The Star Wars filming location is the island of Djerba on the map. Djerba - island of date palms and pink flamingos

If you arrive on the sunny island of Djerba, a guide will immediately attack you with a fairly impressive list of excursions and entertainment, and you will also be attacked by local guides who promise the same thing, only cheaper
Let's try to figure out what is better to visit, where you should take a full excursion, and where you can go on your own.

1. Crocodile farm

These are not only crocodiles, of which there are really a lot (about 4,500 Nile monsters). This is a fairly large complex that includes a farm, a Berber village and a museum.
Entrance: 15 dinars. Taxis in Djerba are very inexpensive, so the fare from the nearest hotels to the farms will be 2-3 dinars. You can and should go here on your own. The guides still don’t take you around the museum and don’t tell you anything special. It is worth finding out in advance at what time and on what days crocodiles are fed in order to see how they crawl out of the water and greedily pounce on pieces of meat. In general, the spectacle is not very dynamic, but the number of crocodiles per square meter is amazing. After the show you can take a photo with the little crocodiles for free. They are very cute!
The village consists of several houses that show the life and economy of the Berbers. There is also a camel working there, whose task is to demonstrate the extraction of water for irrigation. For 1-2 dinars you can take a photo with him.
The museum is small. Interesting, but I advise you to first read about the history of this place so that the contemplation of antiquities will be conscious.

2. Gelala Museum.

The ethnographic museum is quite large, interesting, and even children will not be bored there. Every room and house of this museum depicts the life of the local population, their activities and way of life. I advise you to go on this excursion with a Russian-speaking guide who will tell interesting stories from the life of the Berbers. Entrance: 7 dinars.

There is a pottery workshop next to the museum. After all, it is the village of Gelala that is considered the center of the island’s pottery art. As a rule, as part of the excursion, the process of making clay products is shown. But the prices in the shop at the workshop are very high. On the market, the same products are 2-3 times cheaper.

3. Borj el-kebir fortress

This fortress was built in 1284 and served as a defensive fortification against invaders: the Normans and the Spaniards. Entrance: 7 dinars.
It's interesting to just climb here. There are no special exhibits. But I, for example, love all kinds of fortresses, so I walked around it all with pleasure. Moreover, from the walls of the fortress there is a wonderful view of the sea and you are guaranteed beautiful photographs. From here you can walk on foot to the pier, where there are “pirate” ships that take vacationers to wild islands. By the way, wild islands are not very wild and you won’t find bounty-style landscapes there. But for children, a ride on a pirate ship with animation and a search for treasure will certainly be interesting!

4. La Ghriba Synagogue.

Come here early in the morning and without excursions. The synagogue dates back to the 6th century BC. e. and being the oldest synagogue in Africa is an interesting fact. The room with fragments of the Western Wall is tiny. But it’s worth visiting a place where pilgrims from all over the world have been coming every year for thousands of years!

5. The cities of Hum Souk and Midoun
You need to go to these cramped towns for fruits and souvenirs. You should bargain desperately and almost until you lose consciousness. Then you will return with a mountain of purchases and a good mood. They will tell you that you are the mafia, that you have ruined the poor Tunisian traders, but in fact that is how it is all intended. Despite the fact that merchants are actively inviting people to buy, no one grabs hands or swears, purchases take place in a pleasant atmosphere.

6. Sahara

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Excursions to the Sahara from Djerba are offered only by tour operators! Even if one of the locals offers it, don’t agree. This is a long and eventful excursion and it is better if the likelihood of jambs is minimized.
The excursion is possible for 1 or 2 days. But given the long road, it’s still worth taking a two-day trip. I think this is the most worthwhile excursion! Because nothing can replace the views of a real desert. On the way, you will meet the houses of the Berber troglodytes, as well as the Star Wars filming site, where the film's scenery still remains. Take a photo with the Fennec fox, ride horses and camels, see an unrealistically beautiful sunset and watch the sunrise in the desert!

7. Camel and horse riding

This is in abundance in Djerba! There are a lot of options: if you want, you can go yourself and lead the animal; if you don’t want, the guide will carefully guide your horse or camel. I’ve already ridden horses in Crimea, so this time we chose a camel. They drive very slowly and if you catch the right mood, such a leisurely walk along the sea will give pleasure and peace.

8. Quad biking

The ski route is quite unusual. First you need to drive along the highway, then through local villages, and then along small dunes with steep turns. Very interesting, but I was scared, so I rode holding on to my husband’s broad back. At the end, the ATVs stop near the lagoon where you can take photos.

9. Fun on the water
Bananas, pills, flights over the sea - it's all there and in large quantities. And in general it’s not expensive. You can rent a jet ski and get to the uninhabited island. There are also boat trips with a net on which you can lie and watch fish swim under you, and if you’re lucky, dolphins.

Djerba is a beautiful and interesting island! And there is also beautiful soft sand on the beach and a delightful warm sea!

