Exploring new cultures, traditions, and connecting with indigenous communities brings a unique dimension to travel. In Tunisia, I decided to visit such places to delve into local customs and meet people who preserve their unique traditions.

I was particularly intrigued by the Berbers, who call themselves Amazigh, meaning “free people” in a loose translation. They are the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa. Importantly, the Berbers continue to cultivate their traditions and language. The term “Berber” originates from the Latin word barbarus, meaning “barbarian.” However, at the time, the true meaning of the word as we know it today was not understood.

Where Do the Berbers Live?

Their presence spans from Egypt to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sahara. The largest Berber populations are in Morocco and Algeria, with 6 to 7 million people still speaking their language. They also inhabited the Canary Islands, where they were known as the Guanches. In this post, I will focus solely on Tunisia, where you can also explore Berber culture. We’ll head to Tataouine.

Tataouine 

Picturesque Berber towns like Chenini and Douiret are located in southern Tunisia, in the Tataouine region. Interestingly, the Berber language is still used in these villages, highlighting the region’s cultural heritage. This is also evidence that the history of these places is not confined to the walls of ancient ksars; it proves that culture and tradition remain alive.

Both towns are situated in the mountains and equipped with ksars—fortified granaries perched atop hills to provide safety and secure food supplies. These ancient Berber settlements, located high in the mountains, resemble fortress ruins. Access to the ksars—places filled with storage niches—is via steep stairs and ladders. They were used to store provisions, ensuring the residents’ safety against raids and harsh climatic conditions.

Chenini

Chenini is one of the most famous places associated with the Berbers in Tunisia.

The oldest granary structures on the hillside date back to the 12th century! Notably, in 2023, around five hundred Berber shepherds and farmers still lived in Chenini’s rock-hewn homes. The village is known for its cave dwellings, which provided thermal insulation—cool in the heat and warm on cold nights. Strolling through it, you can admire a labyrinth of narrow streets, ruins of traditional granaries, and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.

It’s worth knowing that the town also stands out for a site believed to be the tomb of the Seven Sleepers (Saba’a Rijal), making it a pilgrimage destination.

Douiret

Douiret is a less-known but equally fascinating village. Its layout resembles a labyrinth of houses and caves situated on rocky terraces. The town captivates with its raw beauty and atmosphere of abandonment, offering endless landscapes and grazing animals. Douiret also has a mosque, and I stayed overnight in an extraordinary hotel, a cave dwelling in Douiret. Staying in such a traditional house and eating meals prepared by women who have lived there for years provides insight into the lives of the locals. It’s an incredible experience that I highly recommend.

Troglodyte House

During my visit to the region, I had the extraordinary opportunity to meet the locals, who proudly preserve their traditions. One of the most touching moments was meeting a troglodyte family—a group living in the area around Matmata. Some still live in houses carved into the soft, sandy-clay rock, while others also host tourists like me.

Invited into one such home, we were hosted like old friends. In the middle of a small courtyard, a table awaited us where we could enjoy traditional bread. Made before our eyes, it was served with local olive oil and honey—a taste of simplicity that stays with you. During conversations, I learned more about their daily life, challenges, and traditions passed down through generations. I also had the chance to wear traditional attire—an incredibly fascinating experience.

Ksar Ouled Soltane

This is one of the most impressive ksars in southern Tunisia, built in the 15th century. Also located in the Tataouine region, this ksar is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors with its well-preserved architecture. Walking through this site, you can feel the spirit of history and imagine how Berber communities, facing harsh climatic conditions and threats, created such extraordinary spaces. The ksar covers two courtyards and has over 400 individual food storage cells.

This ksar also gained international fame thanks to the movie Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Scenes depicting the slave quarters of Mos Espa, where young Anakin Skywalker lived, were filmed here. Thanks to this cinematic role, Ksar Ouled Soltane became a unique landmark on Tunisia’s map.

