Discovering Northern Tunisia: Ghar el Melh, Bizerte

After my 2 previous articles on Tunisia (one on Tunis and the other on Sidi Bou Saïd), I wanted to take you today to visit northern Tunisia towards Cap Blanc. This is an opportunity to discover the coast and the northernmost point of the country, as well as to visit the towns of Ghar el Melh and Bizerte.

It is indeed a region that is much less visited by tourists in Tunisia. If you want to get off the beaten path and away from marked tourist routes, it is a great destination to consider! However, you will obviously need a car to get around in that part of the country.

Panoramic view of the coast and white houses near Bizerte, Tunisia.

Rocky cove and isolated beach below the hills of northern Tunisia. Avenue of palm trees along the waterfront in Bizerte, Tunisia.

Rocky hill covered with pine trees under a clear blue sky in northern Tunisia.

Wooden terrace with a view of the wooded hill near Ghar el Melh.

As for us, we were escorted on our little trip by a guide and a driver along with my favorite photographer, which can be very useful especially since Tunisians have a driving style all their own…

To start, check out a short video below by my favorite photographer about our discovery of this region during our trip in northern Tunisia. I hope it will make you want to go and take a walk there!

Table of Contents

Visiting Ghar el Melh

Ghar el Melh is a small fishing village located about a 45-minute drive north of Tunis. Its name, which means “salt cave,” reminds us of the nearby salt flats.

The city was founded by the Phoenicians in antiquity and later became an important base for corsairs. This is why the Spanish and then the British built forts there to fight the pirates. Today, you can still see the remains of three old forts and a 17th-century arsenal and bastion.

Stone ramparts in Ghar el Melh with two tourists near the sea.

Wooden door under a stone arch with Arabic inscription in Ghar el Melh. Old bandsaw in a dark workshop, wood debris on the ground.

Two men repairing a wooden boat in Ghar el Melh, Tunisia.

Fishermen on a boat in Ghar El Melh with nets and fortifications in the background.

Fishing boats moored in front of a white warehouse in Ghar el Melh, northern Tunisia.

Fishing boats moored at Ghar el Melh with green nets on the quay.

While walking along the port, you can see that the arsenal is still used today by local fishermen to store and repair their boats. We walked around there and saw the fishermen building and repairing their own boats on-site.

The population living in Ghar el Melh draws its resources exclusively from fishing and agriculture (there are many potato crops in the region).

Sheep grazing in front of a stone wall in Ghar el Melh, Tunisia.

Where to stay in Ghar el Melh? Les Jardins de la Mer Guesthouse

This guesthouse is a sublime place, perched on the mountain with a magnificent view of the sea and the lagoon. The establishment has a capacity of 18 people with 6 independent bungalows. They all have either a terrace or a private garden, and each one is also equipped with air conditioning (which is quite essential in Tunisia!).

We were personally in the “La Terrasse” bungalow, named so because it has a beautiful terrace with a sea view. Early in the morning, we had breakfast in front of the pool with, once again, a sublime view of the coast, and I must say it was a magical moment.

Guesthouse room in Ghar el Melh Bizerte with bed, colorful rug, and rustic furniture.

Guesthouse room with wagon wheel chandelier and ceiling fan. Large palm tree overlooking a flower garden with a sea view near Bizerte.

Guesthouse room in Ghar el Melh with living area and visible bathroom.

Terrace with sea view in Ghar el Melh, woman relaxing on a white chair.

Wooden terrace with straw roof and view of vegetation near Bizerte.

Straw umbrella on lawn with lush vegetation and blue sky. Rustic wooden hut surrounded by palm trees and a terracotta pot.

Guesthouse in Ghar el Melh with wooden door and sea view.

Ghar el Melh guesthouse with terrace and lush vegetation.

Woman having breakfast in Ghar el Melh next to a tiled wall.

Terrace with pool, sea view in Ghar el Melh, Tunisia.

White sun loungers near the pool with buoy and cactus, Ghar el Melh ambiance.

Pool with a view of the sea and small islands near Ghar el Melh, Tunisia.

Pool with sea view in Ghar el Melh, Tunisia, terrace and sun lounger.

Les Jardins de la Mer is a truly quiet place and ideal for resting. However, I must warn connectivity addicts (like us!) that there is no Wi-Fi in the guesthouse. Another small inconvenience: there are flocks of sheep guarded by dogs in the area, and we heard them barking a lot all evening, but well, it was rather folkloric when you think about it.

Bonus: the establishment also has a restaurant called “La Table du Marché,” and it’s a good place to eat in the area (the restaurant is also open to non-residents by reservation) and to taste homemade Tunisian cuisine.

Tunisian salad with tuna, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and bread.

Serving of Tunisian soup in a yellow bowl, set table.

Spaghetti with spicy tomato sauce with meat and green chili on a yellow plate. Hot Tunisian soup served in a glass bowl on a tablecloth with olive patterns.

Assortment of fresh fruits (bananas, strawberries, oranges, dates) on a plate.

Les Jardins de la Mer Guesthouse
2 el ayoun ghar el Melh، Ghar al Milh 7033

Rates : from 180 dinars per night in the low season and 250 dinars in the high season

Visiting Bizerte

The city of Bizerte is located a bit further north than the city of Ghar el Melh that I just told you about. It is the most important city in the north of the country. It takes about 1 hour by car to get to Bizerte from Tunis.

One of the great prides of the inhabitants of Bizerte is that it is the city where the former mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, grew up. Indeed, it was under a French protectorate for a long time, and France kept a military base in Bizerte until 1963.

