Tunisia's second-largest city has a well-preserved medieval medina, surrounded by ancient walls. Its active fishing port and olive oil industry make it a key economic center.
Sfax, Tunisia's second-largest city, presents industrial activity alongside ancient landmarks. Walk through 9th-century walls surrounding a well-preserved medina, see phosphate facilities along the coast, and take ferries to Kerkennah Islands. Visit the Great Mosque with its carved stone tower, explore vaulted market streets, and notice French colonial buildings on Boulevard Habib Bourguiba. From here, you can reach El Jem's Roman amphitheater in 90 minutes by car or explore local museums displaying artifacts from the city's past.
Exploring the Medina
Start at Bab Diwan gate to enter a living medieval city. Limestone walls stretching 2.75 kilometers have protected residents since 1306, dividing neighborhoods into distinct residential and trading areas. Watch coppersmiths shape pots in northern market lanes, then find stalls selling green olives unique to this region. The Great Mosque stands at the center with geometric patterns carved into its 9th-century tower – look for ancient Arabic script near the entrance. Walk up to the Kasbah's elevated walkways to see red clay rooftops contrasting with modern shipping equipment at the port. Over 100,000 people still live here, using traditional bathhouses and attending prayers in historic mosques daily.
Industrial Areas and Economic Activity
Phosphate processing plants along the southern coastline handle most of Tunisia's exports in this sector. At the Kasbah Museum, exhibits explain how olive oil production shifted from stone presses to automated bottling lines serving international buyers. The fishing port operates North Africa's largest fleet using woven palm traps designed to catch fish without nets. Before sunrise, dockworkers sort fresh catches on piers built over ancient Roman harbors. Some guided tours take visitors through factories where artisans cut local marble into floor tiles or prepare almonds for global distribution.
Historical Sites and Cultural Collections
Inside Sfax City Hall, you'll find Roman-era mosaics illustrating octopuses and fish from the Taparura settlement. Travel 12 kilometers southwest to Thyna, where stone foundations mark a 1,800-year-old church and water channels that sustained olive farms. Dar Jallouli museum occupies a 1600s trader's home, displaying wedding documents etched on palm fibers and silver hair accessories once used in ceremonies. Check current schedules at the French Cultural Center near the railway station, which sometimes hosts exhibitions about the city's growth patterns.
Coastal Trips and Nearby Destinations
Regular ferries connect Sfax Port to Kerkennah Islands, where you'll see cylindrical wicker traps submerged near shorelines and octopus hung to dry on wooden racks. Drive 70 kilometers north to walk through El Jem's triple-level Roman arena, then continue another hour to Kairouan's ancient mosque with its thick defensive walls. Shared minibuses leave frequently for Mahdia's underground storage pits from the Fatimid era and Sousse's seaside fortress, both reachable within two hours. For shorter trips, visit Thyna's salt flats attracting migratory birds or examine irrigation systems at Sidi Mansour reservoir.
Architectural Styles Across the City
The Arabisance district mixes art deco buildings with Islamic designs like arched windows and patterned ceramic walls. Notice how the Municipal Palace's curved doorways differ from the boxy apartment complexes built during the 1970s in Sakiet Ezzit. Concrete academic buildings at the University of Sfax stand in sharp contrast to the ornate balconies of French-era houses lining main boulevards. Some walking tours highlight repairs made to the medina's southern walls after World War II bombings, visible in the mismatched stonework.
Seasonal Events and Markets
During July, the International Festival of Sfax fills the Kasbah courtyard with Andalusian music performances and screens Tunisian films at downtown theaters. The October olive festival lets you sample oils pressed from trees grown with ancient grafting methods still practiced today. Every Friday before noon, traders gather near Bir Chifa to barter camels using techniques unchanged from Sahara caravan times. These events provide direct insight into regional traditions without staged cultural displays.
Getting to and Around Sfax
Sfax-Thyna Airport offers flights to Paris and Istanbul, primarily serving Tunisians living abroad. Trains to Tunis follow the coastline for four hours, passing beach resorts near Sousse. For faster travel, shared taxis departing from Bab Jebli station reach Gabes in three hours at fixed rates. Inside the city, yellow cabs with meters provide affordable rides across the mostly flat urban area, though the medina's grid layout makes walking efficient during cooler hours.