Walking through these settlements, you get the impression that every stone and every corner has its own story to tell. These are not just places to admire but also places where you can feel the atmosphere and the scent of the desert wind. Unfortunately, photos cannot fully capture this, so the only solution is to visit in person.

Read more about Tunisia here:

15 Best Places to Visit in Tunisia

If you’re interested in indigenous communities, check out:

Embera – Visiting the Indigenous People of Central America

The Akamba Tribe’s Manufactory – An Unusual Place in Mombasa

The post The Berbers in Tunisia – A Journey through History and Tradition appeared first on Where Is Evelyn.

Today I want to share with you our journey through Tunisia, or rather its exact plan! In total, we covered a whopping 2764 kilometers! It was an incredible adventure during which we had the chance to see not only the desert and the oases within it but also intriguing monuments from other cultures and truly iconic places related to “Star Wars.” Ready? Let’s start!

Djerba

First, we landed on Djerba. It’s a Tunisian island connected to the mainland by a causeway located in the Gulf of Gabès. You can learn more about Djerba in this post that I prepared for you. We stayed here, and after exploring Djerba, we headed to El Djem (El Jem) – the journey took 4 hours and covered 330 kilometers.

El Djem (El Jem)

El Djem is a small town with a population of 22,000 people, which was once the Roman city of Thysdrus, the most important in the region after Carthage. Its main attraction is the remains of the amphitheater listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Amphitheater

The amphitheater in El Djem is the third largest in the world, better preserved than the Roman Colosseum. It is the most impressive structure of its kind in the entire North Africa. Built around 238 AD, at its peak, it could accommodate up to 35,000 spectators. It is definitely worth taking the time to explore it, if only because of its size!

From El Djem, we then went to Sfax. The journey took us exactly an hour, covering a distance of 75 kilometers.

Sfax

Sfax is a charming port city with thick walls surrounding the medina, one of the most beautiful in Tunisia. In Sfax, we stayed at Les Oliviers Palace, a hotel similar to – and located near – this one.

Medina

The famous medina in Sfax was built by Prince Aghlabid Abu Abbass Muhammad between 849 and 851 AD; it is the best-preserved example of Arab-Muslim architecture in the Mediterranean basin. At its center is the Great Mosque from the 9th century. Market streets surround it from its northwest facade, while the rest of the area is occupied by residential neighborhoods.

From Sfax, we headed to Tozeur; the journey took us four hours, during which we covered 350 kilometers!

Tozeur

Tozeur is a desert city adjacent to a huge oasis consisting of hundreds of thousands of palm trees. Here, we had the pleasure of staying at the Ras El Aïn hotel near Palm Beach Palace.

Palm Grove Park

Tozeur is home to hundreds of thousands of date palms, making it one of the largest oases in Tunisia. The grove impresses with its unusual size and a variety of vegetation. Within the oasis area rises the Eden Palm Park. After paying the entrance fee, you can walk among the palms with a guide who will tell you the story of these trees and their fruits!

Museum of the Earth

Chak Wak Museum is a place where you can learn about the history of the Earth and humanity – from the Big Bang itself. The exhibitions present all geological epochs in succession. One of the main points of interest are the figures of prehistoric people and animals, including dinosaurs! The exhibitions also lead through the history of religions and specific civilizations. It’s an interesting place for families with children!

Mos Espa

Located 40 km (and 40 minutes drive) from Tozeur, Mos Espa is a settlement built in the desert by film writers for two productions from the “Star Wars” series: “The Phantom Menace” and “Attack of the Clones”. Empty inside, recognizable buildings stand on the former film set for 40 years. It is a place frequented by tourists, especially science fiction fans.

Chebika Oasis

From Tozeur to the mountain oasis of Chebika, it took us 45 minutes (50 km). It is adjacent to abandoned, stone houses that once formed a village. The present water from the springs allowed for the creation and flourishing of a palm grove at the foot of the mentioned old village. From this place, it only takes a few minutes walk to see the Tamerza waterfall. The Chebika Oasis is considered the most beautiful in Tunisia.

