In the Punic War and was its colony under Trajan and Diocletian. Then the area came under Arab rule, the city received its modern name, and a new era began in its life. The turbulent past has left its traces on the appearance of the city, and tourists will always find something to see in Sousse and its immediate surroundings.
Even in winter, Sousse is popular among Europeans. Thalassotherapy centers are especially popular and prices for services are significantly reduced during the low season.

TOP 10 attractions of Sousse

Medina Soussa

The medieval part of old Arab cities is traditionally called the medina. Translated from Arabic, this word means “city”. The history of any settlement began with the medina. It was surrounded by a wall, the streets inside were a tangled labyrinth, which significantly reduced the enemy’s chances of quickly capturing the historical center during an armed invasion.
Walking through the medina in Sousse, you can look at the architectural monuments of the Middle Ages and feel the rhythm of life in the old city.
Construction of the historical center began in the 8th century. under the Aghlabids. On the plan, the medina has the shape of a rectangle, outlined by city walls with rounded battlements. Significant fortifications and religious structures are located in the corners:

• The southwestern corner is fortified by the kasbah with the Al-Khalef Tower. The tower is the tallest building in the historical part of Sousse.
• A ribat with a watchtower was built in the north-eastern corner of the old city.
• To the east rise the domes of the Great Mosque of Sousse.
• The Bu Ftata Mosque at the southern gate of the medina is also worthy of attention. Its elegant minaret of the 18th century. decorates the panorama of the city.
• The small Eddamu Mosque is famous for its prayer hall, whose barrel vaults date back to the 11th century.

Medieval buildings give the medina a special flavor and charm. When walking through the labyrinth of streets, follow your navigator or map! It is very easy to get lost in the Arabian medina, and in order to get out you will need the help of local residents.

Ribat

The most fortified building in the medina was built in the 8th century. The oldest urban architectural monument is called the ribat and is a small fortress. Behind the walls of the ribat, Murabite warriors lived and performed military service. At the time of the Aglabit conquests in the 9th century. The ribat was a military base.
When constructing the fortress, the Arabs used building material taken from the ruins of Roman buildings. This is especially noticeable when looking at the entrance gate, decorated with a portico with typical Roman capitals and columns.
The southern part of the ribat is famous for its prayer hall, the dome of which hangs over the entrance. Historians believe that this small mosque is the oldest in the country. In general, the ribat gives the impression of a simple but very harmonious structure.

Great Mosque

A couple of tens of meters from the ribat near the harbor you will find another important attraction of Sousse. The Great Mosque looks a bit like a fortified fort. The reason for the architectural features was the enemy’s attempts to capture the city medina. On the sea side, the structure is even protected by a pair of watchtowers. The Great Mosque of Sousse does not have a minaret. Its role was usually played by the watchtower of the ribat located nearby.
The courtyard of the prayer house is surrounded by porticoes with compositions of arches. The frieze on the tops of the galleries is decorated with calligraphic writing, which mentions the founders and builders of the mosque. Roman antique columns and capitals were used in the interior design, and casting was used to decorate the domes.

Kasbah

A powerful fortress in the southwestern part of the medina reliably closed this corner of the old city from the claims of foreign invaders. A fortification building of this type in Arab architecture is called a kasbah. In Sousse, the Kasbah is easy to spot thanks to the majestic watchtower called Al-Khalef.
The honor of designing and constructing the tower belongs to the architect Khalef al-Khata. Al-Khalef was built in the mid-11th century, as evidenced by a Kufic inscription on the southern wall of the medina. With the advent of the kasbah and signal tower, the ribat ceased to have defensive significance and turned into a religious and educational center.
At the top of the tower there is a powerful spotlight, the light of which is visible from several tens of kilometers away. This allows Al-Khalef to serve as a lighthouse for seagoing vessels.

