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Tunisia's eastern Mediterranean coast

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Tunisia weather, climate and geography

Weather & climate

Best time to visit: 

The areas of northern Tunisia that draw the most tourists have a typical Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, occasionally rainy winters. Along with destinations like Egypt and Turkey, Tunisia has claimed a good slice of the Mediterranean summer holiday market, making June to August a popular time for coastal resorts.

Spring and autumn both offer their own enticements though, both in terms of an appealing climate and a lessening of tourist traffic. Prices are often lowered over the winter months. In general terms, lightweights are advised in summer, with mediumweights and rainwear in winter. The south and centre of the country have an almost Saharan climate, meaning summer temperatures can climb extremely high. The hot, dusty wind blowing in off the desert can affect other parts of the country.

Geography

The Republic of Tunisia lies on the Mediterranean coast of Africa, 130km (80 miles) southwest of Sicily and 160km (100 miles) due south of Sardinia. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and Libya to the southeast. The landscape varies from the cliffs of the north coast to the woodlands of the interior, from deep valleys of rich arable land to desert, and from towering mountains to salt pans lower than sea level. South of Gafsa and Gabès is the Sahara desert. The 1,100km (700 miles) of coastline is dotted with small islands, notably Jerba in the south and Kerkennah in the east, and from the northwest to the southeast the coastline is backed successively by pine-clad hills, lush pasture, orchards, vineyards and olive groves.

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