Monastir
Tunisia · 5 m
Description
Monastir (المنستير) was the birthplace of Habib Bourguiba, the first president, and he spent forty years turning his home town into a showpiece, which is why a place of a hundred thousand people has an international airport, a marina and a mausoleum with twin gold domes and a colonnaded forecourt that would suit a much larger city. The ribat on the shore, begun in 796, is the oldest in the Maghreb and was used as a location for Monty Python's Life of Brian and for Zeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 7 days (optimal 4 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: May – October
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Ribat of Monastir and its tower
- Bourguiba Mausoleum and its gold domes
- Monastir beaches and the marina
- Great Mosque beside the ribat
- Ribat film location views from the ramparts
- Medina souk and the covered lanes
- Museum of Islamic Art in the ribat
- Skanes beach hotels north of town
- Sahel light railway along the coast
- Seafood grills at the fishing port
Getting there
- Airports:
- MIR
- Train stations:
- Monastir