*This table displays weather averages collected over more than three years

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Djerba - the island from "Odyssey"

The island of Djerba is one of the most stunning resorts in Tunisia. You can go here even in winter if you miss summer - the water here is the same warm almost all year round.

Djerba is loved for its mild climate, clear sea water, sandy beaches, modern hotels, a lot of attractions and nightlife.

Remember Homer's Odyssey? So, if you believe the legend, the main character and his sailors once visited this island. They were so amazed by the Lotophagi (the people who lived here) that they didn’t even want to leave. Since then they say that anyone who has visited Djerba once will definitely return here.

If you want to take a walk, go ahead! There is a huge coastline here, stretching for more than a hundred kilometers. The island is an important center of fishing life. Restaurants and cafes in the island's largest city, Houmt Souka, offer amazing dishes made from freshly caught fish. They are savored with date liqueur or good wine.

I advise you to visit the ancient Medina - a city with narrow streets and shopping shops, in which you feel like you are in an ancient labyrinth. Here Jews live peacefully side by side with Muslims, and the cultures and traditions of these peoples have become intertwined over the years.

Be sure to see the ancient Gribu synagogue and three mosques. The Borj Gazi Mustafa fortress is very interesting, as well as the museum of folk art and traditions.

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The cost of a holiday in Djerba. October 2018.

tour cost

In October 2018, during the autumn school holidays, we decided to extend our summer a little and visit the island of Djerba with the whole family. We bought a package tour, which included a flight from Moscow on a regular Red Wings flight to Djerba and back, accommodation at the Royal Garden Palace 5* hotel for 12 days (13 nights) for three adults, transfer from Zarzis airport, located directly on the island itself , and return transfer from the hotel to the airport, three buffet meals a day, as well as medical insurance with an insured amount of $40,000 for each. The total cost of the tour was 175,000 rubles ($2,666). A pleasant and unexpected bonus was the offer of two free visits to a la carte restaurants located on the hotel premises and offering dishes of national Tunisian cuisine and Italian cuisine. The hotel guide also offered an individual free transfer from the hotel to the nearest city of Midoun with visits to shopping centers for shopping.

In Djerba, all prices are indicated in the local currency - dinars, the rate of 1 dinar is approximately 22 Russian rubles. Excursions around the island could be booked directly from the hotel guide, or purchased on the spot yourself, which is what we chose, since the island is very small and you can get around it quite safely and quite cheaply by taxi. A visit to the Djerba explore park cost us 45 dinars for three, plus the cost of a round trip taxi of 14 dinars. However, the price of one ticket (15 dinars) includes visits to several sites at once: the tourist market, the Heritage village, the Lella Hadria Museum and the crocodile farm, so it is more profitable to book more than one excursion, but to take a complex ticket on the spot. Another unusual place in Djerba is the town of Jerbahood, famous for its graffiti. A round trip by taxi cost 30 dinars. Inspection and photographing of wall paintings is free and without any restrictions. A visit to the El Ghriba Synagogue, one of the oldest in the region, which is more than two thousand years old, is also inexpensive. In fact, upon entering it, the minister asks to leave a symbolic payment for the needs of the temple. Each of us paid 5 dinars, and a taxi ride to the synagogue and back cost 20 dinars.

Food and products

Honestly, the food at the hotel was so good, both in terms of the quality of the food and its variety, that the thought of eating somewhere else didn’t even arise; we simply didn’t have time to get hungry. However, while shopping in the city of Midoun, we went to a local cafe to try real Tunisian coffee. A small cup of black coffee cost 7 dinars, a plate with dates and national sweets 12 dinars. Products in stores are relatively cheap, and there are many goods of both local and French production, because Tunisia is a former French colony. In the Carrefour supermarket, local red wine 0.7 liters costs an average of 9-12 dinars, a box of dates weighing 500 grams - 15 dinars, 350 grams - 9 dinars, 0.5 liter extra virgin olive oil costs 15 dinars, a can of tuna in olive oil 250 grams - 6 dinars, a box of oriental sweets such as nougat with various types of nuts and spices weighing 500 grams - 19 dinars It is worth noting that alcohol is sold only in special Generals stores, and in the city of Midoun it can be purchased in the newly built Noor Mall shopping center. Local red wine 0.7 liters costs an average of 9-15 dinars there, local vodka - booze 0.7 liters costs 34 dinars.

Souvenirs and other goods

The cost of clothes and souvenirs in stores and on the market is very different. Moreover, you can’t bargain in stores, and you can’t help but bargain in markets, since the original price is at least three times higher. So, a women's leather bag can be bargained for 25 dinars with its original cost of 120. A men's leather bag like a traveling bag cost us 65 dinars (instead of 175). Jewelry is quite expensive, for example, a silver turquoise pendant costs 75 dinars, but if you take something else, earrings or a ring, feel free to ask for a 30% discount on both items. A men's polo shirt made of good quality cotton costs no less than 35-45 dinars, a set of national clothes - a tunic embroidered with ornaments and sequins with trousers - 65 dinars.

