Day Excursion · Golden Palm’s DMC
Kairouan, the Holy City
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.
The programme
French or English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport — pick-up available from Sousse, Hammamet or Tunis depending on your hotel.
Departure & welcome
Pick-up at your hotel (Sousse, Hammamet or Tunis) and drive to Kairouan, the first holy city of Islam in the Maghreb, founded in 670.
Great Mosque of Okba Ibn Nafaa
The largest mosque in the Maghreb and one of the oldest still in use in the world: a vast courtyard with ancient porticoes and the iconic square minaret, symbol of the city.
Sidi Sahbi Mausoleum
Also known as the ‘Barber’s Zaouia’, dedicated to a companion of the Prophet: ceramics, carved stucco and an inner courtyard among the most refined in Kairouan.
Aghlabid Basins
An impressive 9th-century hydraulic system — one of the few remaining examples of Aghlabid engineering still visible today.
Medina & souks
UNESCO-listed lanes, workshops for Kairouan’s famous carpets (the most renowned in Tunisia) and traditional pastry-making (olive-oil makroudh). Free time to browse and shop.
Lunch & return
Optional lunch at a restaurant in the medina, then return to your hotel in the late afternoon.
Did you know?
Four true stories that have travelled through the centuries from Kairouan.
The wife who made a caliph yield
Born in Kairouan, Arwa wrote an unprecedented clause into her marriage contract with the future caliph Al-Mansour (founder of Baghdad): no second wife without her consent.
The founder of the world’s oldest university
Fatima al-Fihriya, born in Kairouan, founded the Al Qarawiyyin mosque-university in Fez — the oldest university in the world still in operation.
A painter’s revelation
Swiss painter Paul Klee had his revelation about colour here: « I am a painter » — a turning point for modern art.
When Kairouan became Cairo
Steven Spielberg filmed the Egyptian scenes of Raiders of the Lost Ark in the medina of Kairouan.
Dress code
Shoulders and knees covered to visit the mosque. Women may be asked to wear a headscarf at the entrance (provided on site if needed).
Included / not included
Included: air-conditioned transport, guide, site entrance fees, makroudh tasting.
Not included: lunch (optional), personal purchases, tips.
Golden Palm’s DMC, your Kairouan-based DMC
Based in the city itself, we know every lane of the medina. Programme fully adaptable to your group and budget.