Sidi Bou Said, Mediterranean coastal town in Tunis Governorate, Tunisia
Sidi Bou Said is a Mediterranean coastal town in Tunis Governorate, Tunisia, perched on steep cliffs above the sea. Cobbled paths wind between whitewashed houses with arched windows and wooden doorways decorated with ornate nails.
The settlement began forming in the 13th century around the tomb of religious scholar Abu Said Ibn Khalef Ibn Yahia El-Beji from the Zitouna Mosque. Baron d'Erlanger introduced the white-and-blue color regulation in the 1920s that continues to shape the town today.
The 18th-century Café des Nattes welcomes guests on low seating beneath a shaded courtyard, where sweet mint tea is served in small glasses. Artisans in the lanes sell painted birdcages and ceramic tiles that reflect the maritime heritage of the region.
The TGM train runs every 30 minutes between the town and central Tunis, departing from Tunis Marine station during the day. The lanes are steep and sometimes uneven, so sturdy shoes help when exploring the hillside paths.
The Ennejma Ezzahra palace houses the Center for Arab and Mediterranean Music and displays a large collection of traditional instruments. In the gardens grow jasmine bushes whose scent drifts through the lanes in the evening.
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