How many towns to visit: Four to six towns is the right number for most backpackers on a trip of about two weeks. That gives each place a night or two, leaves room for the long hops, and prevents the blur where every whitewashed wall merges into one. Beyond six, you spend more time in louages than in lanes.
Choosing between kinds of towns: Pick by travel style. If you want atmosphere and history for the least money, put weight on
medina and ruin towns, which are walkable and rich in detail. If you want to swim, eat fish and take it slow, add one
coastal town, ideally outside July and August. If you crave space and silence, a
Saharan oasis town is the pick, though it costs more in time and transport. Resort-focused areas offer easy comfort but less character, so one stop is plenty.
What it …
read more 👉 How many towns to visit: Four to six towns is the right number for most backpackers on a trip of about two weeks. That gives each place a night or two, leaves room for the long hops, and prevents the blur where every whitewashed wall merges into one. Beyond six, you spend more time in louages than in lanes.
Choosing between kinds of towns: Pick by travel style. If you want atmosphere and history for the least money, put weight on medina and ruin towns, which are walkable and rich in detail. If you want to swim, eat fish and take it slow, add one coastal town, ideally outside July and August. If you crave space and silence, a Saharan oasis town is the pick, though it costs more in time and transport. Resort-focused areas offer easy comfort but less character, so one stop is plenty.
What it costs: Tunisia is cheap by Mediterranean standards. Budget US$25 to 40 a day (roughly 80 to 125 Tunisian dinars) for a dorm or simple guesthouse, street food and shared transport. Mid-range comfort runs US$50 to 80. Typical extras: archaeological sites and museums charge about 12 to 15 dinars (US$4 to 5) for foreigners, sometimes plus a camera fee, and medina guides ask roughly 30 to 60 dinars for a few hours. Louages cost a few dinars for short hops, and a long intercity ride runs under 30 dinars. Desert excursions from southern towns cost the most, often US$40 to 100 a person depending on the format.
Safety and etiquette: Most towns are relaxed and safe for independent travelers, with petty theft and persistent touts the usual annoyances. Check your government’s travel advice for the regions near the Algerian and Libyan borders, where restrictions apply. Solo women should expect attention in some places, and dressing modestly, especially inland, cuts it down. Ask before photographing people, and keep shoulders and knees covered when entering mosque areas open to visitors.
Agree prices before taking a guide or a taxi, and insist on the meter in cities. Carry cash, since cards are patchy outside larger towns. In markets, haggle with a smile, because it is a social exchange rather than a fight. Tap water is best avoided, and bottled water is cheap.
The reward for getting the number and kind right is a country where a 2,000-year-old ruin, a sweet pastry and a glass of mint tea can all fit inside a single afternoon, at a price that still feels like a bargain.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.