Cost of services and entertainment

Various entertainments were offered on the beach: a camel ride along the beach costing 20 dinars, riding on an inflatable sofa - 60 dinars, jet ski rental for two for 15 minutes - 90 dinars. The cost of a taxi, both when ordering from the hotel reception and when picking it up on your own on the road, is the same - 4 dinars to the nearest town of Midoun (about 5 km). A visit to the hotel's SPA center, depending on the procedures, costs from $60 for one massage session to $250 if you buy services in the form of a subscription of several visits.

Many tourists traveling abroad for a sea holiday know the resorts located in the north-eastern part of Tunisia: Sousse, Hammamet, Monastir, Mahdia, etc. I myself vacationed here for the first time with my family in September 2006 (Royal Salem Hotel).

But, as it turned out, there is another comfortable holiday destination in this country, by the way, the very first one in Tunisia, which is where it all began. It's called - Djerba island. Only foreigners, mostly French, always vacationed here. Since the summer of 2016, the island was massively opened and became accessible to Russians.

Geographical information.

Djerba is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, located in the Gulf of Gabes. The largest island off the Mediterranean coast of Africa, area - 514 km². Population is about 150 thousand people.

Djerba is connected to the mainland by a single unique causeway, which was built by the ancient Romans about 2000 years ago. All tourists are brought here during a sightseeing tour. But driving along the “Roman road” is only possible when you travel outside of Djerba.

The stones used in the original construction still lie along the roadside.

Since Djerba is now popular in our country and probably next year (despite how things turn out in Egypt and Turkey) there will be a new wave of vacationers, I decided to give a detailed description of the main points. These are my impressions :)

It is very convenient that direct charters fly to Djerba from different cities of Russia; the island has its own, quite modern airport. The length of the island is no more than 29 km, which means convenient logistics. You won’t have to, even taking into account transportation to other hotels, get to yours for more than an hour (as happens in a number of other countries).

I was also pleased that you don’t have to pay anything (visa, fees) at the airport upon arrival or, for example, in the Dominican Republic before flying home.

We were here for 10 nights and it turned out to be exactly the same number of full days. Some people are lucky and they are picked up not at 0:30 at night like us, but during the day or even in the evening, and then they get more per day at the same cost of a trip. Therefore, the main advice: remember, do not leave buying souvenirs, taking photographs, etc. until the last day.
It’s good that I managed to see at least one sunrise. The second one fell apart because of the Pegasus company...

Okay, I won’t talk about the sad things, I’d rather talk about the positive moments :)

Our hotel on the island was called Caribbean World Djerba 4*. At the end of the holiday, I can confidently state that our family of three people was satisfied with it.

Despite the fact that while in the Caribbean I lived on a ship, this Tunisian hotel really reminded me of those places, and at the same time Turkey and Egypt :)
Strong animation, cozy area, decent food.

I will only write about the main points. The beaches on Djerba, and throughout the country, are common. The only difference is that there is fine white sand here, not to be confused with snow-white :)

The second thing that catches your eye on the beach is the large number of horses and camels riding tourists.

Despite one aesthetic point, I don’t consider it a minus. Firstly, it is always interesting for children, and secondly, it is simply beautiful. Personally, I didn't mind.

You should have seen the camels walking there: in hats, bright blankets, with little camels. In short, be sure to take your children for a ride.

In second place among beach activities is parasailing. I can’t decide on it yet, I’m putting it off until next time :)

Now, as for the sea. For us, tourists living in the central zone of Russia, a thousand kilometers from the Sea of ​​Azov, the word “sea” itself sounds magical and soothing.

What can we say about the Mediterranean Sea, especially in the ecological region that is Djerba. On the east coast of the island, the water is clear. The color of the water, as you understand, depends on the depth and lighting.

I won’t hide it, the shores were clean for several days, then small waves and plants (not algae) appeared. At our hotel the beach was cleaned almost every day, so there were no problems with that. I've seen hotels with a lot of grass. The photo below shows a neutral (unowned) territory. What do you think of the guy on the right? The height is clearly more than 2 meters. He shouldn’t be offering sea excursions, but playing basketball :)

At the end of the vacation, the sea grass was in the water (the first 2-3 meters from the shore). I have long convinced myself, and this is most likely true, that thanks to these plants a large amount of natural iodine and various useful microelements appears in the sea. In this case, it is important not to know the truth, but to believe. The placebo effect has not been canceled :)

Having forgotten about the sad experience of walking barefoot along the shore in Sri Lanka, my wife and I still decided to take a walk along the sea. First we walked 3 km to the right, the next day we walked more than 5 km in the other direction. So we explored almost the entire tourist hotel area from the sea side. There were even places where there were no people at all.

I was surprised by the large number of abandoned hotels. As I understand it, after the terrorist attacks in the north of the country (on the beach and in the Bardo Museum), many foreign companies canceled flights and the number of tourists decreased sharply. A number of hotels went bankrupt.

