Tunisia

Tunisia sits on the northern shore of Africa, between Algeria and Libya, just across from Sicily. The coast is low-lying for much of its length. Monastir and Hammamet are the principal bases for visiting yachts.

Sidi Bou Said is a compact clifftop village on a headland north of Tunis, known for its whitewashed buildings and blue doors, and for the quality of its Mediterranean light and setting that has drawn artists and writers as residents and visitors for over a century.

The National Bardo Museum in Tunis holds artifacts from Carthage alongside one of the world's largest collections of Roman mosaics, housed in a former palace.

Inland at El Djem, the El Djem Amphitheatre is a Roman colosseum with a capacity of 35,000 that remains largely intact, with open access to the arena floor, underground corridors, and upper seating tiers.

Places to stay

Below are the most popular and highly rated places to stay, based on reviews from the noforeignland community:

Anchorages

Monastir Marina Anchorage ★ 3.0 The anchorage offers good holding on sand. It is noted that anchoring in Tunisia may now require permission from the marina and police authorities. Visitors should check recent Reviews for additional context or updates.

Marinas

	Bizerte ★ 4.1 Check-in procedures are efficient, with friendly officials assisting. Visitors noted the marina facilities are decent but may have issues with cleanliness in the surrounding area. Adding to the experience, local markets and eateries provide a vibrant glimpse into the culture.
	Gammarth Marina ★ 4.0 Marina staff are friendly and helpful, with good customs processing. There are significant issues with the shower and toilet facilities. Deep water entrance may pose challenges for vessels with drafts over 2 meters due to silt and ongoing dredging.
	Sidi Bou Said - Port Plaisance ★ 4.0 Entrance depth is prone to silting, with 2.0 to 2.2 meters reported. Facilities need improvement while taxi services are inexpensive. The marina provides access to a beautiful town and nearby historical sites.
	Monastir Cap Marina ★ 3.8 Check-in procedures can be slow, often requiring extensive paperwork and inspections. However, the marina staff are generally friendly and helpful. While the marina is conveniently located, some visitors noted issues with security and power stability.
	Yasmine Hammamet ★ 3.8 Friendly and helpful staff assist with entry procedures and facility access. Cleanliness of sanitary facilities and the surrounding area could improve. Visitors should be prepared for potential additional costs related to customs and checkout procedures.

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Harbours

Kelibia ★ 2.7 Visiting boats can dock in the busy fishing harbour, but expect no facilities or cleanliness. Customs procedures may be lengthy and challenging. Local officials may be polite, but bureaucratic issues were highlighted by visitors.

Boat services

Below are the most popular and highly rated boat services, based on reviews from the noforeignland community:

Boatyards

Monastir Yard ★ 5.0 Service includes hoisting, standing for three days, power washing, sanding, two layers of antifoul, prop polishing, and anode replacement. A cost of 500 euros is reported for the service. Staying on board during service is permitted.

Yacht clearance reviews

The following lists summarize noforeignland user reviews for clearing in at ports of entry and when using clearance agents in Tunisia:

Clearance in Tunisia can be a slow process and baksheesh, although not officially sanctioned, is sometimes requested and can help. Drones are not permitted and may be confiscated.

Options for living aboard your boat in this area include: Monastir Cap Marina and Yasmine Hammamet in Tunisia, Marina di Ragusa and Marina di Cala del Sole (Licata) in Sicily, and Marina di Roccella in southern Italy.

• Best times of year to sail here: April to October
• Most common type of shore power: 230V 50Hz
• Cost for provisioning: Low
• Currency: Tunisian Dinar (TND)
• Personal security: The coastal areas visited by most yachts are generally considered safe. Petty theft is the most common crime in tourist areas.
• Emergency phone numbers:
  • Police: 197
  • Ambulance: 190
  • Fire: 198
• International dialing code: +216
• Time zone: UTC+1

Carthage, founded by Phoenician settlers around 814 BC on a peninsula commanding the strait between North Africa and Sicily, became the dominant naval power of the western Mediterranean, sustaining a commercial empire that reached from the Levant to Spain. Its destruction by Rome in 146 BC ended Punic control of the central Mediterranean, and the territory was rebuilt as the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis, supplying grain and supporting coastal trade for several centuries. Arab forces took Carthage in AD 698, and the port of Tunis gradually displaced it as the principal maritime hub of the region.

Ottoman rule from the 16th century brought Tunisian corsairs operating from Tunis and Bizerte into prominence across the central Mediterranean, preying on European merchant shipping until the early 19th century. France took control in 1881, developing Tunisia's ports and integrating them into wider Mediterranean trade networks until independence in 1956.

Tunisia's position astride the strait between North Africa and Sicily made it a critical theatre in the Second World War. Following the Allied landings in Morocco and Algeria in November 1942, both sides raced to control the ports of Tunis and Bizerte, which served as the main Axis supply route from Italy across what the Italians named la rotta della morte (the Route of Death). The fall of both ports in May 1943 cleared the central Mediterranean for Allied shipping and opened the way for the invasion of Sicily.