Architectural ensemble of the medina

The old part of Sousse is literally filled with historical and architectural monuments. Sightseeing tours with professional guides will help you look at the medieval splendor and not get lost in the narrow streets.
During your walk you will definitely be shown:

• Ezzaqaq Madrasah, built during the Aghlabid era. Above it rises an octagonal minaret, decorated with ceramic tiles and erected by the Ottomans in the 18th century.
• Mausoleum of Sidi Bouraoui, considered the patron saint of the city. The saint rests in a wooden hearse, and the courtyard of the tomb is richly decorated with carvings.
• Al-Kobbu is an architectural structure decorated with a unique dome. It is pleated in zigzags and dates from the 11th century. Adjacent to al-Kobba is a caravanserai, where today the Museum of Folk Traditions of Sousse is located.
• Sili-Ali-al-Ammar. This mosque is worth a look, if only because it was built back in the 11th century. The interiors of the model room impress with the luxury of its decoration. The multi-colored relief rosettes are especially picturesque.
• The Sofra underground reservoir supplied the city with water from the 11th to the 20th centuries.

The medina of Tunisian Sousse was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988.

Dar Esid

Do you want to see how Tunisians lived a hundred years ago? The traditional home of a wealthy family from Sousse has been converted into a museum called Dar Esid. It is located within the walls of the medina a little north of the main bus station.
The center of the museum is an open courtyard, from where you can go to any room of the house: the women's bedrooms (the owner of the house had at least two spouses), the children's quarters, the kitchen and the men's half. All rooms are furnished with national furniture, the windows are covered with curtains, and the cabinets contain dishes and other household utensils necessary for life. You will see national costumes, cooking utensils, cradles, weapons and other exhibits preserved by the museum’s organizers. Most of the items were made at the beginning of the 19th century. The house has a steam room and a bathroom finished in Carrara marble.

Archaeological Museum

The second collection of mosaics in Tunisia in terms of importance and variety of exhibits is located in the Archaeological Museum of Sousse, opened in the Kasbah in the historical center of the city. Surrounded on both sides by gardens, the museum is of undoubted interest for lovers of history, architecture and ancient applied arts.
The restored room in the fortress, where exhibits are displayed, perfectly emphasizes the general idea of ​​the museum. Among all the ancient Roman mosaics that have survived for centuries, the images of the head of Medusa the Gorgon and, which are particularly realistic, are especially worthy of visitors’ attention. Another priceless exhibit is the baptismal font of Byzantine origin.

Port el Kantaoui

The resort suburb of Sousse offers a luxurious and varied holiday for entertainment lovers. Here you will find golf courses and riding clubs, a marina with yachts and restaurants with the best Maghreb cuisine in the region, thalasso centers and sports clubs, discos and shopping centers.
The list of main points of the entertainment program for tourists in Port el Kantaoui usually includes walks on a glass-bottom boat in the bay, diving with an instructor in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, horseback riding in the surrounding area, safari tours to the Sahara in jeeps, golf on a local course club with 36 holes and a variety of excursions to the sights of Sousse and other nearby cities in Tunisia.

El Jema Amphitheater

An hour's ride by minibus from Sousse is a pretty town, the main attraction of which is the ancient amphitheater, which ranks fourth in the world ranking in size after the Colosseum and arenas of Capua and.
Built in the 3rd century. BC. Proconsul of Rome Gordian, the amphitheater bears his name. The dimensions of its arena are 65x39 m. 30 thousand spectators could simultaneously watch what was happening there.
The arena was decorated with mosaics, which have now been moved to the local museum. Historians believe that the structure was not completed and was only used for a short time.
It is the Gordian Amphitheater in El Jem that most often appears in films about gladiators, since it is much better preserved than the Roman Colosseum.

Medina of Monastir

30 km and a 20-minute taxi ride from Sousse is another famous Tunisian resort where you can go for some sightseeing and an extra dose of holiday experience.
As in other Arab cities, the main architectural monuments are concentrated within the walls of the old city. The Medina of Monastir is replete with mosques, towers, fortress walls and gates, the construction of which began in the distant 9th century. It was then that the Great Mosque appeared on the map of Monastir. To build it, the Tunisians used stone elements from the ruins of ancient Roman buildings.
The fortress walls surrounding the old quarters were built in stages. Most of those that have survived to this day appeared in the 10th-15th centuries. The historic gate to the west of the medina was built during the Hafsid dynasty in the 15th century. The honor of constructing the southern ones belongs to the Ottoman Turks, who captured the country in the 17th century, and the northeastern entrance to the medina, called Bab Tunis, dates back to the 18th century.
In Monastir, the mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba and an example of fortification architecture of the 8th-11th centuries are worthy of attention. a small fortress, traditionally called ribat in Arab countries.