Bizerte port with boats and traditional architecture under a cloudy sky.

Narrow cobblestone alley with white and blue walls and blue sky in Bizerte, Tunisia. White and stony minaret of Bizerte under a cloudy blue sky.

White and gray cat with green eyes on a paved ground in Bizerte, Tunisia.

Stroll around the old port and in the Kasbah

The Kasbah is the oldest part of the city. It was surrounded by a thick wall that is still standing today.

This part of the city really doesn’t lack charm, nor cats (which seem to literally reign as masters in the Kasbah). I therefore advise you to go and get lost in its blue and white labyrinth of small alleys with intact charm. It is truly a pleasure to stroll there!

Cobblestone alley of Bizerte with white walls and blue stripe.

Tabby cat sitting against a bright blue wall in Bizerte, Tunisia. Whitewashed facade in Bizerte with blue doors and red bougainvillea.

Cobblestone alley in Bizerte, white and blue walls, blue sky. Laundry drying on a line in a cobblestone alley of Bizerte, northern Tunisia.

Narrow alley of Bizerte with two women walking, wooden table in the foreground.

Cobblestone alley of Bizerte with white houses and blue doors under the sky. Man on a moped in a white and blue alley of Bizerte.

Laundry drying on white and blue wall in Bizerte with two cats in an alley. White and blue cobblestone alley in Ghar el Melh, Tunisia, with arches.

Kittens and cats resting in a cobblestone alley in Bizerte.

Just next to the Kasbah, you can find the old port and its marina. This neighborhood is filled with small cafe terraces frozen in time, boats moored at the port (some of which must not have sailed for a very long time…), and little houses with blue shutters.

Fishing boats moored at the port of Bizerte, Tunisian city.

Old medina and marina with boats in Bizerte, Tunisia.

Fortified gate of Bizerte along the water with "FORT DE LA MEDINA" sign.

Wooden replica boat, Bizerte port, Tunisia, with small boats and buildings.

Fishing boats moored at the port with Bizerte buildings in the background.

Looking towards the sea, you can also perceive and understand all the contradictions of this country. Sitting there, like an alien spaceship left behind after a forgotten ancient war, an unfinished building blocks the view of the sea.

Well, we didn’t fully understand the Tunisians’ explanations, but apparently, this construction was supposed to be a modern residence (like a hotel and shopping center). The residents were clearly strongly opposed to it, but the work started anyway, and since the Tunisian revolution (end of 2010), nothing has moved… The problem is that the construction hinders the water flow in the old port, and it’s true that it also ruins the view a bit…

Moreover, when approaching this ugly construction, in a sort of small wasteland, one can still see a Roman mosaic that seems a bit lost in this setting, it must be admitted… After some research, it seems that it is a copy, because the original of this mosaic (known as the thermal baths of Fundus Bassianus) is exhibited at the Bardo Museum (which I told you about in my article on Tunis).

Ancient marine Roman mosaic in Bizerte near Nautilus Marina construction site.

Where to have lunch by the sea in Bizerte? Kahena Restaurant at the Bizerta Resort

We went to have lunch with our guide and driver at this seaside resort hotel, and I must say it was quite strange because it was totally empty! Well, the restaurant at least, because we didn’t tour the establishment either. I don’t have a lasting memory of this lunch (to the point that I had a lot of trouble finding the establishment where we had gone to eat), but if you want to have lunch on a terrace by the sea, it can be an option.

Obviously, in Bizerte, wherever you eat, I recommend you order fish or seafood, as it is naturally the city’s specialty!

Tunisian salad of grilled vegetables (chakchouka or méchouia salad) with tuna and eggs.

Plate of grilled seafood, fries, and vegetables, Kahena Restaurant Bizerte.

Orange Tunisian soup in a white cup with a blue handle and a lemon wedge.

Whole grilled fish, fries, lemon, and carrots on a white plate.

In any case, the Bizerte waterfront is somehow blighted by these large resorts and luxury hotels that look like concrete cubes without any charm. This is unfortunately often the case in countries that were overrun by tourism at one time. With the exception that for Tunisia, this mass tourism has now abandoned the destination (at least this part of the country), and so we find large leisure buildings that are almost empty…

Bizerta Resort Congress & SPA Hotel

Route de la Corniche، Sidi salem 7000, Tunisia

My Gallimard Guide to Tunisia

I didn’t really have a travel guide to visit the north (and the rest) of Tunisia, but I had brought the Gallimard Travel Encyclopedia for Tunisia (price €27.50). This collection provides keys to understanding the country, but also some itineraries to follow and, above all, a lot of very useful practical information!

Gallimard Tunisia Guide, cover with Tunisian scene and camel. Hands holding a Gallimard guide on Tunisian costumes, red and white striped fabric.

Thanks to the Tunisian National Tourist Office Discover Tunisia for this collaboration, for this program, and for this trip to visit northern Tunisia.

Woman looking at the sea from a wooden terrace in Ghar el Melh.

I hope that with all this, I have made you want to discover Bizerte and visit northern Tunisia. And if you also have your own good addresses and tips for this destination, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments!

Find below all my articles on my trip to Tunisia in April/May 2019:
⇒ All my articles on Tunisia

MY STOPS IN TUNISIA
⇒ Tunis and its surroundings
⇒ Sidi Bou Saïd
⇒ Bizerte and the north coast

Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez and Melle Bon Plan
Photos not royalty-free, photographer's authorization mandatory before any use

Tunisia