A Relaxing 4 Day Itinerary in Sousse, Tunisia
Last Updated: October 4, 2026
THE PERFECT 4 DAY ITINERARY FOR SOUSSE, TUNISIA
TIMING YOUR TRIP •  WHERE TO STAY • THE ITINERARYÂ
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Sousse
Golden sands, warm seas, and whitewashed, brightly decorated buildings?
Yep, it's definitely the Mediterranean! But not where you'd expect...
Tucked on the Gulf of Hammamet in North Africa, Sousse finds one of Tunisia's best-preserved medinas sitting mere metres from picturesque shorelines.
Expect heady aromas, market bustle and a slew of colours, but at a much slower pace than the likes of Morocco.
In our 4-day Sousse itinerary, you'll be enchanted into the de-stressed local way of life. We'll explore exotic, narrow medinas, walk in the footsteps of gladiators, encounter some of the best mojitos on earth, eat enough to satisfy a hungry rhino, and discover a wave of culture along the way.
Likewise, we'll walk you through Sousse's not-so-straightforward transport network, where to stay so you're in the thick of it, not one, but two UNESCO World Heritage sites, and many, many cups of mint tea...
Let's go!
Timing Your Trip
The weather is fairly decent year-round. Sousse is at its finest between May and October, with peak season (July and August)Â being very hot, but also the most expensive.
Basically, it's Northern Hemisphere summer on heat, giving a bit extra on either side. This makes it popular for a bit of early or late summer warmth from Europe.
We headed off in October to get some winter sun away from the ever-greying skies of the UK, and were met with balmy 20-ish-degree days of late summer sun.
Unexpectedly, we found the medina an unexpectedly peaceful and quiet place - and would expect it to be the same year-round. It's mostly filled with locals, and Western visitors are rather hard to come by.
Eventually we found the others who flew in with us, sunning themselves on the beach at one of the many beachfront resorts... So we turned back. Luckily, they didn't stray far from the resorts, meaning you'll have much of the town to yourself.
Weather in Sousse
On Tunisia’s Sahel coast, Sousse has hot, dry summers and mild winters. Best months for sightseeing and beach time are May–June and September, with July–August very hot. Winters are cooler with some rain.
Where to Stay in Sousse
First up, it's important to mention that Sousse is kind of a holiday resort destination.
This means you can stay in a huge, all-inclusive hotel on the outskirts, parking yourself by the pool or on the beach for a week as you demolish the buffet and sink one watered-down daiquiri after another, and never leave the resort.
Yeah... not really our style.
We stayed in the old medina - the historic walled old town that usually forms the heart of towns across North Africa - which is the cultural heart of Sousse, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
So why wouldn't you stay here?
So where did we stay?
Our 'hotel' was a room in a traditional Dar, which is a typical Tunisian property built around a central courtyard, similar to a Moroccan Riad. This was at Dar Badiaa, a very pretty and very welcoming little place with four en-suite rooms, huge, comfy beds and a solid traditional breakfast each morning. Plus, it was plum-dead in the middle of the medina. Can't ask for more, really!
Pretty tidy, huh?
We thought so too - and we enjoyed our stay! We did feel it was a little overpriced (Roughly £60/night) for what it was, but that seems to be largely the going rate on Booking. Dar Badiaa was the absolute nicest-looking place we found, and with that location... we decided to pull the trigger. No regrets.
Other Accommodation in Sousse
If you're travelling on a budget, you could do a lot worse than Hotel Paris Sousse. Tucked up against the medina wall and right next door to one of our favourite restaurants in Sousse, this looks like 90% of what we paid three times the money for. If you can deal with a little less decor and a shared bathroom, they have private singles from £12, and private twins and triples increasing from there. We poked our heads in here, and if bang for buck is your thing, this seems to be the place.
Check out Hotel Paris Sousse here:
The Itinerary
Day One
- Arrive
- Settle in
- Explore the Medina (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Day Two
- Ribat
- Grand Mosque
- Archaeological Museum
- Beach
Day Three
- Trip to El Jem's Colosseum (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Day Four
- Trip to Monastir
- Fly home
Sousse Itinerary: Day 1
Morning
You've likely arrived at either Monastir or Enfidha airport.
First up: cash is king in Sousse. People don't want to see your plastic, so hit up the ATM at the airport and get yourself some Tunisian Dinar.