In the center of the Tunisian city of Sousse is the medieval Arab Medina. There are fortress walls around it, and it consists of winding narrow streets.

Medina was built sometime in the 9th-11th centuries for commercial and military purposes. The walls of the Medina with gun towers and the main watchtower of the Caliph were built in 859. The massive blocks of cut stone from which they are composed were brought from the ruins of various ancient Roman cities.

In addition to the ancient white houses in the Medina, there are such majestic fortresses as the Ribat Monastery and the Great Mosque with massive battlements and corner round towers.

Nowadays, the Medina has become an open-air tourist center with a huge number of shops aimed at tourists.

The medina of Sousse is considered one of the most interesting and largest medinas in Tunisia. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Marhaba Beach

Marhaba Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the resort of Sousse. The length of its white sandy strip is about 1.5 km, and its width reaches 40 meters. Starting from lunch, there is everything for a comfortable stay - sun loungers, umbrellas and air mattresses are brought to the beach from hotels. But in the early morning, “Marhaba beach” is a secluded corner of nature where you can dream and admire the surf. This place is famous not only for its clear waters and beautiful scenery, but also for its lush vegetation, mainly dominated by date palms, bamboo thickets and various succulents.

The beach has a very convenient location; it is easily accessible by car, which can be parked in an equipped parking lot. The infrastructure of Marhaba Beach is developed at a high level; nearby there are restaurants, cafeterias, a disco and a neat park, tiled and equipped with comfortable benches. The coastal depth here is quite large, so be careful when vacationing with children. Fans of active pastime will be able to ride catamarans, jet skis and inflatable bananas.

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Monument to revolutionaries

The monument is located in the very center of the city, near the Great Mosque.

Ribat is an ancient fortress (built 787-821), shaped like a square with semicircular towers at the four corners. One of the priority purposes of the ribat is to protect Muslims from attacks by Berber tribes from land and from attacks from the sea by pagans and militant Christians. The ribats were guarded by murabituns - volunteer monks, thereby earning themselves a place in heaven. Along with a defensive fortress, the fortress played the role of a refuge for travelers and traders who found themselves in danger.

From the courtyard you can get into many cells covered with porticoes and a prayer hall. After the construction of the Kasbah, the fortress gradually lost its military purpose.

From the watchtower of the Ribat, the Khalifa, an alluring panorama opens to all four cardinal directions: the Medina, the Great Mosque, the old city, and the seaport pose.

Beaches of Sousse

Sousse falls into the category of ancient cities that can be proud of their very respectable age. It was founded by the Phoenicians in the 9th century BC. as a colonial city. The name of the city in Phoenician sounded differently - Hadrumet. Over time, the city became increasingly important as a major Mediterranean trading port. During the period of the Carthaginian Empire, the city reached its greatest prosperity, both economically and politically and culturally.

Today, Sousse is one of the largest Mediterranean resort cities. The number of hotels here is comparable to other major resorts in Tunisia, such as Hammamet. Sousse is simply excellent for active recreation. The beaches are famous for their fine white sand, and the nightlife is vibrant in casinos and discos.

Great Mosque

One of the attractions of Sousse is the Great Mosque. Since the mosque also served as a defensive structure, it resembles a military fortress. Tall watchtowers can be seen at the northern and southeastern corners of the stone wall, and the inner perimeter is shaped like arches. Despite the recent restoration of the mosque, it has largely retained its original appearance.

Kasbah fortress

The Kasbah fortress is a defensive structure built in the mid-ninth century. Today it houses the Archaeological Museum. Here you can see an interesting collection of ancient finds, tombstones, as well as fragments of ancient mosaics.

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Entertainment center Port El Kantaoui

Port El Kantaoui is a famous tourist entertainment center located in one of the suburbs of Sousse. Almost everything that any traveler can only dream of is concentrated here: a huge number of souvenir shops, cozy cafes and restaurants. The musical fountain is very popular. The sight of flowing water against the backdrop of pleasant music or an evening light show leaves no one indifferent. Not to mention the water park, amusement park, botanical garden and zoo, discos and much, much more.

