This calm fishing port on Tunisia's eastern coast has 16th-century stone ramparts, a medieval medina, and beaches known for deep-sea diving and seafood restaurants.
Mahdia sits on a narrow peninsula on Tunisia's eastern coast. You'll find 16th-century fortifications, a 10th-century mosque without a minaret, and silk workshops where artisans still use centuries-old weaving techniques. The city's beaches stretch north along the Mediterranean, while its harbor fills with fishing boats bringing in daily catches of grouper, sea bass, and octopus.
Exploring the Medina
Walk through Skifa Kahla, a stone gateway with a tall defensive tower, to enter Mahdia's medina. The gateway's dark corridor opens into narrow streets where green wooden doors and stone frames line the walls. In small workshops throughout the medina, weavers create silk fabrics with colored bands and geometric patterns. Stop at Cairo Square in the center, where old fig trees create cool spots to rest.
Beaches and Swimming
The city's northern beaches extend for several kilometers, with calm waters and fine sand. Swimming season runs from May through October, when water temperatures stay around 20-25°C (68-77°F). Many beachfront hotels maintain sections with umbrellas and loungers. Local dive centers take groups to nearby reefs and to an ancient shipwreck site discovered in 1907.
Historical Monuments
The Great Mosque, built in 916, remains one of North Africa's best-preserved Fatimid buildings. Its design differs from typical mosques by having no minaret, while its entrance displays detailed geometric patterns in stone. Borj el Kebir fortress, built in the 16th century, stands at the peninsula's tip. Climb to its upper levels for Mediterranean views and to see the chambers that once housed Spanish prisoners.
Local Food Scene
Fresh fish and seafood define Mahdia's cooking. Try grilled sea bass with couscous or baked grouper with spices and lemon. Local restaurants serve octopus salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, and chakchouka - a vegetable stew topped with eggs. Look for "Mahdia brick," a thin pastry filled with almonds. Most seafood restaurants cluster around the port area, serving fish brought in by the morning's boats.
Getting Around and Day Trips
Monastir Airport is 50 kilometers away, with taxis running to Mahdia. The regional train connects to Sousse, stopping at coastal towns along the way. Visit El Jem's ancient amphitheater, 40 kilometers inland - it's among the world's largest Roman amphitheaters and similar in size to Rome's Colosseum. You can reach both Monastir and Sousse within an hour by train or taxi for day trips.
