One thing I love about cruises is the ability to go to multiple countries without having to pack, unpack and repeat. I call cruises a floating hotel, because really- that’s what they are! Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to go on an MSC cruise to four countries (in 9 days). France, Italy, Spain and Tunisia.

When looking at the different excursions that I could take, I didn’t find a lot on the internet, so I wanted to share my experience here. So this isn’t necessarily about Tunisia as a whole, but rather the MSC excursion: Shopping and Sightseeing in Tunis And Sidi Boa Said in Tunisia.

Tunisia was different in many ways from the other countries (it also is in a different continent) and there was a lot a like about it, with some things that I liked less; let’s break it down.

Tunisian Departure Tax Stamp

On MSC, each day- your steward will give you the excursion ticket. The night before going to Tunisia, you’ll get your ticket as normal, with an additional form that you need to fill out. It wasn’t difficult- name, passport number, DOB, etc., but it does add an extra layer of awareness to where you’re actually going to be exploring. Before I had gone on the cruise, I, of course had done my research. While there is an added layer of safety with traveling with a tour guide and on a cruise with others- being a single woman, there often needs to be some extra layers of precaution. It’s a crazy world out there, y’all!

Is Tunisia Safe???

A lot of the blog posts, reddit threads and content on trip advisor talked about it being unsafe, specifically to “exercise a high degree of caution nationwide due to threats of terrorism,” so obviously my ears were already perked. There were even some other guests saying they will likely stay on the ship which honestly was wild to me, considering you’re in a whole different country here to explore! But alas, at the end of the day, safety is #1 and not everyone is as much as a daredevil as I 😉

Starting the Excursion:

Upon getting off the ship, there were a couple men with animals. One with a Barbary Falcon (otherwise known as a Peregrine Falcon) and the other was a small fennec fox. My friends (who literally I could not get away from, LOL! We sat on the plane to Marseille together and we had coincidentally been on every single excursion together! HA!) got a photo with the hawk. The man at the port said they could pay whatever they would like for the photo and opportunity, but there is another chance to do this later, if you need to find an ATM because from my knowledge, they only take cash. I didn’t do it here, but later on the excursion, in Carthrage- I was able to.

Once I had given the immigration worker the Tunisian Departure Tax Stamp (PLEAASSSEE don’t forget to bring it with you), I was let through and the buses were almost immediately outside the entrance. The beginning of the bus ride was quiet, but once we got through the gates, our tour guide introduced himself and was quite funny! Making several jokes along the way. Like all of the tour guides, he gave information about the general area and culture, which I thought was a great introduction to Tunisia.

Did you know that Tunisia is North Africa’s smallest country and over 99% of people are of the Sunni Islam religion?

Tunis:

The first stop we made was to Carthrage, near Tunis. The bus stopped just short of the Tunis Town hall, before exploring the inner city.

We had walked into the city center, and it was busy and hustling! There many shops to see and explore, but our tour guide warned us that scammers are prevalent. Fake jewels and overpricing is common, so he showed us a store that has more authentic products. They were handmade, so pricier than you may find on Amazon- but at least they were real! As you can see in the first three photos, it was interesting how the jewelry store were all in the same place. Many of the items shown were duplicates, copies. You wonder about how they even sell things when they are literally face-to-face with stores that are selling the EXACT same things? If you’ve ever seen the film “You’ve Got Mail” with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, you know what I mean! One of the ladies asked if we were going to be able to shop here, and our tour guide explained that they were “fake” or inauthentic, but he will show us another place (photos 5-7).

And if you’re like me and have no idea how a rug is made if doing it by hand, there was a lady at the bottom of the store who was. It looks so tedious and while I’m not complaining- I would definitely have liked to get paid more than what the rug costed ($250-350).

Tunisia is a place where bargaining is a thing! I would never go to a store in the US and try and get a carton of eggs for a dollar less than what it’s being sold for. I think I would get a lot of confused looks if I tried! But in Tunisia, it’s common and encouraged (obviously not by the sellers) to do this.

I did get a few things, and I would just say that if you need to- hold your boundaries and unfortunately many of these shop owners don’t take no for an answer. If this is something that bothers you, you’ve been warned! They may tell you that the money is for a family member who’s sick, they may follow you around the store if they think they can squeeze some money out of you or tell you that you have a “good heart.” Some, particularly the ones who don’t have stores but walk down the marketplace corridors will literally put jewelry in your hands. They can be quite pushy, although if you realize it can work on (some) and it’s how they make their living, it makes sense.

