Things to do in Djerba: the house guide

Sidi Mehrez beach, the starting point

It is the great beach of the island's north-east: white sand as far as the eye can see and turquoise water that stays shallow for dozens of metres. The house opens directly onto it: you walk from your room to the sea in a few steps, and the beach bar serves from morning coffee to sunset.

The show changes with the hours: in the early morning, horses and camels pass at the water's edge; in the afternoon the beach comes alive; by evening it empties and the sky catches fire. Horse and camel rides are arranged with the riders who work along the beach; reception will gladly point you to them.

Houmt Souk: the souk, the port and the fondouks

The island's capital is a quarter of an hour away by car along the coast. Go for the covered souk and its white-and-blue lanes, the fondouks (old caravanserais built around square courtyards), the fishing port with its octopus pots, and the terraces where you drink pine-nut tea. Since 2023, Djerba has been a UNESCO World Heritage site: Houmt Souk is its gateway.

The right rhythm: go in the morning as the souk wakes up, have lunch around the port, come back for an afternoon swim.

Erriadh and Djerbahood: street art in the village

Some twenty minutes away, the village of Erriadh is home to Djerbahood, an open-air museum: more than two hundred works painted by artists from all over the world on lime-washed walls. You wander it on foot, lane after lane, between blue doors and bougainvillea. Entry is free; the light is at its best in the late afternoon.

The Ghriba, the synagogue of Djerba

Next to Erriadh stands the Ghriba, one of the oldest synagogues in the world and a place of pilgrimage that draws visitors from across the Mediterranean every spring. The interior, all blue tiles and hanging lamps, can be visited outside services, with shoulders covered.

Guellala and Midoun: potters and markets

In the south of the island, Guellala is the potters' village: the workshops turn clay the way it has been done here for centuries, and you leave with a jar or a couscous dish. On the way, stop in Midoun, the island's second town, for its Friday market and its square-side cafés.

Djerba Explore and diving: the park and the open sea

About twenty minutes from the house, Djerba Explore gathers in one place the crocodile farm, one of the largest in the Mediterranean basin, the Lalla Hadria museum and its thousand years of Islamic art, and a reconstructed heritage village. It is the outing everyone agrees on when travelling as a family, and it works beautifully in the late afternoon.

Djerba is also worth discovering from below. The diving clubs along the coast offer first dives, guided dives and day trips over the sandy beds and wrecks of the Gulf of Gabès, and boat trips regularly cross paths with dolphins offshore. Reception will put you in touch with the clubs and arrange the transfer.

The flavours of the island

Djerba is to be tasted: the day's grilled fish, fish couscous, steamed Djerbian rice, octopus from the port, olive oil and honey from the markets. Citrus in spring, figs and pomegranates at the end of summer.

At the house, the table follows the same line: Tunisian-Mediterranean cuisine, catch of the day and homemade desserts, served facing the sea; at midday, the beach bar grills fish right on the beach.

When to come

From April to June and September to October, the island is at its best: warm sea, soft light, peaceful beaches. July and August are high season, lively and hot; it is also the season of the evenings. From November to March, winters are mild and luminous, perfect for walking the empty beach and visiting the island with no one around.

Getting around

The island is compact: you cross it in under an hour. Taxis are plentiful and affordable; a rental car is useful if you want to explore the south and the wilder beaches freely. From the hotel, count about 15 minutes to Houmt Souk, 20 to Djerbahood, 30 to Djerba-Zarzis airport. Reception helps you arrange taxis and excursions.