The entertainment center "Port El Kantaoui" was originally planned as a city exclusively for tourists, in which the traditional Tunisian lifestyle would be presented in a freer and more democratic atmosphere. Construction work began in 1975, and funds for the project were allocated by the banks of Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, as well as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. As a result of these joint efforts, the Port El Kantaoui Center was created in the style of ancient Mediterranean towns, capable of simultaneously accommodating 300 yachts and sea boats.

In essence, Port El Kantaoui is a completely autonomous walking area with a full range of all kinds of entertainment. And the beaches of Port el Kantaoui deserve to be included among the best in Tunisia.

The most popular attractions in Sousse with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in Sousse on our website.

More sights of Sousse

A small but interesting museum in the center of the medina. This place for a long time served as an overnight stop for pilgrims who, in Sousse, boarded ships to Egypt to get to Mecca. Under the French protectorate, the building became a hotel.

This museum does not have the usual halls. The exhibitions are located in former hotel rooms, and visitors view them through doors from the courtyard. The exhibitions show scenes from the life of Tunisians in old times. There are many interesting scenes here: cooking couscous, working with yarn, officials and merchants. Of course, a large exhibition is dedicated to preparations for the wedding.

In the basement of the building you can see a hammam, and on the roof there is a unique dome with curved ribs in Tunisia.

Another small but interesting museum in the medina. Unfortunately, it is located far from the main route, near the western wall. We still need to try to find him.

The museum was created on the basis of the house of a wealthy Turkish official, it is called “dar”, which is translated from Arabic as “house”.

Inside you can see a collection of furniture, dishes and other household items from the Ottoman era. Imagine how the rich Tunisians of that time lived.

On the top floor you can sit in a comfortable chair with a cup of tea or coffee, relax and look at the medina from above.

These catacombs are a huge cemetery. It was probably originally an underground Punic necropolis, and in the 2nd-4th centuries it was expanded and Christians began to be buried here.

About 15,000 people are buried in the catacombs. Part of this underground labyrinth is open to visitors. The longest such piece is called “Pasteur”, it is 1.6 kilometers long.

In 2017, the catacombs were completely closed to visitors. We hope they will open again. The entrance to the catacombs is located on Rue Abdelhamid Lasska, 1.5 kilometers west of the medina. You can get there by taxi for 3-4 dinars.

The port of El Kantaoui is located in the west of the city; you can get there from Sousse hotels in 5-10 minutes for 5-10 dinars.

In El Kantaoui you can go to and watch music shows. All shops and shopping centers of El Kantaoui are at the disposal of holidaymakers in Sousse. If you drive a little further into the El Kantaoui resort area, you will find a local one.

There is also an interesting port in El Kantaoui, where you can book a trip on a catamaran, pirate ship or glass-bottomed boat. Local cafes serve beer and wine. Not far from the entrance to the port there is a local place where they sell strong alcohol.

There is a comfortable train service from the Bab Jdid railway station in Sousse to Monastir and Mahdia.

You can get to Monastir in 30 minutes and 1 dinar. Here you can see the Great Mosque, and.

You can get to Mahdia in 1.5 hours and 3 dinars. Here you can see the Black Gate, the fish market and the ancient Arab and Ottoman forts that once protected the coast. The main attraction is the Mahdia Archaeological Museum, where part of the Mahdia shipwreck collection is on display.

Perhaps this is where we will finish our story about the resort of Sousse. Read other interesting articles about Tunisia on our website website ( links below).

One of the most popular resorts in Tunisia, Sousse, is an excellent option for both a beach and sightseeing holiday, combining the comfort of modern hotels with the opportunity to visit historical attractions.

Numerous cultural sites attract a significant flow of tourists and make the city a popular holiday destination. While the luxury hotels that line the coastline of the beach suburb offer pampering on the white sandy beaches under the gentle sun, the ancient Medina quarter in the center of Sousse attracts cultural lovers with its historical sights. So it's no surprise that this ancient seaside town never fails to captivate everyone who comes there on holiday.

Medina

The medina (the old town in Sousse) is one of the excellent examples of Arab architecture in Tunisia, which has come down to us from ancient times almost in its original form.

When you arrive in Sousse, be sure to visit the Medina. The busy streets are surrounded by a two-kilometer ring of walls built in the 859th century AD from gigantic stone blocks left over from ancient Roman buildings.

