Kairouan is the fourth-holiest city in Islam (after Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem).
So, having backpacked the Northernmost Point of Africa, at Ras en Jela, my next stop was Kairouan, 155 km to the south.
Kairouan was established in 670 AD as the first Islamic city in North Africa and is the fourth-holiest city in Islam. UNESCO recognised Kairouan as a World Heritage Centre for its numerous historical sites.
The Grand Mosque of Kairouan:
How to get from Tunis to Kairouan:
From the Auberge de Jeunesse in Tunis to the Gare Routière Sud, it takes about 30 minutes on foot.
Louages depart from across the road from the long-distance bus station. It’s a bit chaotic.
I was told I must go to Sousse and change. Why? I had no idea.
I went and checked out the buses. A row of guichets all closed, bar one, with about 10 people queuing up. With destinations only in Arabic and only 3 or four departure times displayed, I went back to the louages with my tail between my legs and opted for the CHANGE IN SOUSSE option.
11 Dinar to Sousse. Journey time 1 hr 45. Luckily, louages to Kairouan depart from the same Gare Routière de Sousse.
Far more organised than in Tunis.
There was even a guichet. Fare to Kairouan, 4,900 Dinar. Journey time 45 minutes.
Where to stay in Kairouan:
I hit the streets, keeping my eyes peeled for a back street hotel. Nothing.
I kept on going, heading south and then east to a hotel I’d found on Google Maps. I had no idea what would await me, but my worries were swept away.
A simple hotel and a room with 2 singles for just 20 Dinar. That’s 6€60.
There are no mod cons (except fast WIFI). It was freezing inside; the bathrooms were bleak, but there were no unpleasant smells. I will make my business quickly, though. I can shower another time. Welcome to the Hotel Ettaoufiq:
Kairouan, in Arabicالقيروان (also known as Kairwan, Kayrawan, Al Qayrawan) is a Muslim holy city which ranks fourth after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem as a place of pilgrimage. It is reputed that seven visits here are the equivalent of one to Mecca.” source Wikitravel.
Which is a strange fact as I’d never even heard of Kairouan before, and it’s hard to get the pronunciation just right. It’s not Kairo-u-an. It’s Kayra-wan.
I had to Google Medina, too. That’s in Saudi Arabia.
I found a little supermarket. I bought a 16-pack of President cheese triangles (for backup) and some sardines.
An old lady was hanging out by the checkout. She was packing people’s shopping. I asked if she worked here. The girls laughed. “Non non.’
I gave her some coins. She turned away. Possibly insulted. If this had happened in Tunis, she would have demanded 10 dinars.
A fellow traveller got hit in Tunis yesterday:
This old guy struck up a conversation with him and showed him a few ancient doorways and the café with the rooftop view, then shoved his hand out. The hapless tourist gave him 20 Dinar, and he got aggressive, demanding 40 Dinar. Lmao.
I found the bakers and bought 2 freshly baked baguettes. 200 each. I didn’t have enough coins. The guy next to me chipped in to save the cashier giving me change from a 10 Dinar note.
I tore off a chunk of bread, squashed in 2 cheese triangles and stuffed my face. It was gone by 3 pm. I hadn’t eaten or drunk anything since the “Breakfast of Legionnaires” (bread and coffee) at the hostel.
Opposite the Bab Tunisia, at the Café – Nuits de l’Orient, I asked for a Thé an lá Menthe and joined the men doing sweet FA.
I walked around, making a mental note that I could go inside the mosque from 8 am tomorrow.
I saw a group of about 15 Japanese tourists.
Dinner was the Chapati Special. On one chapati, he put tuna, cheese, chilli pepper sauce, salami, and God knows what else, then made 2 thin omelettes, put them on top, with a few olives and the mandatory onions and another chapati on top, which I eat walking home.
I couldn’t finish it all, so I put it down for one of the thousands of stray cats. He turned his nose up at it. Hmm.
After a bit of a tough night, I still have to explore. By the time I had dithered about, the sun was gaining some strength, so I went for a coffee at the Café Nuits de l’Orient and joined the 30 or so menfolk all doing the same thing. Catching some rays to warm one’s soul. No idea where the women go. Probably at home, clearing up after their men, no doubt. The image below is a sneaky cell phone shot.
Combo Ticket for the Sights in Kairouan
I then headed to the Grand Mosque and got a day ticket for 6 attractions in Kairouan. The mosque is open for visitors every day from 8 am until 2 pm, except on Friday when it’s 8 am until 12 noon. It goes without saying that the prayer room is off-limits for non-Muslims, and please go suitably dressed.
The 6 sites included in the combo ticket were la Grande Mosquée de Kairouan, Mausolée Sidi Abada, Sidi Abid, Abi Zamaa, Basin Aghlabites and the Musęe Rakadda. I didn’t get to the Rakadda as it is 10 km out of town, but I did 5 out of the 6, though I didn’t always go inside.
I stayed a 2nd night at Hotel Ettaoufiq and took an early morning louage to El Jem and the UNESCO Roman Amphitheatre.