Best Time to Visit Tunis

Spring and autumn: the sweet spots

April and May are the easy choice for Tunis. Days are warm but not heavy, and the evenings are pleasant for a walk. You can wander the medina (the old walled city) and the Bardo Museum without baking. By May it reaches 26°C, and the sun stays out for most of the day. October and November are just as good, though you'll see more grey days and some showers.

Want a day trip? Spring and autumn are also the best times for the ruins at Carthage and the blue-and-white lanes of Sidi Bou Said. Both involve a lot of walking in the open, with little shade.

Summer: hot, sunny and beach-minded

June is still comfortable, with long days and very little rain. July and August are the hottest months, and our data rates them only Fair. July tops out at 35°C and is almost completely dry. Midday in the medina's souks (markets) is tough, though the covered lanes help a little.

Do what locals do. Head out early or after sunset, and spend the afternoon by the sea at La Marsa or Gammarth. The Carthage International Festival runs through July and August, with concerts at the Roman amphitheatre. It's a lovely way to spend a warm night.

This is also the busiest time on the coast. Many Tunisians and visitors from abroad go to the beaches, and the seaside suburbs fill up. September stays warm, but rain returns, with about nine wet days.

Winter: quiet, cool and a bit damp

December to February is low season. Highs sit around 16 to 17°C, and rain falls on roughly ten days a month. December is the wettest month in our data, with 69 mm. Still, nothing is closed, and you'll often have Carthage and the Bardo nearly to yourself.

It suits a city break built around museums, cafés and food. Try a bowl of lablabi (a chickpea soup) in the medina, or a strong mint tea with pine nuts. Pack a proper rain jacket, because the old streets get slippery.

Events through the year

Tunis has a few big dates worth planning around. The Carthage Film Days (Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage) take place in late autumn in even-numbered years. The Carthage International Festival fills the summer. Ramadan moves about eleven days earlier each year. Daytime life slows down, and many cafés close until sunset, but the evenings are lively and full of food.