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Situated 20km north of the capital city Tunis, Sidi Bou Said was originally a lighthouse for sailors. The village is perched on top of a hill and its name comes from a hermit who was buried here in 1240 - his hermitage being later erected on this spot.
A privileged destination for tourists, painters, artists, writers, and poets, both foreign and local, Sidi Bou Said symbolises the traditional white and blue colours of Tunisia.
The paved roads, the bougain vilaea growing outside the houses, the blue doors riveted with big black nails, the brilliant white houses, the moucharabiehs (closed balconies that allow you to look out without being seen from outside), the splendid views of the sea, the cafes where tea is serve with pine nutes, and the intoxicating scent of jasmine in the air, all come together to give you a lasting impression of the most beautiful of Tunisian towns.
This village, that today charms visitors with its picturesque beauty, was inaccessible to Christians up until 1820. In the Middle Ages, the Muslims built a Rabat here to protect themselves from Christian raids. Saint Louis died here at the foot of this bastion of sophism. The corsairs made it their mascot.
Contemporary inhabitants and visitors can still be reminded about this village's religious origins, through the Kharja. The Kharja, is Sidi Bou Said's religious festival, which lasts several days, with old liturgies, traditional music and street dancing.
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