Next to ours is the Sirena Hotel.

This is a cool place for thrill seekers, especially in the evening after sunset. Green water in the pool, rusty swings, crumbling plaster. Some areas are overgrown with grass or bushes. An ideal subject for photo shoots.

I think in general terms about the sea and relaxation it became clear to you. If you are not spoiled by the UAE and the Maldives, then you should like it here.

Yes, I forgot to write about the cool climate. The temperature here feels several degrees lower than the actual temperature on the thermometer. Another big plus is the fact that in the evening, like in the desert, the heat drops sharply and if during the day, for example, it was 35, then at night it could be 20. We even slept without the air conditioner on, which happens extremely rarely for the Mediterranean summer.

Now I want to move on to an important part of the trip - cultural educational leisure or excursions on the island of Djerba.

I bought two short sightseeing tours around the island from the hotel guide. The first one is called "Amazing Djerba". I recommend it to you as entertainment for the whole family.

It costs $26 without discounts ($14 for children). The first thing we visited was Djerba Explorer Park. There is a museum of arts and crafts here, which displays the works of folk craftsmen and shows the cultural features of the island's inhabitants.

We liked it here, especially since we got to feed.

The last stop was unusual. We were brought to the city of artists. I already told you about him

My second excursion was simply called “Tour of the Island of Djerba”. The price is the same as the previous program. I liked that the visited objects did not intersect.

The first point was a really interesting ethnographic museum in the village of Gelala.

I took dozens of pictures here. Everything is very clear and there are a lot of bright details.

Gelala is also the pottery center of the island of Djerba. In addition to purchasing appropriate colorful souvenirs, we were shown the process of making a number of products.

Then there was a very worthy and significant place within not only the island and the country, but even the continent.

It was a discovery for me that Djerba is home to one of the oldest synagogues on Earth. Its age is almost 2500 years. It is the oldest in Africa.

The El Ghriba Synagogue houses one of the oldest Torah Scrolls in the world.

At the end of the excursion we arrived in the capital of Djerba, the city of Houmt Souk. We were driven around a small town and given free time at the central market.

I immediately ran to the fish department, where you can watch a unique phenomenon - a seafood auction. Of course, I really love such events.

I traveled outside of Djerba only once during a one-day excursion to Tatooine. The island is a convenient place to travel around the southern part of Tunisia.

The most popular excursion on Djerba is “Sahara 2 days” ($100-120). Since in 2006 I went on a similar tour from the city of Sousse, this time I did not waste the already small number of free days.

Djerba's version of the Sahara is more interesting because it is in this desert region that you spend much more time.

That's basically all, I briefly told you about Djerba. I would like to end with a reminder that, according to ancient legends, the island of Djerba is the place where the beautiful nymph Calypso sought reciprocity from Odysseus for seven years. It was Homer who gave the island the name Oligia.

I wish you to see for yourself the attractiveness of Djerba. To do this, unlike Odysseus, you only need seven vacation days :) Have a pleasant and beautiful holiday!

In books and guidebooks about Tunisia, Djerba does not devote much space and information. But this does not mean that the island is a depressed industrial area or a tourist outsider. On the contrary, Djerba (Tunisia) readily welcomes guests all year round. One might even say that in recent years tourism has replaced traditional carpet weaving in terms of profitability. But for many people, the island, lost near the Libyan border, is “terra incognito.” We will try to tell here about this idyllic corner, where, according to legend, among date groves and beaches with the purest sand, Odysseus forgot everything in the world in the arms of the nymph Calypso. Let’s just say that in order to relax and lose the sense of time in Djerba, you don’t need any mermaids, because the gentle sea, thalassotherapy procedures and the hospitality of the locals will do their job.

Geography

The island of Djerba (Tunisia) is small. Its length is only 29 kilometers, and its width is even less - a maximum of 28 km. Also, this piece of land is not high, it rises above the sea by only 55 meters. When we say “island,” we adhere to a clear geographical definition, although in order to get there you don’t have to sail at all. It comes so close to the mainland that it is connected to it by a bridge. Moreover, this jumper is not an achievement of modern engineering. The bridge was built by the ancient Romans more than two thousand years ago. The island is washed on all sides by azure waters. The coastline of Djerba is 130 kilometers of excellent beaches. The island's main town is Houmt Souk, the bustling commercial center of southern Tunisia. Djerba exports not only wonderfully crafted carpets, but also sponges, soap, pottery and fish.

Climate

The North African heat, softened by the fresh breath of the Atlantic Ocean, promises you excellent Djerba, thanks to its geographical location, boasts that the temperature on the island is always 2-3 degrees higher than on the mainland. And yet this is not Egypt. Despite the assurances of travel agencies that you can sunbathe and swim in Djerba all year round, there is a “low season” here. These are three winter months. The coldest time is January. The air temperature stays at +15°C, and in February and December - +17°C. Reviews call the best time to relax in Djerba the off-season with its comfortable +22-26°C. The Mediterranean climate has created a variety of landscapes on the small island. The lush greenery of olive and date groves here contrasts with the desert landscapes.