Initially, there were 6 gates within the walls of the ancient city, of which two have survived: Bab el Khabli on the south side and Bab el Ghabi on the east.

Walking through the old quarter, you can seem to be transported several centuries into the past. On the ancient narrow streets, houses are lined up, located so close to each other that you can hardly see the gap between them.

In the Medina, visitors can see ancient monuments, as well as visit the colorful market rows with their unique oriental atmosphere and excellent shopping opportunities.

Ribat

The Ribat Tower, located northwest of the Main Mosque of Sousse, is one of the hallmarks of the city. This tower belonged to a chain of about 800 fortifications built along the coast of Tunisia by the Aghlabid dynasty. Only a few of the buildings have survived to this day.

Religious warrior monks lived in the ribats, who in times of peace devoted themselves to religious service, and in times of danger this religious army was among the first to repel enemy attacks.

The strong wall of the ribats protected the population from the penetration of conquerors, and also served as a base for offensive and defensive military operations.

Some researchers suggest that these Muslim warrior-monks later served as a prototype for Christian orders of knighthood. The Ribat of Sousse, along with the Ribat of Monastir, is one of the best preserved in Tunisia.

Kasbah

Built in 859 AD on the site of a Byzantine fort, the Kasbah is one of Sousse's grandest monuments. Located on the territory of the fortress, the 30-meter high Khalef el-Fata tower (named after the architect) is one of the oldest towers in northern Africa that has survived to this day.

The upper level of the Kasbah is 50 meters higher than the similar level of the Ribat, which makes it an excellent observation deck with stunning views of the surrounding Medina.

After the Kasbah was built, the Ribat ceded its military role to it; currently the Khalef el-Fata tower is an active lighthouse.

Location: Marshal Tito Boulevard

Archaeological Museum of Sousse

This remarkable museum has the richest collection of antiquities in the country after the Bardo Museum. Its main exhibits date back to the Punic, Roman and early Christian periods. Allow at least a couple of hours to visit to see the unique exhibits.

Be sure to visit Hall No. 3 with magnificent examples of mosaics, such as “The Triumph of Bacchus” and “Apollo and the Muses”. Also, don’t miss the “Medusa” mosaic (one of the central gems of the collection) in room No. 2 and the “Seasons and Months of the Year” mosaic, found during excavations at El Jem, in room No. 9.

Location: Ground Floor, Kasbah Fortress

Great Mosque of Sousse

The fortress-like Great Mosque of Sousse was built in 851 AD, a few years after the city was rebuilt by the Aghlabids. The construction project for the structure was based on the model of the Sidi Okba Mosque in Kairouan.

The mosque originally had two watchtowers to help protect the harbor. The domes of the minarets were added centuries later.

An unusual element is the external staircase leading from the courtyard to the minaret. The crenellated walls of the courtyard, surrounded on three sides by a colonnade of tall horseshoe-shaped arches rising on massive supports, are decorated with complex Kufic script.

The arcade in front of the prayer hall, divided into 13 naves, was added in 1675. The prayer hall originally consisted of only three barrel vaults, but by the 10th century it was considered too small and was expanded by adding three more taller cross vaults on the Mecca side of the wall.

The beautifully decorated main dome, now rising above the fourth vault, was originally located above the vault in front of the mihrab (a special prayer niche in the wall facing Mecca).

Shopping district

If you're in the mood for shopping and don't mind some fun haggling, head to the Medina's shopping district. The colorful and picturesque street Rue el Agalba will take you past the Great Mosque to the western part of the Medina.

The partly roofed area, with its many artisans making metal and wood products, has a colorful oriental bustle. Typical souvenirs for tourists are sold on the central streets of the market.

The shopping district is a great place to spend an afternoon browsing the stalls in search of something special that you'll want to take home with you as a souvenir.

Zauya Zakkak

The impressive octagonal minaret of the Zauya Zakkak architectural complex, dating back to the Ottoman era, is vaguely reminiscent of Renaissance architecture in style.

The complex includes a mosque, a madrasah (special Islamic school) and a mausoleum. Along with the complex's beautiful minaret, another notable feature is the arcade of the courtyard, consisting of ancient columns.

