*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!
Tunis
Overview:
Tunis provides a mix of influences and atmosphere that you won’t find elsewhere, especially on a budget. You have the picturesque mediterannean lined with white and blue architecture reminicent of the greek islands, while also having the rugged, old world charm of the medina and city center. With a mix of Maghrebi, French/European, and African influences, there’s a unique look and feel to the city. You also get to experience a city with the well-deserved reputation of being the most open in the region since emerging from its past dictatorship. This all comes together to make for an enjoyable city for street photography that isn’t on most people’s lists, but should be.
Here’s a Street Photography guide so you can be ready to capture all that Tunis has to offer you and your camera.
Map:
- Marché Sidi EL Bahri/Ali Balhouene Bus Station
- Place de la Victoire/Marche Central (Municipal Market)
- Avenue Habib Bourguiba
- La Goulette/Carthage
- Sidi Bou Said/La Marsa
Top 5 Street Spots:
Medina:
1. Marché Sidi EL Bahri/Ali Balhouene Bus Station
Like old towns in Europe, after you’ve been to a number of medinas, they start to feel similar. Tunis’ medina is a good one, though, and stands out on its own. For one, it covers a lot of area providing a variety of interest, life and scenery to explore. You can find a mix of chaotic and quiet depending on where you are. Tunis was once one of the wealthiest cities in the Islamic world and its medina is one of the first Arabo-Muslim towns of the Maghreb (698 A.D.). All this history is felt throughout its labyrinth of streets and alleys containing mosques, palaces, squares, fountains and around 700 monuments dating back to this time. You get a real authentic and local feeling exploring most of the medina, as it doesn’t feel too changed by tourism once you get past the most touristic area by Bab el Bhar (“the sea gate”).
My favorite area for street photography in the medina is the busy and colorful market area around Marché Sidi EL Bahri, which also has the popular Ali Balhouene Bus Station bus station nearby. I usually hit up this spot a couple times when exploring the northern part of the medina. The market provides a diverse mix of interest with bright colors and streets packed with life. Heading north to the outside edge of the medina, you’ll find a nice street market full of clothes too for more street photography.
2. Place de la Victoire/Marche Central (Municipal Market)
The southern section of the medina is where you’ll find its most popular gate, Bab El Bhar. Surrounding the gate is Victory Square, which is always full of people. The city’s main street, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, takes people into the medina here, making it a hotspot for foot traffic. The outside cafes lead you into the maze of medina shopping. Here, is where the narrow streets are the most crowded and touristy, but it’s a good walk to take you into the medina for street photography. Not too far off you can find Marché Central, a large, covered market popular with locals. It gives a traditional local feeling in a historic building filled with meats, fish, fruits and vegetables. While it’s not open air, light does leak in and the vendors here feel more photo friendly compared to other markets.
These two street spots give you plenty of hours of interest, but I enjoy exploring all the rest of the medina too and discovering what new spots and interest I can find. Tunis’ medina can provide continually renewing interest with guaranteed life everyday. It’s one of the larger, more local, authentic and character filled medinas you’ll find anywhere.
3. Avenue Habib Bourguiba
Most cities in Tunisia have an Avenue Habib Bourguiba, but the one in Tunis is the big one. This wide avenue is the central thoroughfare and heart of the city. Locally, it’s compared to the Champs-Élysées in Paris and is lined with cafes, shops, trees and many of the city’s important monuments. The Monumental Clock is the most famous of these attractions, but people fill the sidewalks the whole length of the Avenue. It’s always packed with people here so you have guaranteed activity from morning to evening for a street photography walk. Its location is also perfect for heading other places for more shooting, including the Medina on one end or taking the train to the coast from Marine station on the other end.
4. La Goulette/Carthage
While Tunis doesn’t have the best metro system for getting around most places, they do have the TGM railway, which is good for moving along the coastline. This light rail will take you from the city center west to the city’s port, La Goulette, and then north along the sea through Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and La Marsa. It’s around 15 minutes to La Goulette, while going all the way to those last stops does take time, especially there and back to the city. I’ve taken the full line to the end once, but many times to La Goulette and Carthage.