"Land of Lotophagi"

The island of Djerba (Tunisia) is so beautiful that it is not surprising that many legends circle around it. Homer invented the first one. From the Odyssey we learn that Ulysses sailed from burning Troy and, after long adventures, reached a deserted shore inhabited by inhabitants who knew no grief. They ate lotus flowers that grew in abundance here. For this, Odysseus called the island “the land of lot eaters.” The brave navigator met the nymph Calypso here. She gave him nectar to drink from, and this drug intoxicated Odysseus so much that he forgot the purpose of his journey and remained on the island (in love bliss, of course) for seven whole years. Homer gives the island the name Oligia. It is not difficult to believe in this myth, because even today the atmosphere reigning in Djerba is saturated with a certain intoxicating sweet ether. Already on the second day, even the most collected and pedantic person loses the sense of time and plunges into blissful languor.

Story

In reality, everything was somewhat more prosaic, but no less interesting. The discoverers of the island were the Phoenicians. In the distant eighth century BC they brought here the beginnings of trade and crafts. But Tunisia, the island of Djerba and the oases of Western Sahara were inhabited by local Barbary tribes. They have still retained their identity, although they coexist side by side with other nationalities of the country. The island received a powerful economic boost during the reign of the Roman Empire. An embankment bridge was built across a two-kilometer strait, connecting Djerba to the mainland. The island is the small homeland of the emperors Valerian and Gallienus. Later, Tunisia was ruled by the Byzantines, Normans, Arabs, Spaniards, and Turks. In the 16th century, the name of the terrible pirate Drogut Reis, who had one of his bases on the island, thundered here. There is an opinion that the filibuster hid his treasures somewhere here. In 1560, a pirate erected a tower of five thousand skulls of his enemies. Borj el-Rus stood until 1848, after which it was dismantled and the human remains were buried.

How to get there

Hotels on the island of Djerba (Tunisia) attract travelers, but the road to them, especially from our penates, can be long. During the high season, Nouvelair operates charter flights from Russia. But at other times you will have to travel with transfers. The local airport, Djerba-Zarzis, regularly receives only domestic flights. You can fly to the capital of the state, the city of Tunis, and then take advantage of one of the offers of local airlines (a one-way ticket will cost about one hundred dinars). The journey in the “luazh”, an intercity minibus, will be longer, but four times cheaper. They move away from the stops as they fill up. An alternative to them are buses. More expensive, but comfortable, with air conditioning. And they go on schedule.

Tunisia, Djerba Island: hotels

The hotel base of the local resorts allows a wide variety of categories of tourists to relax. Most hotels are concentrated on the northern and western coasts, as well as in the city of Houmt Souk. At the south-eastern tip of the island, the excellent resort of Midoun thrives. If we consider hotels by star rating, then the vast majority are “fours”. Moreover, the quality of service in them exceeds the Turkish “five”. Here you can find both well-known chain hotels in Europe (Magic Life, Iberostar, Caribbean World and others), as well as local ones, with a unique flavor and buildings in the Barbary style. Five-star hotels in Djerba (Tunisia) offer their guests life-giving thalassotherapy courses. These are such oases of bliss as Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa Prestige, Ulysse Palace, Movenpick Ulysse, Vincci Al Kantara, Radisson Blu. Among the worthy “three rubles” we can recommend Miramar, Garden Park, Mehari and Palma.

Popular excursions

The island of Djerba (Tunisia) is a unique place where the Christian West and Muslim East, African beliefs and Jewish wisdom intertwine. Here, as if in a time machine, you can go to the medieval medina and wander for hours along the shady narrow streets. Tourists are offered a large number of excursions both around the island and mainland Tunisia. Which one to choose? Reviews highly praise the organized two-day trip to the Sahara with a stop at the Barbary settlements of Ksar and the Tataouine area. By the way, those who watched the epic “Star Wars” will probably recognize in this desert landscape a fictional planet with the same name. Yes, Tataouine was filmed here, and at the same time they borrowed the name. Children will be interested in visiting the crocodile farm and the Laguna Nature Reserve, where lotuses grow and flocks of pink flamingos live. You will have unforgettable impressions after visiting the lunar landscapes of Matmata.

Independent travel

It should be noted right away that taxi prices here are higher than in the mainland of Tunisia. The island of Djerba is small, but its attractions are still far from each other. If you are lucky enough to be holidaying in Houmt Souk, go to the medina. This is the name given to a walled medieval quarter in the Arab world. Besides the bustling places where you can buy beautiful jewelry, embossing, carpets and pottery, you will see many characteristic houses with white walls and domed roofs. These are “menzels” - the traditional dwellings of the inhabitants of Djerba. Thanks to this design of the building, it always remains cool. In the labyrinths of the medina there are also three main mosques that are worth visiting: Jamaa Ettruk, Esh Sheikh and Jemaa el Ghorba. But the main attraction of the old city is the Borj el-Kebir fortress. In the Jewish town of Hara-Segira is the oldest synagogue, La Griba (Amazing). According to legend, she is already two thousand six hundred years old. And in the town of Meninx the ruins of an ancient Roman settlement have been preserved.