We were also able to walk to the top of the city and there were some truly incredible mosaics and sights.

One thing I loved about Tunis were the colorful doors. Depending on the religion of the people who owned these homes, there would be different designs on the doors. Some you may see crosses, others are David stars, etc. The streets were narrow and roads were cobbled. It was beautiful and surreal!

Next, we had visited the Château de la Medina, a traditional venue in the medina of Tunis, Tunisia, as well as some other smaller venues- either showcasing artwork or offering essential oils (and a bar next door ;)) Below are some photos of the Château de la Medina.

Sidi Bou Saïd:

The next stop we made was to Sidi Bou Saïd. Sidi Bou Saïd is a town overlooking the Mediterranean, and offered gorgeous white and blue architecture, much like you may find in places like Greece. It had stores, souvenirs, cafes and more. This is actually where I finally got my hawk picture after finding an ATM close by. I didn’t find the sellers to be nearly as pushy, which was welcome to me. I did see a lot of similar things than I saw in other stores, wondering which is the “authentic version.” Although for me? I collect keychains and whether this was a handmade keychain or not, doesn’t really matter to me. I would rather spend $3 on a “fake” keychain than $35 on a handmade one, that aesthetically looks the same.

Here, we got to have our free time and once we returned to the bus (which I found many people were eager to get back even before the time was up) we had returned to the port.

Falconry in Tunisia:

This was a Common Kestrel, a type of (smaller) Falcon.

No the claws did not hurt.
No I wasn’t scared.
Yes they take care of their birds.
Yes I would do it again!

In Tunisia, the practice of having Common Kestrels or other birds of prey on the shoulder is part of a deep-rooted tradition of falconry. This ancient practice, particularly prominent in the Cap Bon Peninsula, is a significant cultural act and a symbol of the region’s heritage.

A common question I get asked is- did it hurt when the bird sat on my shoulder, and my answer is no! My cats claws hurt a whole lot more 😹

Why?

• Falconers in Tunisia engage in “coping” which is the trimming the overgrown keratin of the falcon’s talons and beak.
• This helps maintain proper health and feeding ability
• It is a proper part of responsible captive bird care
• In the wild, the hawks beak naturally wears down through hunting, killing and rubbing against surfaces. As captive environments don’t often have these elements, beaks/talons may grow too much.
• Without “coping” this can lead to difficulty eating/drinking, cracks, chips or fractures that become infected and overgrown sides that curl inward and hinder normal function. So now you know! 🤩

Do I recommend this MSC Excursion?

Now, if you’ve been following me for a while- you know I’m generally pretty quick to say- of COURSE! 10/10. This one is a little different for me, to be honest. As an excursion, I thought it was great. I loved learning about Tunisia- the culture, the architecture, the traditions and I was even recommended by a friend to visit the United Nations Heritage Site Amphitheatre of El Jem. Upon looking at Tunisia, there were some amazing museums that I would have loved to see. I think the main reason I’m unsure about this one was the pushiness of the locals. Maybe it’s the American in me, but I’m not used to having to tell the same person “no” 10 times as they follow me around their store- and unfortunately, I wasn’t able to leave because that was the meeting point for the next stop. I wouldn’t go far as to say I felt “unsafe,” but “uncomfortable” is definitely a good word choice here. Perhaps it was the cities we visited- maybe the marketplace is just bound to have that vibe- I don’t know, but I won’t lie and say it didn’t turn me off a little bit. We had visited other markets in Spain and Italy and usually people were on time or late to return to the bus meeting spot, but here- many were 5-10 minutes early. I don’t think it was a lack to see, I think it’s hard or perhaps unpleasant to window shop or browse when you have people in your face. Do I regret getting off the ship during this port? No, I think there was plenty of good here, but maybe if I return, I won’t go to the marketplace. And besides, where else could I get a hawk to sit on my shoulder or to see these beautiful buildings without going to Greece? And what about learning about this place? So I’m glad I went on the excursion, yet I also don’t think it’s for everyone. So- perhaps I would rate this as a 7/10.

Cheers friends and travelers!
~ Backroad Butterflies ~

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