Getting to Tortuga Bay involves a hike of about one hour, but the effort is greatly rewarded by a pristine shoreline and spectacular white sand beach. You can try some surfing in the gentle breaks, snorkel in the lagoons to admire colourful reef fish, white-tip sharks, rays and sea turtles, or simply relax on the sand alongside marine iguanas and sally lightfoot crabs.

Built in the 17th century, Sidi Youssef Dey Mosque was the first Ottoman-style mosque in Tunis, designed by Andalusian architect Ibn Ghalib. Its eclectic mix of influences reflects the era’s cultural exchanges. Flanked by Turkish souqs — El Trouk (once tailors, now clothing and embroidery), El Berka (formerly a slave market, later jewellery traders), and El Bechamkia (slippers and shoes) — the mosque served the city’s Ottoman-era merchants. The minaret, topped with a distinctive green-tiled pyramidal crown, became a model for later Ottoman designs in Tunis. Its octagonal shape, novel at the time, subtly asserted Ottoman authority. Inside, the mosque houses the tombs of Youssef Dey, commander of the janissaries, and his family. Sidi Youssef remains an active mosque, so plan visits outside prayer times, when non-Muslim visitors may enter. Its striking architecture, both inside and out, anchors a neighbourhood rich with history.

La Marsa offers a refined coastal escape just north of Carthage, where the creatives of Tunis mingles with sunseekers along a lively corniche. The main beach draws families for summer swims, while off-season sees fishermen casting lines from the sand. What distinguishes this stretch is its evolving cultural scene: skateboarders carve concrete slopes by day as musicians strum under the palms, creating an organic performance space above the shore. The neighborhood’s architectural legacy reveals its bourgeois roots. Whitewashed villas with intricate mashrabiya screens stand guard along avenues lined with jacaranda trees. Recent years have brought a creative influx, with designers and musicians transforming old seaside residences into studios. While the western edges fade into industrial zones, the heart of La Marsa retains its aspirational charm, particularly around Avenue Habib Bourguiba where pavement cafés serve mint tea with Mediterranean views.

Tourbet el Bey stands as the most significant royal mausoleum in Tunisia. The monument serves as the final resting place for the Husainid dynasty rulers who governed from 1705 to 1957. Its distinctive green fish-scale domes crown an imposing quadrangular structure, blending Ottoman grandeur with Italianate stucco work and Andalusian tile motifs. Built during Ali Pasha II’s reign (1758–82), the interior reveals a spatial homage to Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, where vaulted ceilings display intricate polychrome stucco arabesques. The tombs tell silent stories: male rulers are marked by marble carvings of their headgear (turbans or chechia caps), with tassel counts denoting rank, while women’s graves bear simple plaques. A courtyard paved with memorial slabs connects the chambers, their walls shimmering with historic ceramic tiles.