Visiting Sidi Bou Saïd, just a short ride north of Tunis on the commuter train, is like stepping into a postcard. With its crisp white buildings and bright blue doors and windows, everywhere you look is a photograph begging to be taken.
There were at least twice as many Tunisians as tourists there, spending a lazy day in Sidi Bou Saïd, exploring the streets and sipping fresh strawberry juice at the cafes.
It’s a small town and I could have easily walked from one end to the other of the main stretch in just a few minutes, even with the street at times full of tourists buying souvenirs or locals buying sweets, but it’s the kind of place that insists on a leisurely stroll.
The main street, which is pedestrian only, ends conveniently in front of a cafe with fabulous views of both the town and the Mediterranean.
From here, I unknowingly took a picture of the president’s house. He’s got a pretty good view from the looks of it.
While in Tunisia, I stayed with a family who told me not to miss the long staircase leading down to the port. It’s a good thing they said something, or I wouldn’t have known to seek it out. As I descended, I realized I was probably the only foreigner on the stairs. The others hadn’t known to look for it and so were missing out.
There was plenty of activity at the port: boats docking and others heading out for the day, busy cafes, couples sitting on the rocks. The water was a little too cold for my liking this early in the season but the beach itself was busy enough.
After hiking back up that long staircase, I took the train back to Tunis, which was more packed than any rush hour Manhattan subway I’ve ever been on! Fortunately, a group of boys pushed the doors open again at every stop which gave us passengers some nice air conditioning.
