Kairouan

Fri 12/5/23

It's time to bid farewell to the southern region of Tunisia and make our way up to Kairouan, founded by the Umayyads around 670, an important Islamic centre. It is also a Unesco World Heritage site. The drive from Tozeur to Kairouan would cover 300km. We made 2 stops at Gafsa for stretching the legs and toilet break at the rest area in Jelma. We had mint tea which cost TND 3 as a courtesy to use the toilet facility. 

mint tea at the rest area

We reached our accommodation at Hotel Continental Kairouan (EUR 55 per room per night with buffet breakfast) at 1.30pm. The hotel offered us a reduced price of TND 30 per person for buffet dinner. We decided to venture out first at the medina whether we could find a restaurant and decide later if we wanted to have dinner at the hotel.

our room at Hotel Continental Kairouan

We walked to the Kairouan medina, which is located just about 1.5km, about 20 min walking. We first visited the Great Mosque of Kairouan, founded in 670 AD, established by the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi. Ablution facility is located outside the mosque compound, so it is advisable to take it prior from the hotel. There is no entrance fee, but we went in there to pray, not sure about other types of visitors though.

inside Great Mosque of Kairouan

courtyard of Great Mosque of Kairouan

arch and chandelier inside Great Mosque of Kairouan

Next, we walked to the Mosque of the Three Gates, founded in 866. It has three arched doorways surmounted by three inscriptions in Kufic script (from Wikipedia).

Mosque of the Three Gates

inside Mosque of the Three Gates

Tunisia gate

most shops in the souk were closed

most shops in the souk were closed

more doors in Kairouan medina

narrow streets of Kairouan medina

We walked around the medina, looking for a restaurant for late lunch, but then I decided to have the buffet dinner at the hotel instead. So we walked back to the hotel and stopped by the Aghlabid basins just in front of our hotel. It was built during the 9th century for storing water. It started to drizzle, so it was a good time to go back to the hotel.

Aghlabid basins

Aghlabid basins

outside the Aghlabid basins

The buffet dinner selection was not bad. Water is not included in the buffet price. We were charged TND 4 for a bottle of still water.  The total cost for 1 night accommodation and buffet dinner for 2 was TND 248 or RM 372.

appetiser salad

mains beef 

tomato soup with couscous

traditional cakes