Souvenirs

What to bring as a souvenir of the island of Djerba (Tunisia)? Reviews advise, in addition to carpets, to buy excellent local wines. The French colonialists instilled a taste for fine drinks in the local population, so you won't be disappointed. Palm trees grow everywhere on the island, so alcoholic drinks are made from dates. A bottle of liqueur will be very useful, as will a package of excellent olive oil. For exotic lovers, we recommend buying a melhafa, a traditional orange striped bedspread, at the bazaar in the medina. Fine ceramics are sold in the town of Gellale.

The small, mythical island of Djerba, framed by palm trees, is beautiful, but there are many tourists here who flock not only to relax on the wonderful beaches, but also to explore the unique houses and mosques. The island has many date farms and olive groves. Whitewashed mosques with strong walls (this is unusual for Tunisia) shine under the bright rays of the sun. Cycling around the island is an excellent way to experience its charm.

Fishing flourishes in Djerba, and fish are still caught using traditional methods. In the port you can see long rows of terracotta pots strung on string, each in the shape of a turnip and about 45 cm high. At the top of each pot there is a string tied around the rim. Fishermen leave the pots tied to one another in the sea several miles from the coast. For some inexplicable reason, these pots literally attract octopuses - they have been caught this way since the Phoenicians discovered this method of fishing 3,000 years ago.

The island of Djerba is connected to the mainland by a 6.5 km long causeway, which is believed to remain from Roman times. They say that this island is the very mysterious place where Odysseus met lotus eaters, “lotus eaters.” Unlike Odysseus, many of the vacationers who have ever visited Djerba come here again. The climate here is very pleasant, the people are friendly, the beaches are beautiful and extensive, and far from the coast, despite all the pressure of seaside mass tourism, traditional provincial Tunisia is still preserved. Water supply is now provided by two main pipelines coming from the mainland.

Djerba and its population followed a different development path than the rest of Tunisia. As on the mainland, Djerba was initially inhabited exclusively by Berbers. But, unlike other regions of Tunisia, the Arab conquerors were unable to either displace or assimilate the local tribes. The Berbers of Djerba belong to a special Islamic religious community - the Ibadis. They reject any entertainment and luxury, lead a very modest and unpretentious lifestyle and do not build large mosques for themselves. Families gather for prayer in simple rural chapels in their own farmsteads (menzelach).

The architecture of the Ibadis of Djerba is also different from what we see in the cities. Menzels and mosques are built of clay and whitewashed on the outside. Each such structure is like a small fortress: it is surrounded by high walls and has a reservoir into which water from scanty rains is collected. A soft building material does not allow for straight lines or right angles, and therefore architectural forms appear very soft, fluid and alive.

The most striking feature of the Ibadis is their tendency to live as “individuals.” The local peasants never settled in villages, but built their menzels at a considerable distance from their neighbors. And, as a result, there have never been large cities on the island. And those that exist today arose from the bazaars where traders from the mainland settled. This method of settlement is also surprising because Djerba was endlessly subjected to threats and attacks: after the Arab conquest (VII century) the Normans followed (XII century) and the Spaniards (XVI century). Then pirates, supported by the Ottomans, settled on the island. All the conquerors tried to settle on the coast, but almost no one touched the Ibadis, who lived in the center of the island.

Two towns, Hara Segira and Hara Kebira, were founded by Jews who are believed to have settled in Djerba as early as the 6th century BC. e. Written references to the Jewish community on the island of Djerba have been known since the 11th century.

Houmt Souk

Houmt Souk (Houmt Souk) is the capital of the island, and for a long time it was the only major settlement on Djerba. The market was held here, hence the name houmt souk, “market quarter”. Despite all its importance for trade, these days this bazaar occupies a rather modest area. When Djerba residents go shopping, they prefer modern shops or the Libyan Market on the outskirts of town, where they sell a mixture of second-hand goods and bootleg goods.

It is best to enter the bazaar from the east side, from Abdel Hamid el-Qadi Street (Rue Abdel Hamid el-Khadi). Two mosques flank the narrow entrance to the Old City. Foreigners Mosque (Mosquee des Etrangers) with a square minaret and white domes over the prayer hall, as its name implies, it was intended for the “newcomers” visiting Khumt Souk.