La Goulette is the city’s historic port and the stopping point for any cruise ships. While it feels neglected compared to the prettier and more developed northern tourist towns, I enjoy its character. Much of its history has been lost in the past, but I still find a good amount of interest. It’s not so polished and has some authentic local feeling. The promenade is lined with restaurants, cafes and plastic chairs, so it does attract some life too. In the evening it tends to pick up and the main square can be another decent spot for street photography. You can continue walking north into Carthage where you get a mix of old character and some picturesque beauty. Inland, you’ll of course find the famous Carthage ruins. The capital city of the Carthaginian civilization was developed by a Phoenician colony during the first millennium BC. For a touristic activity, you can check out the ancient ruins, but for street photography, walking the coastline is best here.
For street photography by the beach in Tunis, I find the stretch from La Goulette to Carthage the best for character and unique local interest, while most will prefer the more polished, picturesque tourist town of Sidi Bou Said. The La Goulette/Carthage walk will bring more peace and quiet in many areas, but that can be enjoyable too.
5. Sidi Bou Said/La Marsa
If you take the train a little further north you can hop off in Sidi Bou Said, arguably the most beautiful spot around Tunis. It’s also the most touristy, but it’s worth a stop to check out for the views and picturesque old town charm. Built on top of a cliff, its winding cobblestone streets overlook the mediteranean sea. Sidi Bou Said built a reputation as an artist’s town due to the many famous artists that have come here. Today, that influence provides streets lined with art galleries, studios and crafts for sale. You’ll also find souvineer shops and restaurants, as this is mainly a tourist attraction today, but the blues mixed with white painted grecian buildings give it a very photogenic look reminiscent of the greek islands. It’s not my style of street photography, but many photographers will love it, and it’s a nice change of scene and atmosphere from downtown Tunis. You can also check out more of the city near the train station.
Traveling even more north on the train, you’ll hit La Marsa, which is a coastal town popular as a vacation destination for the wealthier Tunisians. If you like beach photography, this would be the spot. And a little further north inland is Gammarth, the most popular nightlife district. While it’s 20 km from the center of Tunis, locals still make their way up here at night to party, as Tunis doesn’t have many spots for drinking or staying out late. This whole area up north is more upscale and while it might feel far away, Tunis feels like it extends to other nearby cities as one whole city. For street photography, that means you can have a lot of ground to cover if you want.
Sample Street Walks:
For a full day of Street Photography, covering some of the best spots, you can follow these sample street walks for Tunis:
Medina Walk:
- Start your morning slowly walking the busy Avenue Habib Bourguiba (3) from the Monumental Clock Tower to Bab El Bhar (2)
- After walking Place de la Victoire (2), head into the medina and explore the southern section down to Marche Central (2)
- Head north and explore all the winding medina streets up to Marché Sidi EL Bahri (1)
- After exploring this favorite market, checkout the nearby Ali Balhouene Bus Station (1) and the rest of the northern section of the medina
- Finish your day slowly walking east through the medina to the city center and back down to Avenue Habib Bourguiba (3)
Seaside Walk:
- Start your morning walking east on Avenue Habib Bourguiba (3) to the Tunis Marine Railway Station
- Take a train ride on the TGM to Sidi Bou Said Station (5), hop out and explore the touristy, but picturesque streets with your camera
- Head back to Sidi Bou Said Station and take the train back west, but stop at Carthage (4) for more exploring
- Leave a good amount of time to get back on the train west to La Goulette station (4), which should provide the most interest and area to walk with your camera
- Finish the day by catching the train back to Tunis Marine station and Avenue Habib Bourguiba (3)
3 Things I’ll Remember Most about Tunis:
1. The most open feeling I’ve felt in the region
Since the Tunisian Revolution and ousting of their longtime president in 2011, Tunis has seen a lot of change and democratization of the country. From this rapid change, it’s also become known as one of the more open and free cities in the region. If you’ve visited other countries in Northern Africa and the Middle East, the difference becomes noticeable very quickly. Plenty of conservative past is still present, but the clothing of the younger is much more revealing and trendy than you’ll see elsewhere. People openly drink and the nightlife is a big part of the city compared to other destinations around here too. There’s a more relaxed vibe without as much constraint. The locals are proud of it and enjoy it too. This less conservative feeling mixed with the older scenery of the region can create interesting juxtaposition that you won’t easily find elsewhere. This atmosphere also extends to street photography, as you don’t get near the push back, “no photos” or dislike of photography that you can find in surrounding countries. This all makes for a more relaxing experience walking the streets with your camera, in more than one way.
2. Mix of Mediterranean seafront charm and old world medina charm
Tunis provides very different atmospheres. In the city center and medina, you get that old world Maghreb character. Chaos, crumbling history, back in time atmosphere, edge. Then take a quick ride over to the sea and you find yourself in a different world. Picturesque Mediterranean white and blue architecture on the sea reminiscent of the Greek Islands. The edge is gone, but replaced with polish and beauty. I find beauty in the edge too, but here you get very different kinds of beauty, that would appeal to a range of interests in photography.
3. Mix of Influences
Tunis has a unique blend of many cultures. It’s an Arab country full of French culture, African and Asian influences, Mediterranean beauty and history that goes way back. The country might be famous for Star Wars’ film location, but you’ll quickly forget that when all your senses experience such a mix of influences.
3 Non-Street Photography Things To Do in Tunis:
- Eat: Tunisian Couscous, Brik, Chorba, Tajine and Harissa
- Drink: Boukha, wine and tea
- Visit: Bardo National Museum
Street Safety Score: 7
*As always, no place is completely safe! So when I talk about safety, I’m speaking in general comparison to other places. Always take precaution, be smart, observe your surroundings and trust your instincts anywhere you go!
After multiple terrorist attacks in 2015, Tunisia was put on most countries’ restricted lists, but those have lifted now as Tunisia has stayed relatively safe since. Today, Tunis feels as safe as most cities and is an easy place to roam freely. There are some dangerous areas, but you’re very unlikely to find yourself there as a visitor. Around the spots I recommended above, normal street smarts should keep you feeling safe. Pickpockets around the crowded markets is the only thing to really watch out for.
People’s Reaction Score: 7
Speaking honestly, Northern Africa isn’t the most photo friendly region in the world, but Tunis is easier than most cities here. You’ll probably hear some “no photos,” but hostility isn’t likely. Personally, while photos aren’t always loved, I never found much push back or care when out shooting in Tunis. The people are open and friendly too so any questions are easy to handle.
Street Tips:
They’re still a little behind times in some ways
Tunis has gone through a lot of changes in recent times and while it makes for a very nice destination, it can still be a little behind times compared to other major cities in the region. It feels a little back in time in many places, which is part of its charm and character. On the other hand, finding things like lodging can be more difficult. Most things are very cheap, but lodging is the exception due to a limited number of options for its size. Airbnb has some options, though, and while not a deal compared to other places, it’s still the cheapest option here. For food and other goods, cash is a necessity, as credit cards are rarely taken. And the transportation system is limited, so taxis are really your only option for many places out of the center (no Uber). For me, I don’t mind most of this stuff, but for a city its size and with its attractions, it does feel a little behind others in some ways. But that also can add to its interest and it still has everything you need. In other ways, it looks and feels very developed and progressive for the region too, so it’s a mix, as things continue to change.
A beautiful, welcoming city on the Mediterranean, without the tourist prices
In Tunis, you get mediteranean weather and light, history and medina character, blue and white architecture on the beach, Carthage ruins, Sidi Bou Said & La Marsa tourist polish, an aged, but vibrant city center, and a unique life and culture. Tunis has quite a bit going for it, but without any of the prices you’d expect with all that. It doesn’t get the crowds of tourism of other cities like it on the medeterannean, either, but still feels very welcoming. There’s less hassle and a more open feeling for the region too. It might surprise most people how much Tunis has to offer for those that have never thought much about this North African city, but there’s a lot to like. For Street photography, it’s better than most, while also probably being the easiest for candid photography in the region. And when it comes to just visiting, it would be even higher on my list.
Inspiration:
For some more inspiration, you can look through some of the work done in Tunis by Magnum Photos photographers here. And as always, you can check out 33 of my photos taken in Tunis.
I hope this guide can help you go experience Tunis with your camera and if you still have any questions about shooting in Tunis, feel free to comment below or email me!
(I want to make these guides as valuable as possible for all of you so add any ideas on improvements, including addition requests, in the comment section!)
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