10 Top Things to Do in Hammamet

The Medina of Hammamet is the original 13th-century walled town on the western edge of the modern resort area. Compact (just 80000 square metres), the white-and-blue walled quarter sits directly on the beach with the Kasbah fortress at its seaward corner. Narrow cobbled lanes contain the Mosque of Sidi Bou Hadid (15th century), the Souk for crafts and spices, and several small museums - and locals still live within the walls.

The arched main gate (Bab el-Souk) leads to the central Place Bouhdid square. Shops sell traditional pottery (Nabeul-style), olive wood carvings, Tunisian rugs, and silver jewellery. Bargaining is essential - expect 30-50% off marked prices. The terrace cafes around the Kasbah have the best Hammamet sunset photos. Free to wander; open 24/7. Allow 2-3 hours for a slow walk including the souk.

Pro Tip: Visit the Medina at sunset for the white walls turning gold and the call to prayer at 18:00 from the Sidi Bou Hadid Mosque. The Bistro de la Medina restaurant inside the walls serves the best traditional Tunisian couscous in town (25-40 TND).

The Kasbah of Hammamet is a 13th-century Hafsid-era fortress at the south-eastern corner of the Medina, built directly on the rocks at the sea's edge. The original purpose was defence against Spanish naval raids; the Ottomans expanded the structure in the 16th century. Today the Kasbah serves as a public viewpoint with crenellated walls offering a panoramic view of the Hammamet bay and the white Medina walls.

The small interior museum displays Roman, Arab, and Ottoman archaeological finds from the Hammamet area. The main visit value is the walk along the ramparts - the upper terrace overlooks both the beach to the east and the Medina rooftops to the west. The Kasbah Cafe just outside the gate serves Tunisian mint tea (3 TND) at sea-view terraces. Admission 5 TND. Open daily 09:00-17:00 (closes earlier in winter). Allow 60 minutes.

Pro Tip: Climb to the upper ramparts at sunset for the iconic Medina-on-the-sea photograph - the white walls reflect amber in the late light. The Cafe Sidi Bou Hadid just behind the Kasbah is the best evening drinks spot in old Hammamet.

Hammamet Beach is the main 14 km curving white-sand beach running between the Medina and the Yasmine Hammamet area to the south. The sand is fine and white; the water is shallow and calm - making this one of the Mediterranean's most family-friendly beaches. Hotels line the back of most of the beach, but the public sections in front of the Medina and around Hammamet town centre are accessible to all.

Sun loungers and parasols 10-25 TND a day. The wider hotel beaches around Yasmine Hammamet (south) offer rented water sports (banana boat 15 TND, parasailing 60-80 TND, jet skis 60-100 TND for 20 min). The northern part of the beach near the Medina is best for swimming (calmer water). Beach is public; vendors sell fresh corn, doughnuts, and Tunisian coffee throughout the day.

Pro Tip: The beach in front of the Medina is the quietest with the best access to the Medina cafes for lunch. Avoid the central Hammamet town stretch which gets crowded; walk 200 metres south to find clearer water and fewer vendors.

Yasmine Hammamet is a purpose-built resort area 7 km south of the original Hammamet town, developed since the 1990s around a yacht marina. The complex includes 70+ hotels, the Medina Yasmine (a recreated Arabic souk-style mall), Carthageland theme park, a casino, and the main concentration of beach resorts and nightclubs. Newer and more polished than the original Hammamet town centre but lacking the cultural depth.

The Yasmine Marina hosts 700+ berths and is the largest yacht harbour in North Africa. The Medina Yasmine shopping mall sells souvenirs at fixed (touristy) prices - the original Hammamet Medina is better for genuine shopping. The Bin Bal beachfront strip has the largest nightclubs (Manhattan, Calypso). Most visitors stay in Yasmine and visit old Hammamet on a day trip. Free to walk; mall and marina open daily.

Pro Tip: Combine a Yasmine Marina sunset walk with dinner at one of the marina-side restaurants - the seafood at Le Galion (40-80 TND for a fish main) is the best on the marina. Skip Medina Yasmine and shop at the original old Medina instead.

Pupput was a Phoenician trading post that grew into a Roman colonia under Commodus in the 2nd century AD - one of the most important coastal cities in Roman Africa. The archaeological park 2 km south-west of Hammamet contains ruins of Roman baths, a Christian basilica (5th century), domestic mosaics, the necropolis, and the original Phoenician walls. The site declined after the 7th-century Arab conquests.

Standout finds: the Maison de Figures Geometriques (a Roman house with extensive intact floor mosaics), the Roman public baths complex, and the necropolis with carved sarcophagi. The Bardo Museum in Tunis holds many of the best mosaics found here; what remains on site shows the architectural footprint clearly. Admission 10 TND. Open daily 09:00-17:00. Allow 90 minutes. Some signage in French only; bring a guidebook.

Pro Tip: Combine Pupput with a Bardo Museum visit on a Tunis day trip to see the original Pupput mosaics in their museum context. The site has minimal English signage so the Bardo curation dramatically improves understanding.