Tozeur – City Tour

Tozeur is famous for its yellow-brown brick and geometric patterns that adorn the facades of most buildings. Narrow, arched streets in the oldest part of the city resemble a maze. The modern tourist zone, on the other hand, is located on the southwestern outskirts of the city.

Douz

The 125-kilometer journey from Tozeur to Douz – a small town called the Gateway to the Sahara – took us 2 hours. We passed by a salt lake, which I’ll describe shortly! In Douz, we stayed at El Mouradi hotel.

Salt Lake

Chott el Jerid Lake is the largest salt lake in the Sahara. Its surface area is as much as 5,000 square kilometers! Due to the desert climate, it almost completely dries up in summer, leaving a shiny layer of salt, and during the rainy season, its area fills with water again, creating a salt lake. A road two meters wide runs through it, and that’s the road from Tozeur.

Matmata

After covering 90 kilometers, which took us an hour, we found ourselves in Matmata, where we learned about Berber culture.

Troglodyte House

Berbers are the indigenous inhabitants of ancient Berberia. One such people are the so-called troglodytes. Representatives of this people live in the Matmata region. Some of them still live in houses carved into sandy-clay rocks – these ancient structures helped to protect against extreme temperatures. While visiting one of these houses, we had the opportunity to try traditionally baked bread with olive oil and honey!

Star Wars Hotel

The Sidi Driss Hotel has become one of the most famous places where “Star Wars” was filmed. It is colloquially called the “Star Wars hotel”. It’s a traditional Berber house. In the movie, it served as the Lars Homestead on Tatooine. The hotel, with its intact decorations, is open all year round. A restaurant has been opened on its premises, where you can eat in the same place as in the movie!

Ksar Ghilane

From Matmata, we traveled for an hour and a half to see the oasis of Ksar Ghilane, which is 120 kilometers away! This oasis is fed by a hot spring (a small lake) with thermal properties, where you can bathe. Interestingly, the oasis serves as a refuge for dozens of nomadic families who live off the sale of dates and animal husbandry, as well as tourism.

Tataouine

After covering another 150 km (in 2 and a half hours), we landed in a place whose name you surely recognize: Tataouine! Region is famous for its surrounding ksars (fortified granaries). It became known thanks to being a filming location for “Star Wars,” which is easy to decipher because the city lent its name to the desert planet Tatooine. Here, we stayed in an unusual hotel, a cave at Douiret!

Chenini

Thirty minutes from Gîte Douiret, 30 kilometers from the city, lies Chenini, a ruined Berber village. Located on a hill near a contemporary village of the same name, Chenini was a fortified granary built between two hills. The oldest structures on the hillside date back to the 12th century. In 2023, about five hundred Berber shepherds and farmers still lived in the rock houses of Chenini.

Ksar Ouled Soltane

Another forty kilometers (just over half an hour’s drive) and we saw Ksar Ouled Soltane. It is also a fortified, multi-level granary built by the Berbers in the 15th century. It is very well preserved. This ksar occupies the area of two courtyards and has over 400 individual food storage cells.

Ksar Ouled Soltane also appeared in the movie “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” in some scenes depicting the slave quarters in Mos Espa, where the character Anakin Skywalker lived as a boy.

Ksar Ouled Soltane – Djerba

After two hours and covering 150 kilometers, our trip ended in Djerba, from where we set off! This time we stayed at Ulysse Djerba Thalasso & SPA.

Although it’s known that you can’t see everything during one trip, I consider this one to Tunisia a fantastic experience during which we managed to see quite a lot! Organized tours with a guide are, in my opinion, the best way to get the most out of such trips. Have you been to Tunisia yet? Let me know!