Opposite it stands the Ibrahim el-Jemni Mosque, founded in 1674. (Ibrahim el-Jemni), with its own hammam located a few steps away. Along a narrow alley you can go to the pretty Hedi Shaker Square (Place Hedi Chucker) and further to Farhat Hashed Square (Place Farhat Hached), where cafes and restaurants await guests between blooming bougainvillea and hibiscus bushes. On the way you will meet caravanserais (foundouk), for which Houmt Souk is so famous. Traders used to stay in caravanserais: goods and pack animals were placed on the first floor, and rooms for guests were on the second. Today, in hotels such as the Er-Riadh or the Touring Club, you can taste this caravanserai atmosphere - provided you are willing to give up the shower in your room.

To the north of both squares lies the bazaar (Souk), partly indoors, where you can find many jewelry shops. From time immemorial, residents of Djerba of Jewish origin have worked with gold, because the Berbers consider this metal unclean. In addition to jewelry, the bazaar sells woven carpets, pottery and clothing, but all at fairly high prices. If you come here in the morning, you can get to the fish auction. Freshly caught fish are praised at the top of their voices, the seller holds a whole bunch of them high above his head, resellers jostle, offer prices, and shout.

At the northern end of the bazaar, near Arisha Square (Place Arisha) another caravanserai and a Catholic church will be discovered, in which services have now been resumed.

Tayeb Mhiri Street (Rue Taieb M"hiri) leads past the seven domes and round minaret of the Turkish Mosque (Jamaa et Trouk) to the northern outskirts of Houmt Souk and towards the port. Here, dominating everything, rises the fort of Ghazi Mustafa (Fort Ghazi Mustapha), built in the 15th century on Roman foundations. It served as the scene of one of the most terrible atrocities of the notorious corsair Dragut, who began his career in the service of the Ottomans, but soon broke away and terrorized his Mediterranean neighbors with his fleet. In 1560, when Dragut stormed this fortress, about 6,000 Spaniards took refuge in the fort. They were captured and beheaded. From their skulls, Dragut ordered to build an ominous tower in front of the fort, which travelers talked about back in the 19th century. The obelisk reminds us of this today.

Opposite and diagonally there is the Haroun restaurant, which used to be considered the best in Djerba. You can have a great time here, but the price and quality clearly do not correspond to each other. The same “Nagoip” organizes excursion trips to Flamingo Island (lie des Flamants). On this peninsula, camp tablecloths are laid out and Tunisian delicacies are served, while flamingos serenely wander through the water, looking for food at the bottom.

It will be very interesting to visit the Houmt Souqa Museum, located in the halls of the zawiya on Abdel-Hamid el-Qadi Street. The zawiya is the religious center of the Muslim community. Most often, a zawiya consists of the tomb of its founder, a mosque and premises where pilgrims can stay. The museum displays traditional clothing and wonderful jewelry from Djerba. In the kubba - mausoleum, where two saints are buried at once, one is amazed by the completely unique design of the dome made of cylindrical ceramic tubes inserted into each other.

Hotel zones

Hotels are concentrated on the north-eastern promontory of Djerba around the cape of Ras Tagernes (Ras Taguerness).

Heading west from the Cape Lighthouse (the entrance to which is closed) Sidi Mahres beach extends (Plage de Sidi Mahres), to the south, hotels and restaurants line Segia Beach (Plage de la Seguia) towards Agir (Aghir). Hotel guests can find endless sandy beaches everywhere. There are a couple of rocky areas on Segia beach, and the beach itself is not as wide as Sidi Mahres. Closer to the hotels, high sand dunes form a natural protective wall against the frequent winds blowing from the sea.

At the foot of the lighthouse there is a shallow lagoon where many seabirds gather and where it is very good to walk and watch our feathered brothers.

Equally close to the lighthouse is an excellent golf course, a green, slightly uneven 27-hole course where beginners can take an introductory course for a small fee. In addition, there is a large casino here.

The latest in island entertainment is Djerba Explore. (next to the lighthouse), representing architecture, culture (at the Lalla Hadria Museum) and the way of life of the Ibadis. Cafes and souvenir shops add some variety to a walk through the recreated Djerba Heritage village with its traditional houses and workshops. At the big crocodile farm (“Crocod"iles”) near the village you can admire these prehistoric reptiles. The feeding of the crocodiles is quite an impressive spectacle and begins at approximately 17:00.

In the hotel area of ​​Sidi Mahres beach, on the edge facing Houmt Souk, you will find several simpler hotels and boarding houses.

Island tour

Djerba is not a very large island, with an area of ​​only 514 km², and is also almost completely flat. Its highest place is the clayey hills near the village of Gellala (Guellala) (55 m). This makes the island ideal for cycling. Bicycles can be rented from hotels and in Houmt Souk.

A sightseeing tour of the island in most cases begins in one of two tourist areas: Sidi Mahres or Segia. The district center and at the same time a popular destination for tourists from hotels is the lively town of Midoun (Midoun) there used to be a slave market here. This explains the fact that many of the local inhabitants have a darker skin color than other Jerbies.