If you're joining us from Monastir, you can grab the bus to Sousse. If you're doing as we did and arriving at Enfidha, it's either a taxi, or smiling at the all-inclusive hotel bus drivers, tell them where you're going, and slip them a few notes to drop you off in town. They'll sort you out. 100 Dinar seems to be the going rate, whichever you choose.
Arriving in Sousse, find your way to your accommodation, check in, and give yourself a second to freshen up and get over that journey.
Welcome.
Once you're ready, head out for a wander around the narrow souks, taking in the colours and smells, until your stomach tells you it's lunchtime.
Lunch
Grab some street food. We recommend diving straight into the locals' favourite, the Chapati, a flatbread sandwich packed with whatever goodness you like and toasted on the grill, or a Mlawi - a fully-loaded wrap that's pretty much a kebab. You won't struggle to find either. Or, y'know, both...
Afternoon
After lunch? Mint tea.
You can't miss it; it's everywhere. Drinking tea and spending time in the many cafes is a part of the culture.
That said, relaxing outside a cafe with a tea appears to be a very male-dominated activity. You won't see a Tunisian woman in a cafe sipping back a tea or puffing on a shisha out on the street. Most 'normal' tea shops are packed with guys watching the floor, the street or the football, seemingly all day. It reminded us of Morocco and Sri Lanka. Don't let it put you off - particularly if you're visiting, you'll be fine - but just be aware.
Unusually, we both agreed that the best tea we had all trip was on the main square at Cafe Soyeh, between the Grand Mosque and the northeast entrance to the medina, at the Place des Martyrs. Normally you'd avoid the main square like the plague, but Sousse just isn't touristy enough to have to worry about that.
Hopefully, you're starting to see where this is going. Life in Sousse is very chill. Slow down, have some tea, grab a bite to eat, wander around...
And guess what? That's the advice for the remainder of your afternoon. Spend time exploring the narrow stone streets, be guided by the sounds of chatter, the smell of spices, fresh bread, cakes and grilling meats. Run your hands through the clothing, engage with the locals, and, of course, relax with more mint tea. Stroll around the fruit and meat markets. They're only small, but they're the hub of Sousse, and a real sensory overload.
Also, keep an eye out for the bambalouni - a huge, fresh cooked crispy donut laden in sugar. It's a big circle of deliciousness, and a future diabetes diagnosis. Fantastic.
As evening approaches, retreat to your Sousse accommodation and freshen up if needed, then head out for dinner.
Dinner
Within the medina, you will find sublime traditional Tunisian cuisine, and not much else. So that's all we recommend. If you're looking for another loyalty stamp on your Golden Big Mac card, this isn't the town for you.
So let's not fuck around here, we're going straight to Tripadvisor's top-rated restaurant in Sousse: Restaurant Café Seles. The wonderful couple here have opened up part of their home, including the rooftop, and are serving up a bloody magnificent tagine - meat and veggies simmered to perfection in a thick, warming sauce.
It's good. Real good.
They even do beer. It's not great beer, but in a muslim country? We'll take it.
Evening
After you've managed to waddle out of the restaurant, you won't find much open within the medina, but we highly recommend a nightcap (or three) at the Kasbah.
Café el Kasbah is vibrant, colourful, and certainly... unique. With chilled vibes, friendly staff, decorated in an eclectic mix of... well, everything they could lay their hands on... It just works. We loved it here.
Grab a couple of mojitos - we never did work out if they had rum in, but they're fantastic - and watch dusk settle over the shabby-chic rooftops below.
Honestly, these mojitos are world-class. So good, in fact, we ordered a second to check it wasn't a fluke. If you ever try one, please feel free to agree in the comments.
Sousse Itinerary: Day 2
Morning
Up and at 'em - we've got a bit to do before lunch today! You'll get to chill this afternoon.
Grab some breakfast. For us at Dar Badiaa, this meant our included brekkie and we gorged on omelettes, pastries, olives and tea. I'm sure there's other good options out there. Somewhere. Maybe.
Afterwards, we're doing a quick-fire run of some of the best things to do in Sousse. Ready?
First up - the Ribat.
You'll have seen this on your way around, no doubt. It's a 9th-century fortress just inside the medina walls, and it's the best preserved in the area. It's pretty, it's impressive, it's good for photos, and it's got a big tower you can climb up and look over the city from.
Other than that... It's an old fortress. No frills and no thrills, but for 8 dinar (~£2), it's well worth it for an hour's entertainment.
