Monastir is a city in Tunisia 160 km from Tunis. Set along a superb coastline with a blue sea and long golden sandy beaches, Monastir is a pleasant seaside resort, a historical town full of tradition and one of the best tourist destinations in Northern Africa. Under the protection of its ribat, one of the most impressive fortresses of Tunisia, Monastir's medina, fishing port, marina and background of villages and orchards make it a lively and welcoming destination.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Situated halfway between Sousse and Mahdia, and in the intersection of Kairouan and El Jem, Monastir is distinguished by its location in the central coast of Tunisia. It is an ancient city dating from Phoenician times. Due to its strategic location, it shelters the oldest and the most important ribat in the Maghreb: a lovely fortress that is one of Tunisia's finest examples of Islamic military architecture. Monastir is also known as a really beautiful and calm city.
The distances between the Medina, Ribat and Marina are small enough to be covered on foot. Taxis for longer distances within the city can be found everywhere and are very cheap (less than DT3 for a trip within the city).
1 Ribat. This fortified monastery is located next to the sea and provides a great visit with most of the ruins open to clamber over. It may be familiar as it has been used in several films as a stand in for Jerusalem, most notably Monty Python's Life of Brian. You can climb the tower and have a nice view over the coastline and city. 8 DT. (updated Feb 2018) Ribat also houses 2 Islamic Arts Museum of Monastir.
1 Bicycle rental. 5 DT/hour. (updated Nov 2018) 2 Karting, Airport Road, Tourist Area (near Sahara Beach Hotel), ☏ +216 23400004, karting-monastir@hotmail.com. 10:00 - 02:00 in summer and 09:30 - 19:30 in the rest of the year. The Palm Karting Monastir offers a great deal for those who are passionate for karting or those who want to try it. Two circuits (adults and kids), a coffee shop, a great Mexican restaurant and a nice party space. 15 minutes/20 DT and 30 minutes/30 DT. (updated Nov 2018) Carriage. You can also go around Monastir with the famous and traditional carriages and of course for a good price. Touristic train.
1 Mix Max Tandoori, rue moufida bourguiba, R6. (updated Sep 2022) 2 Mamma Chami. (updated Sep 2022) 3 restaurant Marina The Captain, cap marina. (updated Sep 2022) 4 Guilty. (updated Sep 2022) 5 El koojina, Bab El Kram n°6. (updated Aug 2022) 6 Soprano. (updated Sep 2022) 7 BIZZ'ART. (updated Sep 2022) 8 Restaurant Bel Air Central. (updated Sep 2022) 9 THE VIEW (La Palette Resto & Lounge). (updated Sep 2022)
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Monastir typically sees ~34°C daytime highs and 0 rainy days.
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