Shopping in Tunis

Tunis is great for shoppers. Popular souvenirs include traditional ceramic bowls, babouches (leather slippers) and djellabas (ankle length robes). Tunisian dates are justifiably famous, while jasmine perfume is a true scent of the country.

Key areas

The main drag in Tunis is the rue Jemaa ez-Zeytouna with shops selling mainly tourist souvenirs. Traditionally, each souk is dedicated to a craft, so there is the Souk el-Attarine (perfumes and spices), Souk de la Laine (now silver jewellery), Souk des Étoffes (fabrics and clothes), Souk el-Trouk (tailors and some good antique shops), and the Souk des Chéchias (traditional felt skullcaps). To get an idea of the range of crafts and prices outside the medina, visit the government shop Société de Commercialisation des Produits de l'Artisanat at La Palmarium, avenue Habib Bourguiba. Mains des Femmes, 1F, 47 avenue Habib Bourguiba, sells crafts produced by women's cooperatives in the countryside. Slightly more expensive but quite unique is Hanout, 52 rue Jemaa ez-Zeytouna, in the medina, which offers the best of Tunisian crafts.

Markets

The souks in the medina are the best places to shop for local flavour, but bargaining is essential in Tunis - there's a lot of theatrics involved in getting the best price, so it's best to treat haggling as much as a performance as a financial transaction.

Opening hours

Shops in the medina and in the New Town are usually open Monday to Saturday 0900-1900.