In the market square, guests will find a huge selection of ceramic dishes and vases. At Cafe de la Jeunesse, men sit in the shade of an old plane tree, sipping coffee, playing dominoes or reading the newspaper. Several good restaurants offer lunch, including the attractive La Coucousserie, which has a surprisingly varied menu of couscous-based dishes. At the stadium, the resourceful head of the tourism department organized a folk festival - a Berber wedding (Manage berbere), which attracts tourists from coastal hotels every Tuesday.

From Midoun there are two options to continue the journey: either turn back to the coast and move along it through Aghir and El Kantara, or go inland. The second route is more beautiful, as it passes through the rural part of Djerba with its hamlets and olive groves. However, before moving west, it is worth deviating a little to the side and driving 4 km along the road towards Khumt Souk to the Fadlun Mosque (Fadhloun). This mosque was abandoned many years ago, but is now open to visitors. Using it you can study the distinctive features of the architecture of Djerba. There is an impluvium in the front yard (sink): A shallow, whitewashed basin with a drainage hole in which rainwater was collected and conveyed to a cistern underneath. Nearby there is a place for ritual ablutions before prayer. Through a narrow passage in the second circumferential wall you enter the mosque's modest courtyard and from there into the unadorned prayer hall, which is supported by four massive columns. You can climb the minaret along a narrow staircase and admire the mosque from above.

Having returned back to Midoun, you can now move deeper into the island through the villages of Mahbubin (Mahboubine) and Bedouin (Bedouine) to Seduikesh (Cedouikech). a patriarchal place that lives on pottery.

But Gellala is better known in this regard (Guellala), a real village of potters. However, don’t bother looking for simple, undecorated clay jugs on the counters and markets of Gellaly, shaped like antique amphorae, which were made here from time immemorial. Tourist taste gives rise to supply, and therefore everything is now filled with ceramics with white-blue-green patterns, which are actually produced in Nabeul. What is made right here is sculpted from clay mined from the depths of the hill below Gellala. Over time, in order to get to the raw materials, it was necessary to dig shafts and adits. In ancient kilns, located half underground, clay products are fired. Some of the ovens in Gellale can be viewed - but as a sign of gratitude you will be expected to buy a souvenir.

A worthwhile museum a little away from Gellala tells not only about pottery, but also about Tunisian folk customs. Next door, the café-restaurant invites you to have a snack and a glass of mint tea.

To the south and to El Kantara you can drive along a well-trodden road along the sea. Along the way, every now and then you come across tops placed in shallow places, and here and there on the shore there are clay jugs tied with rope. The fishermen of Djerba catch their prey in the same way as their counterparts on the Kerkennah Islands: they drive the school between two rows of nets, so that the fish swim in an ever-narrowing passage and are eventually trapped. Octopuses are lured with clay jugs, using their habit of climbing into dark shelters, and then all that remains is to lift up the jugs with the mollusks sitting in them.

In El Cantar (El-Kantara) a dam begins that stretches across the sea strait to the mainland. This jumper appeared in ancient times, and, of course, the Roman road (Chaussee romaine) it was not preserved. Near the dam, water pipes are visible, supplying Djerba with water from the mainland. There are no sources of water on the island itself, and the meager rainfall is barely sufficient for agriculture.

If you move further inland, the road will lead you to El May (El May). Here there is another illustrative example of the peculiar architecture of Ibadi Muslims: the white El-May Mosque, fortified with high walls and powerful buttresses. Rounded corners and smooth lines soften the appearance of this building, which is actually quite inhospitable, and deprive it of any menacing appearance. A similar architectural style can be found in the Mzab group of oases (M"zab) in the Algerian Sahara, where Berbers also live, adherents of one of the strict religious sects.

The town of Hara Segira (Hara Seghira), aka Riyadh (Er-Riadh), is the gateway from the world of Islamic faith to the world of Judaism. Here is the La Ghriba Synagogue (La Ghriba), the oldest in Africa, which annually, 30 days after the Jewish Old Testament Passover, becomes one of the largest places of pilgrimage for North African Jews.

Jews have lived on Djerba since at least 586. Although historical documents are silent about this, there is a version that Jewish refugees ended up in North Africa no later than 70 AD. e., after the Roman conquest of Jerusalem. Rulers of Islamic dynasties, as a rule, did not touch Jews. Islam recognized Jews as "People of the Book" (The Book meant the Old Testament) and placed it higher than the “pagans.” True, they, like Christians, had to pay special taxes and live in certain areas of the city, called hara or mellah. After the founding of the State of Israel, most Jews left North Africa; Now there are about 1000 of them living in Djerba.

The current synagogue building dates back to 1920. You are only allowed to enter with your head covered. (scarves and hats are available for rent) and without shoes. The interior decoration is dominated by white and blue colors, and elderly men can always be seen sitting in the dim light studying the Holy Scriptures. Precious Torah scrolls are carefully protected from the eyes of visitors. They are probably among the oldest Torah copies existing today in the Jewish world.

A charming hotel has recently opened in Riyadh, designed as an alternative to hotel rooms for pilgrims. It is open not only to Jews. Its restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine.