Best Time to Visit Tunisia

Coast, desert and the Tunis question

Tunisia is small, but the weather changes a lot from north to south. Tunis, on the Mediterranean, is our only listed city. It's best in April to May and October to November. The rest of the country follows a similar pattern, with a few twists.

The north and the coast, including Sidi Bou Said (the blue-and-white village near Tunis) and the ruins of Carthage, are easy in spring and autumn. The Sahara is a different story. Around Douz and Tozeur, summer is brutally hot, so winter is better for dunes and camel treks.

The seasons

Spring is green and mild, and it's perfect for Roman sites like Dougga and El Djem. Autumn is warm enough for the sea and cooler for walking around the Tunis medina, the old walled city.

July is the hottest month in Tunis at 35°C. Afternoons feel heavy, so most people head to the beach or hide in the shade until evening. December is the wettest month, with 69 mm. Winter days are grey and showery, but you'll have museums like the Bardo almost to yourself.

Holidays, crowds and high season

Summer is high season on the coast. Hammamet, Sousse and Djerba fill with European families and Tunisians on holiday, especially in July and August. Hotels cost more and beaches get busy. Spring and autumn are calmer, and you'll still get good weather.

Ramadan moves about eleven days earlier each year. During it, many cafés and restaurants close in the daytime, and life shifts to the night. Evenings can be lovely, with a festive mood after sunset. Eid al-Fitr, the celebration at the end, brings crowded trains and buses as families travel. Independence Day on 20 March and Republic Day on 25 July are public holidays too, so expect some closures.

Travelling with kids? Aim for late spring or September, when the sea is warm and the crowds are thinner. If you hate crowds, avoid August on the coast. If you want the Sahara, go between November and March.