Location: 100 meters west of Ribat

Catacombs

Discovered in 1888, this large early Christian burial complex is a labyrinth of underground chambers and galleries carved out of local soft rock between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD.

At the site of the catacombs there was probably previously a pagan necropolis. About 15,000 Christians wrapped in shrouds are buried in this underground cemetery. Burials were carried out in niches of the catacomb walls on several tiers in height and then covered with marble slabs on top.

Archaeological excavations have been carried out in three of the four main shafts of the underground tombs. The finds recovered from the dungeon are stored in the Archaeological Museum of Sousse.

Only a small part of the catacombs is open to the public. This:

• The Catacombs of the Good Shepherd are 1.6 kilometers long and contain 6,000 tombs dating back to the end of the 3rd century.
• Catacombs of Hermes (2500 tombs of the 3rd century), Catacombs of Sivirus (5000 burials of the 4th century).

Location: Rue Abu Hamed el Ghazali, western suburbs of Sousse

Port El Kantaoui

This purpose-built resort complex welcomes a huge influx of tourists who come to enjoy the beach and sea. ()

The Moorish-style complex, opened in 1979, was based on the blue and white buildings of a pretty village.

The resort is located around a large harbor that can simultaneously accommodate more than 300 ships. The complex consists of several luxury hotels and apartment blocks stretching along the coastline, as well as numerous cafes, restaurants, shopping centers and places for active recreation and sports.

Location: 6 kilometers north of Sousse

Sousse Market

If you want to enjoy a more authentic shopping experience than in the tourist shops of the Medina shopping district, you should follow the locals to the Sunday Market, which is organized next to the entrance to the Catacombs of the Good Shepherd. There, in the midst of the hubbub of organized chaos, which allows you to plunge headlong into the typical shopping flavor of Tunisia, livestock, souvenirs, and handicrafts are displayed on the shelves.

Takruna

Picturesquely located on a rocky slope surrounded by plains, the old Berber village of Takruna is a preserved oasis of the vanishing way of life of the Berbers.

Several Berber families still live in the village, and visitors can step into some of the local homes and get a closer look at traditional Berber architecture and interior design.

In the center of the village there is also a small mosque and the tomb of the local saint, Sidi Abd el Kader.

Location: 6 kilometers west of Enfidha

Other interesting attractions in the area

La Sofra tanks

Behind the iron gates is an ancient underground reservoir. Its huge underground cisterns most likely date back to the Roman period. In former times they could hold up to 3000 cubic meters of water.

Location: Medina, near Souq el-Reba shopping lane

Enfidha

Surrounded by farmland, this shopping center hosts a Sunday market that is worth visiting for visitors to Sousse. On the territory of the former church there is now a museum with finds obtained during excavations in the surrounding area. It contains examples of early Christian mosaics from the archaeological sites of Uppenna (5 km to the north) and Sidi Abikh (3 km to the north). The museum also houses a collection of dishes from the Roman and Byzantine periods.

Location: 43 kilometers north of Sousse

Hergla

The small town of Hergla is located on a rocky stretch of coastline dotted with sandy bays. It is located on the site of the ancient Roman settlement of Orraca Caelia, which in the 2nd century AD lay exactly on the border of the provinces of Byzacena and Zevgitana.

Since the original settlement was completely destroyed during the Arab invasions, nothing worth seeing remains from those times. On the territory of the town there is a mosque dating back to the 18th century with a dome, built using an unusual technology that came from the architecture of the Bulla Regia region.

With a rented car you can easily reach untouched beaches, scattered in abundance around the outskirts of Hergly.

Location: 35 kilometers north of Sousse

History of the city of Sousse

The history of the founding of Sousse dates back to at least the 9th century BC, when the settlement served as one of the important Phoenician centers of trade. The city then fell under the influence of Carthage in the 6th century BC, and during the Second Punic War it served as a base for the Carthaginian general Hannibal in his military campaign against the Roman legions led by Scipio.

In the Third Punic War, the city, then known as Hadrumetum, went over to the Roman side, for which it received a number of important privileges. However, Hadrumetum lost these privileges by siding with Pompeii in the conflict with Caesar. The city soon recovered thanks to its strategic location and extensive olive groves, but was again set back in development after its disastrous involvement in Gordian's revolt in 238 AD.