Carthageland is a 26-hectare theme park in Yasmine Hammamet themed loosely around ancient Carthaginian, Roman, and Tunisian heritage. Opened in 2003, the park combines 30+ rides (including a coaster, log flume, drop tower, and the Eye of Carthage Ferris wheel), the Carthaginian Boat ride through a recreated Carthaginian harbour, a small zoo, restaurants, and the Mediterranean Aquarium on the same complex.

Adult ticket 25-35 TND (cheaper than European equivalents). Aquarium 15 TND. Combined ticket 40 TND. Open daily 10:00-18:00; in summer extended to 22:00 with evening shows. Best for families with children 4-12; adult thrill seekers will find the coaster modest. Hotel pickup buses available. Located within the Yasmine Hammamet complex.

Pro Tip: The Mediterranean Aquarium next door is the more interesting visit for adults - over 250 species of Mediterranean and Red Sea fish. Pair the aquarium with an early-evening Carthageland visit when temperatures drop and the lights add atmosphere.

Sidi Bou Said is a Tunis suburb 60 km north of Hammamet - a hilltop village famous for its uniform blue-and-white-painted houses overlooking the Bay of Tunis. Founded in the 13th century around the tomb of the Sufi saint Sidi Bou Said, the village's distinctive colour scheme was enforced by law in the 1910s by French baron Rodolphe d'Erlanger to preserve its character. Today it is one of the most photographed villages in North Africa.

Highlights: the Cafe des Nattes (a traditional cafe operating since the 1700s, with floor seating on rush mats), the Cafe Sidi Chebaane (a clifftop cafe with the best Bay of Tunis view), Palais Dar el-Annabi (a restored 18th-century palace open to visitors, 5 TND), and the cobbled main street lined with art galleries. Half-day trips from Hammamet 80-120 TND. Combine with Carthage archaeological site (5 km south) for a full day.

Pro Tip: Arrive at the Cafe Sidi Chebaane by 16:30 - the cliff-edge view as the sun crosses the Bay of Tunis is the best in Tunisia. Order the bambalouni (Tunisian doughnut) and Turkish coffee for 6 TND. The cafe is at the end of a small cliffside path; ask any local for Cafe Chebaane.

The Hammamet International Cultural Centre (Centre Culturel International) is a Tunisian government cultural campus on a 17-hectare seafront estate at the western edge of town. Built 1960-1962 as Tunisia's national stage for international culture, the centre includes an open-air Roman-style amphitheatre (1200 seats), the Villa Sebastian (1932 villa by Romanian artist George Sebastian, now a museum and cultural space), gardens, and the seasonal cafes.

The annual Hammamet International Festival in July-August hosts open-air concerts in the amphitheatre - past performers include Joan Baez, Paul Simon, and Cesaria Evora. Tickets 20-80 TND depending on the act. The Villa Sebastian's gardens are open to the public year-round (free entry); the villa itself is open during the festival and selected periods. A peaceful contrast to the resort beach scene.

Pro Tip: Check the festival schedule before your trip - if any concerts are happening in your dates, book online ahead. The Roman amphitheatre with open Mediterranean sea breeze is one of the most atmospheric outdoor music venues in North Africa.

Nabeul is the administrative capital of the Cap Bon region, 12 km north of Hammamet, and Tunisia's main pottery-making town. The hand-painted ceramics from Nabeul (white background with cobalt blue, green, or yellow geometric and floral motifs) are sold throughout the country but the source workshops are here. The Friday weekly market is one of the most authentic shopping experiences in Tunisia.

Highlights include the daily covered souk (ceramics, food, clothing), the Archaeological Museum (Roman Neapolis mosaics, 5 TND), and the Friday souk on the central place featuring camels, livestock, and crafts from across Cap Bon. Bargaining is essential - start at 30-40% of the asking price. Most shops accept Tunisian dinars and euros. Free to wander; market hours 08:00-17:00 Sunday-Friday.

Pro Tip: Visit on a Friday morning to catch the full traditional souk - the only day with the agricultural and livestock components. The Ceramics Cooperative on the southern edge of town has the best workshop-direct prices on hand-painted pottery.

Hammamet's small fishing port and adjacent marina (separate from Yasmine Marina) sit at the eastern edge of the old town - the place where local fishermen unload daily catches each morning. Several traditional wooden Caribbean-style schooners and Tunisian dhow boats offer 2-3 hour sunset cruises along the Hammamet coast, typically including snorkelling stops, lunch or dinner aboard, and live music.

Sunset cruises 50-100 TND per person including meal. Full-day cruises with multiple snorkelling stops 80-150 TND. Operators include Pirates Beach Club and Sunset Cruises Hammamet. Departures from both old Hammamet port and Yasmine Marina. The fish auction at the port on weekday mornings (07:00-09:00) is free to watch - lobsters, octopus, and Mediterranean sea bass are the catches.

Pro Tip: Book a sunset cruise that departs from the old Hammamet port rather than Yasmine Marina - smaller boats, more authentic feel, and the route past the Medina cliffs is more scenic. The 17:30 departure catches sunset perfectly in summer.