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If you’re here, you’re probably wondering what there is to see on Tunisian Djerba. Let me share my impressions from a trip that started with this magical island. For me, Djerba is not only the beginning of an adventure through Tunisia, but also a symbol of perfect relaxation. Let’s start with the weather – sunny days are almost guaranteed here, even outside the season, making Djerba a perfect place for sunbathing and relaxation. Additionally, the island offers plenty of interesting attractions, picturesque places, and of course, delicious Tunisian cuisine.

Sounds like the perfect plan? I won’t prolong it, I just invite you to read about the island of Djerba.

Djerba

Let’s start with the fact that Djerba is the largest Tunisian island, located in the Gulf of Gabes on the Mediterranean Sea. We can easily reach it directly from Poland, for example from Katowice or Warsaw. Djerba has a typical Mediterranean climate, which means it’s the perfect place to visit at any time of the year. It’s also worth mentioning that Djerba is connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway dating back to Roman times, and as you might expect, it’s an island with a truly long history. Moreover, since 2023, the island can boast an official entry on the UNESCO World Heritage List, which further emphasizes its cultural and historical significance.

Erriadh and the Djerbahood project

Have you heard of Djerbahood? In 2014, artists from all over the world gathered in the village of Erriadh on Djerba to create an open-air museum with over 250 murals. Moreover, this project is still ongoing, with many new murals being created. Many of them refer to Tunisian traditions. It’s a unique street art gallery and one of the most photogenic places I’ve had the opportunity to see! In addition to street art, Erriadh is full of bougainvillea, which is admired as much as the art itself. This artistic and social project has become a tourist attraction for Erriadh and continues to this day.

El-Ghriba Synagogue

The ancient El Ghriba synagogue, also known as the Djerba synagogue, is located in the Jewish village of Er-Riadh, a few kilometers from Houmt El Souk, the main town of Djerba. It is the oldest synagogue in Tunisia and most likely in the whole of Africa. Besides being an active and popular synagogue, it is also a place of pilgrimage, as one legend says that there is a stone from the Temple of Solomon in the building.

Thanks to the reconstruction visible today, the temple dates back to the 19th century, although it is much older in reality. The covered courtyard impresses with its decoration of colorful ceramic tiles. The prayer hall is adorned with blue columns supporting arches alternately painted in blue and white stripes. In the synagogue, you will also see stained glass windows and memorial plaques left by pilgrims.

Houmt El Souk Market

When in Houmt El Souk, a visit to the local market is a must. It’s a place that’s always bustling with life. At the market, you can order fresh seafood or see firsthand how harissa (a traditional spicy paste made from peppers) is handcrafted. The mountains of various aromatic spices there are particularly impressive and worth stocking up on!

Sweet lovers will find fresh dates and artisanal halva there. If you’re interested in souvenirs, you’ll find plenty at the Houmt El Souk bazaar, mostly in the form of handicrafts and ceramic products. You can also get clothing or olive wood products.

Borj El Kebir Fortress

Borj Ghazi Mustapha, also known as Borj El Kebir, is a fort located at the fishing port of the town of Houmt El Souk. It was built in 1289 by Roger de Loria, the admiral of Aragon and Sicily, on the site of the remains of a Roman fortress. In 1557, it underwent reconstruction commissioned by Turgut, a Turkish corsair and admiral of the Ottoman fleet.

Borj El Kebir was built in a rectangular plan. Both round and square towers are embedded in the walls. The entrance doors open onto a vestibule that once defended access to the courtyard. A small room, transformed into a museum, gathers various objects found within Borj Ghazi Mustapha during excavations, as well as explanatory plaques. The fortress offers a picturesque view of the sea.

From September 16 to the end of May, the fort is open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. From the beginning of June to mid-September, it is open from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm. Remember that on Fridays, the fort is not accessible to visitors! The entrance fee is 8 TND.

Sidi Yati Mosque

Sidi Yati Mosque is located on the southwestern coast of the island, in the village of El Fâhmîne. This small mosque was built in the early 10th century in memory of Khalaf Ibn Ahmad, also known as Sheikh Yati El Mistawi. It is one of the mosques that, besides being a place of worship, played an important role in the defense system of the time – it served as a watchtower, guarding the coast.