What to see in Sousse? All the most interesting places and attractions of Sousse: colorful photographs and detailed descriptions. When going on vacation, you should carefully consider which places to visit in Sousse. Sousse is a wonderful holiday destination that boasts its unique natural, cultural and historical attractions. Here you can get acquainted with the most famous and, on the contrary, new sights of Sousse.

Medina Soussa is interesting already at the entrance, because it is surrounded by a powerful wall, the height of which varies from 12 to 15 m, the length reaches 7 thousand m, and the age... the age is difficult to calculate, because the wall has stood since 859 and is still in excellent condition! The fenced area of ​​32 hectares seems to have everything: mosques, towers, catacombs, and markets. Here you can visit the Ribat fortress with the famous Khalifa Tower, the city museum, the archeology museum and the botanical garden.

Kasbah fortress, whose name is translated from Arabic as “fortress”. It is located in the southwest of Medina, but is noticeable from almost everywhere, because it is crowned by the 30-meter tower of Khalifa el-Fata - an observation post and lighthouse in the past and an observation deck in the present. The tower was named after a freed slave who worked in construction. The age of the Kasbah is impressive - more than 1000 years. Now the fortress is remarkable not only externally, but also internally, for it has become an archaeological museum, ranking second in importance in the country.

House-Museum "Dar Essid"- a private museum, the walls of which could tell a lot about the life of wealthy citizens of Tunisia, starting all the way back to 928. It includes 11 rooms, among which the chambers of the two wives of the bey who once lived here are especially popular. The house has its own tower, rising 65 m above sea level, and a flat roof, on which tourists usually enjoy a mug of aromatic coffee and look at the city from above. In the house, all attention is drawn to unusual household items. For example, the bathroom and kitchen are decorated with mosaics made of Carrara marble and Andalusian tiles. Next comes a unique ancient urinal, two 18-karat gold-plated calligraphies, a marriage contract that is over 700 years old, and 300-year-old cashmere curtains! Surprisingly, you can touch almost everything with your own hands.

Port el Kantaoui– beach and tourist area near Sousse. Here you can organize a trip on a yacht or, more original, on a boat with a transparent bottom, you can go diving, fishing, swimming, and then taste seafood in one of the many restaurants. In hot weather, the Ice Cream House is a great way to cool down. There are also large water parks, zoos and amusement parks.

Catacombs of Sousse- a specific and quite rare Christian attraction for Africa. These burial caves are even better preserved than the famous Roman catacombs! They are a 5-kilometer labyrinth with 250 galleries, of which only a small part is accessible to tourists. The catacombs of the Good Shepherd, Hermes and the North are separated, but all date back to the 3rd-5th centuries of the Roman Empire. By the way, unlike the Roman burials in Sousse, some are untouched, and some are under glass partitions, so that tourists have the opportunity to see everything with their own eyes. The catacombs were discovered in 1885 by the French scientist Vincent.

Ribat- an expressive structure of the Arab world, located at the entrance to Medina. Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Aghlabid dynasty for the purpose of protection. Hidden behind the impressive walls are cells, a mosque and the Nador watchtower, overcoming 70 steps of which you can admire a wonderful view of the sea and the city.

Sida-Okba Mosque- the oldest Muslim religious building in North Africa and one of the most revered in Tunisia. It was founded by the Arab commander Okba Ibn Nafi in 670, but visitors can see the structure from the time of 863, because the mosque was often rebuilt and restored. Like many sacred buildings, the mosque is, in fact, a fortress that has repeatedly and successfully withstood enemy attacks. In the courtyard there is a 32-meter tower, considered the oldest in Africa. The courtyard itself is also remarkable. It is decorated with graceful arches and columns, houses seven ritual wells and the entrance to an amazingly beautiful prayer hall.

Zawiya Sidi Hub- one of the most revered places among Muslims, whose name translates as “Sanctuary of the Barber.” Initially, it was the tomb of a famous figure who lived in the 5th century, but then it was rebuilt and expanded many, many times. This is how an architectural paradox emerged: from the outside it seems that the building is huge, while inside it breaks up into many courtyards. For tourists, Zaviysya Sidi Hub is interesting for its oriental decor - intricate carvings, colored tiles, etc.