La Goulette Tunis Tunisia Cruise Port Guide

Location:

The port of La Goulette is about nine miles from the center of Tunis. A fleet of 350 taxis at your service to visit the most popular destinations. Displayed price list and guaranteed quality of service. Please be aware that most cabbies will try to sell you other tours while underway. Plan to negotiate! For prices see below.

There are 2 cruise terminals - one for tours only, a small building presumably just containing the immigration desks through which tour participants pass on their way to the coach park. The main terminal has a few shops and has been built very attractively in the style of an old medina, it is however not a destination in itself.

You will be greeted by a Tunesian band and real camels which you can ride.

Printable map of Tunis to take along.

Cruise calendar for this port.

Check here for festivals and events in Tunis when you are in port.

Watch a destination video.

Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers

Port Location on Google Maps

Monthly Climate Averages for La Goulette Tunis Tunisia

Sightseeing:

La Goulette, with its 16th century fortress, is the landing point for a memorable visit to Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said. Tunis' broad boulevards, lined with cafes and flower stalls, stand alongside the Old Town, unchanged, a world of living stone and hidden treasures.

Tunis was a vibrant capital that combined tradition and modernity in a pleasing chaos. Adjacent to the colonial city, the Medina of Tunis is one of the most sumptuous of the Arab world, with its maze of alleys, souks, its gates and its unique architectural blend.

The latest political turmoil however has left its marks. Ave Habib Bourguiba is the large avenue running through the new city from the clock tower to the Cathedral of St Vincent de Paul. Many businesses are closed, barbed wire everywhere and all is dirty and in bad repair, making a visit to Tunis less enjoyable.

Delve inside the medina, or old quarter of Tunis, where palaces and mosques jostle for your attention.
Enjoy a tour via the Mohamed V Avenue on your way to the Bardo Museum. Entrance fee: 11 Tunisian Dinar (5 euros), Taking photo fee= 1 TND. A currency exchange box is available in the Museum.

Tours Excursions Transportation:

Approximate taxi tour pricing in port:

Tour 1 - Port- Medina - Port 4 seater 40 euros / 6 seater 60 euros / 8 seater 80 euros

Tour 2 - Port - Carthage - Sidi Bou Said - Port 4 seater 40 euros / 6 seater 60 euros / 8 seater 80 euros

Tour 3 - Port - Medina - Carthage - Sidi Bou Said - Port 4 seater 60 euros / 6 seater 80 euros / 8 seater 100 euros

All tours 5 hours max - over that 20 euros per taxi extra. Itineraries are open for negotiation. i.e. Sidi bou Said and the Medina can be combined for the same price. Be insistent. 5 Hours in Sidi bou Said or in Tunis is too much time, so combine the two towns and negotiate. Do negotiate with the taxi driver, not with the dispatcher.

Unfortunately a small train to Tunis is very close to the terminal, but very difficult to reach on foot. Also the station in town is not very convenient.

It pays to compare your cruise line shore excursions here.

Nearby Places:

History and mythology buffs will be delighted by a visit to Carthage, the ancient capital of an empire that rivaled Rome to dominate the Mediterranean world. The remains of this glorious past host a cultural festival every summer. The discovery of the site of Carthage is beautifully complemented by the visit of the famous Bardo Museum, housed in the former residence of the Bey of Tunis.

8 places to visit with the same ticket (Amphithéatre, Villas Romaines, Theâtre Romain, Musée Paléo chrétien, Musée de Carthage, Tophet de Salambo, Thermes D’antonin, Quartier Magon) Entrance fee: 10 Tunisian Dinar (5 euros), Taking photo fee= 1 TND. A currency exchange box is available in the Museum of Carthage and Thermes of Antonin

Overlooking the Gulf of Tunis, Sidi Bou Said is a village with narrow streets, lined with blue and white houses, surrounded by flower gardens. Especially admire the doors of houses that are among the finest in the country. Stop to sip mint tea on the terrace of one of its cafes overlooking the sea, and you'll understand why Sidi Bou Said has attracted so many celebrities and praise.

Shopping and Food

One thing that can get really annoying in Tunis is the number of "friends" a tourist will attract. Tunisian people are nice and curious towards strangers but avoid the ones who seem too friendly.

The shops in the medina offer a wide range of souvenir items and local crafts, including carpets, copper and brass ware, gold and silver jewelry, leather articles and the traditional red felt hats, called chechia. Bargaining is an accepted practice; vendors tend to be very persistent.

Duty-free shopping is available in port but prices do not seem very competetive with shops onboard.

Local cuisine, which is based on a centuries-old tradition - brick, couscous, tajines, pastries and mint tea - or international cuisine - can be enjoyed at numerous restaurants, some of which provide the ever-popular 'malouf' music, that unique and spellbinding combination of the sound of the lute, violin and tambourine.

Currency:

The local currency is the dinar, However Euros are accepted almost anywhere.

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Communication:

Cafés and restaurants in the port village offer a free WiFi hot spot when you order a beverage or otherwise. However they tend to close early, well before the ships departure time, leaving you suddenly without connection.

Opening Hours and Holidays:

On Sundays most shops including in the Medina are closed in the afternoon. Some larger stores stay open. In Sidi bou Said most stores are open 7 days a week.

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