Tunisia Shopping – Shops, Stores, Best Buys & Inside Tips

Tunisia Shopping

A slim slice of land in the vast continent of Africa, Tunisia has a multicultural history and diverse tapestry of natural beauty. Almost everything sold in Tunisia is made there so grab your wallet and let’s go shopping!

What to Buy

Tunisia has been occupied for thousands of years by the Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Ottoman Empire, Spaniards, Italians and French. All have left a little influence on the artisans of Tunisia. Look for textiles, spices, dates, loofahs, traditional clothes, drums and pottery. There are many jewelry shops in the coastal cities along the Mediterranean. Much of the jewelry is large and set with coins along with stones like onyx, amber and desert rose crystals.

Gold jewelry is sold by the ounce at market value. If the piece you are purchasing is less than the market price, it is probably a fake Tunisia is known for its carpet making. Expensive rug weaving is made entirely from wool fiber origin and of varying thickness. The thinner the thread and the more densely knitted, the more work it took and higher the cost.

Where to Buy

If you are shopping in the souk, you are expected to haggle but only for an amount you are willing to pay. No haggling in the government run shops or supermarkets.

The two most famous souks in Tunisia are within the medinas at Tunis and Sousse. The souk in Tunis has a fairly wide main avenue but the real shops where you can bargain are behind the walls of the main street. There you’ll find lamps and baskets of spices, raw amber and bolts of hand woven textiles. The Sousse souk is far more famous for mix of religious and historical monuments than the variety of shopping. Along the Blvd de la Corniche is a row of government run fixed priced shops. Once a week is the camel market where the Berbers can come and sell their dates, vegetables, handmade bowls and leather goods.

In Carthage you’ll find high end furniture. Kairouan is world famous for its carpets and mats. Looking for artwork? Stop in at L’Atelier in Hammamet.

Editor’s note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about shopping in Tunisia.