Follow in the footsteps of Islam’s first builders in the Maghreb: the Great Mosque of Okba Ibn Nafaa, the Sidi Sahbi Mausoleum, the Aghlabid Basins and the souks of a UNESCO World Heritage medina.
DAY TRIP · GOLDEN PALM’S DMC
Great Mosque Okba Ibn Nafaa · Sidi Sahbi Mausoleum · Aghlabid Basins · Medina & Souks
~4h30 (half-day duration) · Departure from Sousse ~1h · Departure from Hammamet ~1h20 · Departure from Tunis ~1h50
The Program
French- or English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport — pickup available from Sousse, Hammamet or Tunis depending on your hotel.
Pickup at your hotel (Sousse, Hammamet or Tunis) and drive to Kairouan, the first holy city of Islam in the Maghreb, founded in 670.
Pickup at your hotel (Sousse, Hammamet or Tunis) and drive to Kairouan, the first holy city of Islam in the Maghreb, founded in 670.
The largest mosque in the Maghreb and one of the oldest still in use in the world: a vast courtyard with ancient porticoes and an iconic square minaret, symbol of the city.
Also known as the “Barber’s Zaouia”, dedicated to a companion of the Prophet: ceramics, carved stucco and one of Kairouan’s most refined inner courtyards.
An impressive 9th-century hydraulic system — one of the rare surviving examples of medieval water engineering.
UNESCO-listed alleyways, workshops for Kairouan’s carpets (the most renowned in Tunisia) and traditional pastries (olive-oil makroudh). Free time to stroll and shop.
Optional lunch at a restaurant in the medina, then return to your hotel in the late afternoon.
Four true stories that have traveled through the centuries from Kairouan.
Born in Kairouan, Arwa included an unprecedented clause in her marriage contract with the future caliph Al-Mansour (founder of Baghdad): no second wife without her consent.
Fatima al-Fihriya, born in Kairouan, founded the Al Qarawiyyin mosque-university in Fez — the oldest university in the world still in operation.
Swiss painter Paul Klee had his revelation about color here: “I am a painter” — a turning point for modern art.
Steven Spielberg filmed the Egyptian scenes of Raiders of the Lost Ark in the medina of Kairouan.
Shoulders and knees covered for the mosque visit. A headscarf may be requested for women at the entrance (provided on-site if needed).
Included: air-conditioned transport, guide, site entrance fees, makroudh tasting. Not included: lunch (optional), personal purchases, tips.
Based in the city itself, we know every alley of the medina. Program adjustable to your group and budget.
