegis of the Association to preserve the Medina heartland. The entry fee of 5 TND is a steal when compared to the magnificence one can still witness inside. It is neither signposted nor guided. But the jaw dropping works on the floors, ceiling and on the walls make one appreciate the lifestyle of the affluent.

From there I walked through the bustling medina market to the Victory Square and the Bab el Bhar. My journey was to the new part of Tunis, the gateway of which is the Bab el Bhar from the Medina. The Avenue Habib Bourguiba is the central street of new Tunis. The Avenue takes its name from the name of the first of the Tunisian Republic, Habib Bourguiba, who was a prominent figure of the Tunisian national movement.

The ‘I Love Tunis’ sign is a popular place for a selfie in the Avenue. Pouted mouths and tossed hair locks can be seen in plenty hereabouts. Another feature of the Avenue, I noticed, was the large number of 'citizen journalists' who interview passerby, mostly tourists. I was stopped by a couple of them. They politely moved away when I told them that I could neither speak French nor Arabic.

The Municipal Theatre near the Embassy of France is the most famous theatre in modern Tunisia. Built in 1902, it had a seating capacity of less than 900. Save the facade, the rest were demolished and enlarged with four levels to seat 1350 persons. The theatre was further renovated in 2001 in preparation for the centenary of the iconic landmark of the city.

One of the prominent landmarks on Avenue Habib Bourguiba is the St Vincent de Paul and St Olive Cathedral, the current Catholic cathedral of Tunis. Vincent de Paul was founder of the Lazarist Fathers and the Daughters of Charity. As a young priest in the early 17th century, he was captured and sold into slavery in Tunisia. The church, originally built in the late 19th century, underwent many restorations to reach the present state of magnificence.

In 1996, the cathedral hosted Pope John Paul II for the celebration of the Eucharist. The organ of the cathedral is one of the oldest and most beautiful in Africa. In 2021 a small treasure museum was added to the cathedral, including relics of many saints, and it tells the rich history of the Catholic Church in Tunisia from the early centuries to the present day. It was indeed a memorable experience inside the church, in a calm environment. The main entrance to the church is not open for entry, even though it is kept open. A side entrance can be accessed for worship and visit.

At the end of the first stretch of Avenue Habib Bourguiba is a statue of the former President mounted on a huge pedestal, facing towards the Bab el Bhar.

Behind the statue, across the road is the Tunis Clock Tower. Built to commemorate former President Ben Ali’s assumption of power on 7 November 1987, the 38m-high Tunis Clock Tower forms a gilt-topped landmark at the eastern end of Ave Habib Bourguiba. The clock tower looks like a combination of an obelisk and a modern lampshade. The lattice screen tower is illuminated from within at night and is fronted by a fountain.

One of the interesting pieces of brutallist architecture is that of the Hotel du Lac, in the vicinity of the Clock Tower. The building was built between 1970 and 1973. Consisting of ten floors connected by cantilevered staircases at each end, its inverted pyramid shape makes it very characteristic of the brutalist style and a symbol of the arrival of modernity in Tunisia. Unfortunately, the building that belongs to a Libyan company has announced its demolition and work is underway.

With most of my work for the scheduled activities for the day completed I borrowed an item from the next and walked to the Tunis Marine Station to travel to Sidi Bou Said, a much-touted location to enjoy a quiet stroll and heavenly views of the Gulf of Tunis and the Mediterranean Sea.

At the station I was handed a 1 TND ticket and asked to board a bus that was ready to leave. I was not prepared for this. I had read about the leisurely train travel to Carthage and Sidi Bou Said. Anyway, I thought of it as an unplanned adventure and boarded the already crowded bus. From Google Maps I made out that the journey of over 20 km would take about 40 minutes.

The ride through the La Goullette road could have been enjoyed better had I managed a window seat. La Goulette is the port of Tunis. It is located on a sandbar between the Gulf of Tunis and Lake Tunis.  And, therefore, the 'passage' is a tourist spot.

In less an hour from La Goullette the conductor, who sells tickets in the bus from a secure seated position, nodded to indicate that the bus was soon to stop in Sidi Bou Said. I got down and was immediately immersed in a serene atmosphere with the air so pure. Every building on the street was whitewashed and had predominantly blue doors, grills, windows and awnings. It was such a refreshing change from the crowded Medina and New Town of Tunis.

Immediately on disembarking from the bus, I looked for a place to tuck something into the stomach. A small restaurant at the Sidi Bou Said roundabout caught my eye and the menu had many local delicacies listed. I went in there and ordered a Kefteji sandwich. The restaurant was run by two ladies. One of them asked me to take a seat when I told her that I would be eating in.

The order didn't take much long in being placed on my table. It is a popular, iconic Tunisian dish of roughly chopped, fried vegetables such as potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini and pumpkin, mixed with spices, garlic, and harissa with soft fried eggs. Fried veg balls and fries were served too. It was indeed a hearty meal in a crusty bread. That set me up nicely for the planned long walk in the town. The meal had cost me just 5 TND, the equivalent of Rs. 150.

Past the Sidi bou Said and the mosque I began my leisurely stroll. I was on forced to wear the Kathmandu jacket as the steady wind made it very cold. However, I felt energetic in that pure environment, breathing in lungsful of air, the kind that I hadn't breathed in quite a while. With its cobbled streets and blue-and-white houses, Sidi Bou Said is a charming town with gently sloping roads.

The town is on a promontory overlooking the Gulf of Tunis and the Mediterranean Sea. It has many open-air cafes and Tunisian eateries where one can enjoy the superb views. However, the best views one can have, I had read, is from the Cafe des Delices – it proved to be true. All along the trodden path are small art galleries and hundreds of retails stores. Many of them try to lure you to have a peek at 'their work'. Incredible is all you can say of the place and the pieces of art on display.

I was tempted to try the iconic Tunisian doughnut, the Bambalouni. It is an all-day snack made from fried dough flour, sprinkled with sugar or honey. They even have chocolate spread on it instead of sugar. As it looked more sinful than the original sin, I avoided it. One of the shopkeepers held one up for me to take a photo.

There are a few old buildings to explore during the walk like the early-20th-century Ennejma Ezzahra Palace that features arches, ornate stucco, and patterned tilework and the Dar El Annabi, which is a historic house with wax figures in traditional costume. I walked up to catch brilliant views of the marina which sits beside a sandy beach. All in all, it was indeed a visit worth the time and effort.

I walked back after the beautiful visit to the bus stop and shared a bench with a young lady. She enquired where I am from and told me that I should most definitely visit La Goullette. She showed me videos and photos of the place, which certainly made her point. Soon I thanked her and took the bus back to the Tunis Marine Station, paying 1 TND for the fare. It was the cheapest oxygen fix it have ever had in my life.

Back in the Tunis centre, I walked in the direction of Bab el Bhar, enjoying yet again the Tunis Clock Tower, the Cathedral and the wide Avenue Habib Bourguiba. At the end of the Avenue, I was stopped by a citizen journalist asking if he could interview me. When I told him that I could not speak French or Arabic, he became more interested. He interviewed me for his YouTube channel, asking me questions about the purpose of my visit, impressions of the country, difference between India and Tunisa and the general motive for my travels. It was a good interaction and he promised to send me a link to the uploaded video.

On the way back to my accommodation, I picked up a six pack of Celtia, the Tunisian beer, which is the market leader despite the presence of other well-known international brands such as Heineken and Corona. From the department store I could only get cans of 24 cl, even though they come in 33 and 50 cl cans too. A couple of them before dinner served as a gastronomic stimulant.