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Medina of Sousse

Medina of Sousse

Medina of Sousse
3.5
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This medina contains the Great Mosque of Sousse.
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  • sturob47
    Anderstorp, Sweden403 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    The old world as it was
    Nice to see and read about the historical part of Sousse with a maze of small streets bustling with people and lots of market stalls selling just about everything you can think of, most of it second hand. Just be wary of the guys who pretend to know you from your hotel, they all apparently have brothers/cousins/uncles who own a clothes shop/jewellery shop/carpet shop. Be particularly careful of pickpockets and choose your taxi carefully, arrange a price before you get in it
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 14 November 2023
  • KS
    6 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Harrowing
    Good to see but beware of people who say they work in your hotel and will show you the 'government shops' the one we met was standing actually in our hotel! They will the you to five shops .jewellry,clothes,leather,carpets and souvenirs. They are paid by these shops by what you buy at ridiculous high prices. You can barter with them but still will probably pay far too much. You will be taken to these shops only ,,given drinks and get a very hard sell.they are verbally forceful.best to say a firm no to either the person trying to show you around or in the shop. Don't feel obliged to sit them and listen to their speel.just walk out if necessary. The carpet shop is the worst they got quite stroppy when I said I didn't want a carpet!
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 November 2023
  • Jon C
    Thornbury, United Kingdom3 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Be aware...
    Be aware, it is likely you will be approached with "You don't remember me?" And a gentleman will claim he was either your driver or works at your hotel before claiming to not be a guide. They then take you to a mates shop where they fill them in, I'm arabic, regarding comission etc. Anyway, when they claim to be from your hotel, I had a nice game playing with them... Making false complaints about the drains, service or anything else at their hotel.... It soon made them leave. Or the alternative was "I am not at a hotel" and watch them squirm The Medina itself is nice enough, the quality of textiles is not at all like those from Turkey. And the prices are higher too.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 4 December 2023
  • Tyty1608
    Essex, United Kingdom15 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Okay
    It was okay. Quite a lot of shops selling sports clothing, and lots of other China made wears. Did not have the traditional feel we were expecting to experience. Perhaps because it was low season - not a lot of tourists so it's just locals going about their life
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 27 December 2023
  • Jeff K
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania2,373 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Generic Medina
    We stopped here as part of a day trip from Tunis. The place was pretty busy but nothing stood out. It seemed pretty average. Our only purchase was two types of nougat. It was our first experience eating the Tunisian style. It was extremely hard and almost impossible to cut. Once was enough for us.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 12 January 2024
  • Samantha M
    London, United Kingdom333 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Traditional souk
    Great traditional souk - loads of traditional items leather goods, fabrics, abayas, shoes, pottery and other traditional items - fabulous coffee shops etc. As a rule of thumb to get pricing before heading into the souk go to one of the fixed price supermarkets and check items you are interested in. There is a good department store at the end of the medina near the mouth of the port that will help.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 17 February 2024
  • NMdundee
    Scotland, United Kingdom9 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Freddie guide
    We went with Freddie who can be found at the aberostar hotel. It honestly made the experience so much better. As I have experience the medina in Morocco I knew what the expect but Freddie our guide made it clear no one was allowed to push us and we were safe to just look not buy
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 11 May 2024
  • Dirk W
    Alexandra Headland, Australia10,118 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Go with the flow
    I read on TA reviews that a lot of people suffered harassment by pushy salespeople in the medina. I can vouch this never happened to us, but then I wouldn't take kindly to this. I guess it can also depend on your own attitude and approach. Be friendly, but firm. We spent many hours exploring the narrow alleys, shopping and taking pictures. The medina is always the beating heart of any city in North African Maghreb. I thoroughly enjoyed Sousse, especially its medina.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 21 May 2024
  • Abovetheclouds
    2,321 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely.
    I actually didn't find the vendors that pushy here. I have experienced worse. I just took a walk through. I wanted to see the buildings and setting which were so pretty and ancient. Like stepping back in time. Walk away from the main area and you will find beautiful isolated cobblestone alleys. Loved the doors and colours. If you do want to buy anything, make sure you really want it as that is when the vendors will start to hound you. Also have a reasonable price in mind that you want to pay. The Médina de Sousse is quite easy to navigate. Clean. Never too busy the both times that I went. It is safe but always hold on to purses and valuables.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 30 May 2024
  • JCZ64
    Silver Spring, Maryland125 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Go deep into it, ignore the front of tourists traps
    Impressive Medina (walled old town), if you ignore all the souvenir vendors at the entrance and actually go inside it (unlike most tourists). Get lost in the labyrinth of small streets to experience the actual Tunisian living. If you need to get your shopping bug calmed, go to the actual market streets (souks) at the western edge of the Medina. No tchotchkes, but were people actually buy their stuff. Amazing jewelers.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 June 2024
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3.5
3.5 of 5 bubbles2,878 reviews
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These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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y07k
Leicester, UK130 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023
We have just returned from Tunisia, staying at Riyadh Palm Hotel in Sousse. We visited the Medina of Sousse, but am sorry to advise it was the worst experience ever.

We were targeted from all sides from sellers and local trades men, who even after letting people know we are not interested and we do not want to buy anything, still we were harassed, with traders and sellers following us from a distance keeping any eye on us.

This whole experience let us very dissatisfied with the area.

The Medina cost to go in side was 10 Tunisian dinar ( £2.50 ish), on entering the building, it opens up to a rectangular open courtyard with colonnaded corridors running on all four sides, the covered are to the far side where the prayers are taken place can bee seen through open windows but one is not allowed to visit this area.

I guess being a live working Mosque determines who and what time one can visit.

All in all the visit was okay but the local tradesmen surrounding he Medina has left a scar and I don't think I would be visiting anything like this again. Shame really, on another day may be it would have been different.

BE warned to all who are prepared to visit the Medina of Sousse. watch out pick pockets and alike and be prepared to get harrassed with inflated prices off all goods, and rip off merchants.
Written 28 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jill150
Hessenford, UK143 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2022 • Couples
We were recently in Sousse so we just had to visit the Medina. We were part of a trip so our guide, Walid, told us what to expect. He explained that the walls were built in the 9th century, that the Mosque was the only one in Tunisia without minerets and about the Ribat. He also explained that there were many beggars in and around the city; which was quite sad to see. Of course, these people are harmless but it’s a reality check. Yes, you get nagged and the traders do their utmost to get you inside their shops, but that’s their livelihood; you’ll not be harmed. If you don’t want anything, just politely say “no thank you “. The leather goods are good value, we were taken inside a shop where the jackets etc were made, it was great to see. Yes, you’ll go through the food market where you can buy lovely spices etc, but you also experience a rather smelly fish market and a butchery, which isn’t anything like you’d find in UK. Don’t be shocked by the sight of goats heads, it’s Tunisian culture, embrace it. Keeps your wits about you, stay on the main streets and enjoy your experience.
Written 23 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Asiyah Noemi K
Pula, Croatia5,372 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
The Medina of Sousse is located on the side of a hill, facing the sea. It is a pleasure to walk through its narrow streets with the atmosphere of other times, to haggle in the souks. The souk is the Arab market. It is a real pleasure to walk through the narrow streets and breathe in the breath of the Arab world. Inside, the social life of the city takes place, not just the commercial one. In the souk it is possible to find everything: clothes, wood carvings, leather products, wonderful cafes, butcher shop, perfumes, photos ... most of the stalls, however, specialize in leather goods, perfumes and spices. If we buying something, it is necessary to bargain, not only to save some money, but also to fully enter the local culture. The Medina of Sousse dominate by the tall figure of the Khalef Tower, the old city has preserved its medieval ramparts and numerous monuments that testify to its past as a stronghold: the Ribat, fort and place of religious retreat, the Great Mosque with the appearance of a fortress, the impressive Kasbah, The Sousse Archaeological Museum is a great place to get to know the rich history of the city, and of course the lifeblood of the city is the Bab Jadid market, which is in the very center of the Medina. Third largest city in Tunisia, Sousse has a lively city center with numerous shops and entertainment venues, and a superb seafront.
Written 8 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TheCount69
Rochdale, UK879 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Solo
Well i walked half an hour from my hotel to the medina and was approached multiple times by males pretending to be my waiter/chef from the hotel. Usual line is "you don't remember me" or "remember me from the hotel".
A firm no should put them off but they are persistent, like a lion stalking a gazelle, I travel a lot and usually a confident no will suffice.
If you are unfortunate to walk with one of these guys he will take you to shops and then he gets a cut, or he will ask for money from you if you tell him to leave you alone.
Once inside the walls it is bedlam, narrow ginnels, lots of stalls and you are hassled constantly, my advice is don't go in unless there is something you want to buy.
I haggled well for a wallet and made the mistake when he asked if I need anything else of sayin t shirts, within a few seconds he had walked me to his "fathers shop" who was actually younger than he was. I wanted 1 t shirr, but he insisted on selling me 2, haggling started at 360d and finished at 110d still more than I wanted to pay, when I said no they blocked my exit between them, not to be intimidated I took a step back let them adjust their stance and pushed through the right of them back into the alleys, the leather seller followed me telling me to go back and pay 80d. By this time I'd had enough and just confidently walked on. I met two girls in the hotel who had been taken to a shop where they locked the doors until the bough a gold chain, they never went back.
As a confident traveller all over the world, this place is intimidating and you need to stand firm, there are though good bargains to be had, just don't get trapped inside
Written 24 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nathalie S
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
Pay attention:

When we got out of the taxi, we were stopped by a gentleman who claimed to be a cook in the hotel where we were staying and of course we certainly didn't recognize him because at work he had a chef's hat.
Then he asks us what we are coming here to do and especially what we want to buy.

This tout takes us to a so-called state store because “you have to be careful”.

In this store, of course no prices are displayed. We took some spices and oil and the shopkeeper told us that the price is the equivalent of 150 euros!! But with a reduction it would cost us 100 euros!!
I understand that negotiation is a national sport but taking us for pigeons is a different thing.

Seller who becomes verbally aggressive when I tell him that what I took is not worth 100 euros. We still end up agreeing on an amount of 35 euros (more out of fear than anything else) because yes the seller puts pressure on you then before leaving tells us not to say anything to the people at the hotel to make him feel bad. bad publicity. I can't find the name of this shop but they sell spices on the left of the shop with green lids and oils/soaps etc on the right. So no, I'm not giving bad publicity within the hotel but on the internet!

I should point out that I was with my mother and my 2 young children so I think that doesn't help.

This experience has inoculated me well and instead of retaining the charm of this country I retain almost only the negative.
Google
Written 20 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

billaklwndr
London, UK10 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2021 • Solo
Horrible experience! Just wanted to wander around the place made the mistake of wearing my hotel wrist band and so was met at either end by conmen taking me around to every and any shop wouldn't leave me alone. They expect tips even though you never asked for their help or directions, won't leave you alone. Shopkeepers very pushy even wen i told them i wouldnt be buying anything so i didnt need to go into the shops. The fixed price shops are good value for money and have very good quality products so better sticking to those, paying the little extra is worth the experience.
Written 25 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Caro🌺
Toulon, France209 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Friends
Visit to do… magnificent ramparts..To get the feel of what a souk is, full of small alleys, small colorful shops (souvenirs, spices, cakes, jewelry, etc.) and sellers who ask a lot, but in all courtesy. you should not fear odors and litter. I recommend doing it accompanied by a man or with several people.
Google
Written 28 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sa555
13 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
Our first visit to the medina cut short as my younger boys did not enjoy it (aged 10&12).

The next day I returned for a second visit with my daughter (16) and we loved our experience. We spoke to some of the locals who were very friendly.
We had some lovely bracelets made by a young man who was a short distance in and to the right (opposite a man selling water and cigarettes). He was so shy and sweet. He asked his friend to come over to translate as he didn’t speak English (he was sweet too!). Make sure you go and see them!

Be mindful that you will need to haggle to get the price you are happy to pay. You will be constantly approached to look in their shops, but a simple no thank you was accepted.
Remain firm and polite and you will have an enjoyable experience!

Definitely worth a visit!
Written 9 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tom
Ghent, Belgium44 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 • Couples
We have already visited some medinas but this one really jumped out.
Beautiful old medina, cozy narrow streets, partly covered.
You can get lost there.
The comfort offered is entirely aimed at the tourist.
The sellers are constantly asking to go inside and look. With a friendly no, they will leave you alone.
If you want to bid something well, this is a game that can take a long time.
If the money stays too much, walk away, the seller will follow you and continue negotiating.
Automatically translated
Written 24 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

will
Cardiff, UK62 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
Really enjoyed the experience, felt quite safe here a lot of the reviews you read are not a true representation of these types of markets, the sellers have a lot of competition and just want your custom, a simple no thank you and they aren’t going to follow you or anything, some get a bit annoyed if you ignore them and might keep shouting but they’re not going to do anything to you.
It’s very busy but it’s a great experience to be amongst full of so many different people and great smells of the spices. Most shops sell a similar thing

Would definitely recommend a few hours walking about here.
Written 17 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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