Next up: the Grand Mosque. This is all of a minute's walk away, and you'll have had a good view of it from the Ribat's 35m-tall tower. As a non-muslim, the cost is 5 dinar (~£1.25), and you can only access the 9th-century courtyard and look through into the prayer hall. You won't need long here, maybe 15 minutes, which is just as well because they close in the afternoon.
Finally, we're heading up the hill to the Archaeological Museum. You see that big fortress at the top of the hill? Yeah. That.
We expected to be here for 10 minutes, but it ended up being at least an hour. What you need to know is that Tunisia was once part of the Roman Empire, and they kindly left behind a load of beautiful mosaics and statues to be found and put on display right here. It's an impressive collection, well presented.
What did the Romans ever do for us, eh?
You also get a bit of a chance to wander around that big fortress and its surprisingly pretty gardens, but the interesting bits (read: the bits where you'd get a great view over the town) are off-limits to the public. And, if you're thinking about chancing it, they have CCTV. We checked.
So, with that done, it's time to get changed into swimmers, because we're heading towards the beach.
Lunch
En-route to the beach, we highly suggest you make a slight detour and grab some absolutely incredible street food at... Øبق.
You know the one! Oh, you don't? It's over here.
Google tells us this translates to 'Basil'. We can tell you this was the best street food we had all trip. The chicken chawarma chapati was an alliterative joy to behold. For 5.5 dinar (around £1.40), we'd eat this every day forever - no questions asked.
Now - to the beach. Grab a few drinks to go, because there's not many shops down there, and head straight to the coast from here.
Afternoon
Welcome to the beach. You know what to do!
We suggest avoiding the start of the resorts to the north, because you’ll find a crowded, sunbed-ridden pile of hungover holidaymakers. Fortunately, they don’t stray far from the all-inclusive bar, so there’s tons of empty, untouched sands and crystal waters nearer the medina, with only a few locals making the most of it. It’s beautiful.
We’ll let the photos talk.
Dinner
After a relaxing afternoon of doing bugger-all, head back home, get yourself de-sanded and salted, and head out to tonight's restaurant.
Yes, it's Tripadvisor's second-best restaurant in Sousse: Restaurant du Peuple.
We think this is actually the best in town. If you're staying at Hotel Paris, you don't have a long walk. In fact, right next door.
It's got everything. It's small, charming, it has friendly, funny staff, and a dish called 'Couscous Royal'.
Two please.
This is a dirty great mountain of goodness. Sausage, egg, aubergine, and some sort of meat that just fell apart when you so much as coughed at it - all served atop a glimmering pyramid of perfectly seasoned couscous. This, plus the delicious free starter of bread, soup and salad, had us pushing a little to finish it all. Which does not happen often.
Two big, big thumbs up here.
Evening
Mojitos? Mojitos.
Back to Cafe el Kasbah to, uh, rock the kasbah.
Sure, you could go and try somewhere else, like the Cafe Bel Al Medina, looking out over the waterfront. It looks promising from the outside, but once you're inside it's about as fun as a wet weekend in Wigan with a female blood relative. We left soon after (who puts menthol on a lemon sorbet?), and went back to Kasbah.
Learn from our mistakes.
Sousse Itinerary: Day 3
Morning
Okay, okay. Day three actually has us leaving Sousse. But it's the most impressive day of the trip. Sharpen your swords and rehearse your Gladiator quotes, because we're heading to the Colosseum.
Grab another breakfast (thanks, Dar Badiaa!), and then make your way to the train station at around 10am. Get yourself a ticket (4.5 dinar each, or about £1) on the only morning train to El Jem, and wait. Your train should leave at 10.15. The woman in the station told us 10.30. It left at 10.50. Which means it runs on Tunisia Time™. 10am should be safe.
A word to the wise: go to the toilet before you board the train. The toilet on the train is a straight-up biohazard and could only be improved by a controlled explosion - which is what appeared to have taken place. We were not entertained.
Note: you could also take a louage - a Tunisian shared taxi - from the louage station, a 20-minute walk out of town. It's about 7 dinar (~£2). We opted for the train. Why? Because it was easier to get to the station, more fun and slightly cheaper.
Anyhow, you'll soon be arriving in El Jem.
Once you do - it's hard to miss the Colosseum. It's huge. I didn't know men could build such things.
Start wandering down there, but before you do, time for a quick bite.
Lunch
Wander down the road to the Colosseum, and keep an eye out for a little street food stand called Chapatos. Order whatever looks good to you, and take it down to enjoy in front of this epic piece of Roman architecture.
Afternoon
Righto, back to Sousse!
Nah, we're heading into this bad boy. Grab your tickets (12 TND, £3) and, on my signal, unleash hell.
We could bang on about this for a while, but we're just gonna say this:
We've both done a lot of travel. Been to some incredible places, seen some incredible things. We both agreed that this was kinda up there with the best of them.
Greg's been to the actual Colosseum. That is bigger, more intact and more impressive. But it's also a LOT more crowded, a lot more expensive, and a lot less fun. In El Jem, you can access everywhere. You're not fighting through the crowds, and you're not being hassled. You can just explore the shadows and dust, and enjoy. We wandered for hours in here, slowly taking in the scale and the history. It's actually quite moving.
And now, if we had a choice to go to Rome or here? We'd go back here. And hopefully we will. In this life, or the next. (Okay, I'm done.)
Dinner
Once you've had your fill, it's time to fill.
It's probably late-ish afternoon, and plum-dead opposite the Colosseum is Restaurant Afe Les Mires. Fresh-squeezed orange juice, mint tea, and kebabs straight off the barbecue, with that view? If this was Europe, they'd empty your entire wallet for the privilege. Instead we paid 50 dinar (£12.50) each. This included a tip for the top-quality banter we received from the moment we arrived, in about 4 languages.
Exceptional.
Evening
Because nothing is allowed to be perfect in Tunisia, here's the catch to your day.
The train back to Sousse isn't coming. The last one was at 2.30. Maybe.
So you need to wander to El Jem's louage station, and hope you can jump in a louage back to Sousse. If it's early enough, you'll be fine. Pay your 7 dinar (~£2), and be on your merry way.
This did not happen to us.
We got there at around 4.30pm, and after queueing for a while the woman behind the counter announced that the louages were finished for the day, closed her window, and fucked off.
We ended up sharing a private cab with a Tunisian woman and her German partner (confirming for us that this wasn't just a scam, and yes, they had actually just stopped), and paid 30 dinar (£7.50) per person for a ride back to Sousse.
You'll never be fully stuck - you'll just end up paying more than you wanted.
Note that it may drop you at the louage station. We walked back from here, but it's uphill and bloody warm. A taxi would be a few dinar, but we're stubborn.
It's all good though. You're back, and you can spend your last night in Sousse soothing your pain at the Kasbah. Their chocolate crepes go a long way to help.
Sousse Itinerary: Day 4
You have options...
Your plans today depend on when and where you are flying from.
If your flight is in the morning: Get going! You're late.
If your flight is from Monastir: Grab the metro to Monastir from the waterfront, and spend the day exploring a new medina before heading off. This same metro also passes right by Monastir Airport, so jump back on when it's time to go.
However, if your flight is from Enfidha in the afternoon:Â Wander round the souks of Sousse one more time. Revisit your favourite spots before you grab a cab up to the airport.
Although, if your flight is from Enfidha in the evening: We'd chance the trip to Monastir. It takes half an hour each way on the metro, and, as we're sure you've noticed, there's not a lot left to see in Sousse. So ask to leave your bags at your accommodation, get going early, and make the most of your last day. Return on the metro to grab your bags, and get going to the airport.
We talk more about transport around Sousse in another blog - give it a read to sort out your airport logistics.
Finally, a warning...
You cannot take any Tunisian Dinar out of Tunisia.
You cannot spend it at duty free. They will take it off of you at the border after you cross and get your passport stamped. They hide behind the border control, search, and take it off you. You can spend it 'landside', and make sure you do before you go through to the gates.
They do not advertise this until you're across, and it's too late. We got caught out by this - see what we learned.
Leave a comment
We hope you've enjoyed our 4 day itinerary to Sousse, Tunisia.
Overall, we found our visit to Sousse calm and fairly stress-free. The prices were fantastically cheap, the food was delicious, and the majority of the people were warm and welcoming.
However, we both said we preferred a bit more hustle like the medinas of Morocco. Sousse felt like the sleeping baby of the North African medina world, which is great if that's what you've come for.
Have you been? If so, what did you think? Help the tribe out by sharing your experience. What did you do, and what would you and what wouldn't you recommend?
Finally, if you're thinking of visiting Sousse and need a question answered, drop us a comment and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Enjoy!
