Sousse Monuments and Museums Visitor Notes

Advisory notice: see the current US State Department and UK FCDO advice for Tunisia before you book. Some border and military zones are closed to tourists. The FCDO names religious and tourist sites as higher-risk places, so allow time for bag checks and keep ID on you.

Use this as a quick reference for each stop. The Medina was inscribed by UNESCO in 1988 and can be walked freely.

Ribat

  • What it is: a square stone fortress with 36 m sides, thought to date from the 8th century, refurbished in 821 and partly renovated in 1722.
  • Hours: every day, 08:00 to 17:30 in winter, 08:00 to 19:00 in summer, shorter in Ramadan.
  • Fee: 8 TND for non-residents on the agency page before the April 2026 tariff.
  • Tip: the corner tower has a narrow spiral stair, which is a poor fit for anyone uneasy in tight spaces.

Great Mosque

  • What it is: an Aghlabid mosque from 851 with a colonnaded courtyard, a Kufic inscription and a prayer hall of thirteen naves. A domed bastion at the north-east corner stands in for a minaret.
  • Hours: 08:00 to 13:00 in winter, 08:00 to 15:00 in summer and Ramadan, and Friday 08:00 to 12:00.
  • Fee: 5 TND for non-residents on the agency page before April 2026.
  • Tip: non-Muslims usually see the courtyard only. Cover up, speak quietly and follow the staff.

Kasbah and Archaeological Museum

  • What it is: mosaics from Hadrumetum and nearby Sahel sites in a museum inside the Kasbah walls, the second-largest collection in Tunisia after the Bardo.
  • Hours: 09:00 to 17:00 in winter, 09:00 to 18:00 in summer, 09:00 to 16:00 in Ramadan. Closed Mondays.
  • Fee: 10 TND for non-residents on the agency page, matching the regional-museum band in reports of the April 2026 tariff.
  • Tip: finish in the Kasbah garden for a view of the Medina and the port.

Catacombs

  • What it is: four burial sites west of the old city, about 240 galleries, around 5 km long, with roughly 15,000 burials.
  • Access: only part of the Good Shepherd catacomb is open because of collapses, and no hours are published. Ask the museum or the tourist office.

Other houses and shrines

Dar Essid is a historic house museum in the Medina, and hours and prices are reported unevenly, so check locally. The shrine of Sidi Bou Jaafar, near the city beach that carries his name, is a place of active worship, so keep visits there respectful.

About the new tariff

From 1 April 2026 non-resident heritage fees were set in categories from 5 to 30 TND, with 2 TND for pupils and students and free first Sundays for residents. The category of each Sousse site is not published, so the older prices above are only a guide.

Practical points

  • Go early in summer, when the stone and the sun are fierce.
  • Wear flat soles, since the Medina paving is slippery.
  • Read the posted hours if a stranger tells you a monument is shut.

Compare Sousse guided visits if you want company, and see the heritage agency’s Ribat page and catacombs page .

Read more: Sousse walking tours and the 3 day Sousse itinerary .