Today, the inactive mosque mainly consists of a courtyard, a prayer hall, and a tomb. Its walls are covered with a thick layer of white lime. And above all, it’s a brilliant place to admire the sunset!

Kitesurfing

One of the sporting attractions of Djerba is kitesurfing. The Kiteworldwide station opened on the island in 2019. The shallow water of the lagoon with sandy bottom is ideal for beginners. Over 2/3 of windy days a year create exceptionally favorable conditions for kitesurfing, also for advanced riders. There is plenty of space along the coast for practicing this sport, so everyone will find their spot! For those interested, lessons with an instructor are available – you can take advantage of the school where Sylwia from Poland is an instructor.

Guellala and pottery production

Guellala is a village located in the south of Djerba, which, thanks to its rich clay deposits, is famous for its ceramic products. You will find the most pottery workshops on the island there, which is evident at first glance because clay vessels line the squares and sidewalks and decorate the streets with their colors. The village also houses the Heritage Museum, which is worth seeing due to its interesting exhibits.

If you plan to visit the village, be sure to take a guided tour, as you will have the opportunity not only to see how pottery is made in a traditional workshop but also to try your hand at this difficult art under the guidance of a master!

Crocodile Farm Djerba

Explore Park is one of the most popular tourist attractions on the island. It is located in the center of the town of Midun. It was opened in 2003 and is best known for its Crocodile Farm.

The aforementioned Farm covers an impressive area of ​​20,000 square meters and is the largest of its kind in the entire Mediterranean basin! In the ponds and tropical greenhouses, you will see up to 400 Nile crocodiles imported from Madagascar, swimming or basking in the sun. This species is one of the largest crocodile species in the world. You can catch shows with these impressive animals!

The visiting hours for the Crocodile Farm are as follows: from the beginning of July to the end of August, it is open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, and from September to the end of June – from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. The admission fee for adults is 30 TND, and for children, it is 20 TND.

Flamingo Island

Ras Rmel is a long and sandy peninsula located in the southern part of Djerba, which is called “Flamingo Island”. Every year, from October to February, a lot of pink flamingos fly to the peninsula, wading in the surrounding lagoon. It’s a breathtaking sight! Besides flamingos, you can also spot other species of water birds there, such as cormorants and pelicans. With a bit of luck, you might also see dolphins!

Excavations in Meninx

The Meninx archaeological site is located on the southeastern coast of the island, near the town of Henchir El Kantara. It is two kilometers long and eight hundred meters wide. It represents the ruins of a city founded by the Phoenicians in the 10th century BC. During the Roman rule, the city of Meninx gained the status of a capital and became the political center of the island.

Admission to the excavation site is free. You will be able to admire numerous remains of marble columns and foundations, which once formed baths, a theater, a Roman forum, and an amphitheater.

Where to stay on Djerba?

I stayed at two hotels on Djerba. If I were to return to Djerba, I would have trouble choosing where to stay because I can recommend both places.

• Calimera Yati Beach is a hotel located on a sandy beach, with free sun loungers. It also has an outdoor pool and a restaurant serving mainly local cuisine. The choice is sufficient, with different dishes every day. There are animations, even out of season, table tennis, a beach bar. It has a friendly, holiday atmosphere. Free WiFi is available throughout the property. In the rooms, we can count on a bathtub (the second place I checked had only a shower). You can book directly through booking.

• Ulysse Djerba Thalasso & SPA is a five-star hotel in Houmt Souk, right on Mezraia Beach. It offers an outdoor pool (there is also an indoor one), a fitness center, and many great spa treatments. The rooms are air-conditioned with free WiFi. A wider choice of food than in Calimera Yati Beach. Guests can enjoy various attractions, such as a playground for children, table tennis, and darts. You can book directly through booking.

I explored Tunisia at the invitation of the Tunisian Tourism Organization. Thank you for the invitation [advertisement].

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