Tozeur is a charming little town in southern Tunisia, on the edge of the Sahara desert. Thanks to a large oasis and successful date palm cultivation, Tozeur was an important stop of the camel caravans of the late Middle Ages. The town’s beautiful medina was built during this era of prosperity. In the 1970s and ’80s, Tozeur was rediscovered by Hollywood directors and became a popular filming location. Here are the major attractions you’ll want to see when visiting Tozeur.
Tozeur Palm Grove
My local guide told me that Tozeur’s palmeraie, or date palm grove, has 400,000 trees, though online sources put the number closer to 200,000. Either way, it’s an impressive number of palm trees. They are kept hydrated by 200 springs, which are fed by a complex irrigation system that was built in the 13th century. Sadly, the surface water is long gone and wells are tapping aquifers deep below ground.
My guide made another seemingly wild claim that the palm trees produce 150 different types of dates, but this one wound up being supported by the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture’s website. Of these date varieties, around 30 or so are cultivated in quantities large enough to sell. The Deglat Noir variety is by far the most popular thanks to its soft, creamy texture and sweet caramel flavor. This is Tozeur’s top commodity.
Tozeur’s palm grove covers around 17 square kilometers and is best explored by horse-drawn cart or bicycle, both of which you can hire in town.
Star Wars Film Sites
The bleak southern Tunisian landscape is a perfect stand-in for Tatooine, the fictional planet baked by two suns. Scenes from four Star Wars movies were shot around Tunisia, and I visited two of the film sites near Tozeur.
Mos Espa
In the movie, this Tatooine spaceport was the home of Anakin Skywalker and his mother. It was featured in Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Episode II: Attack of the Clones. The Mos Espa film set was built from scratch in 1997 and remains in good shape today, despite the harsh desert conditions.
Multiple souvenir stands are set up in the marketplace, and lightsabers and Wookiee costumes are available for photo ops. You can stroll around on your own or take a short camel ride around the film set. I’m fully convinced that camel sounds were the inspiration for Chewbacca’s voice.
ATVs are also available for joy rides in the surrounding dunes. Mos Espa is most popular at sunset, so go earlier in the day to avoid the crowds. There is a paved road that will get you close to the site, leading north from Nefta.
Ong Jemal
This unique rock formation is called “the camel’s neck” and it’s easy to see why. A short but challenging climb to the top will give you sweeping views of the Chott el Gharsa salt flat. See if you can spot the mirage shimmering in the distance.
In The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul landed near Ong Jemal and surveyed the area before heading to Mos Espa.
There was the semblance of a road to Ong Jemal, but it petered out in the parking lot. The ride between Ong Jemal and Mos Espa is basically through the desert. You may want a skilled driver to traverse the dunes depending on where you’re coming from. Camel and ATV rides are also possible here.
Nefta Basket
The Nefta Basket, or Corbeille, is a large depression filled with palm trees in the middle of town. Centuries ago it was fed by natural springs, but those have dried up and a concrete pool was built as a replacement. It doesn’t sound super appealing, but makes for a lovely photo op when viewed from above.
Tozeur Medina
Tozeur has one of the best preserved medinas in Tunisia. Human settlement here predates the Romans, though what we see today was built in the 1300s. The defensive walls and structures maintain their original brick facades, which feature unique designs such as camels and birds nests. Around 60 families live in the medina today, and their homes have been updated with modern necessities like electricity and indoor plumbing.
As you are strolling along the quiet lanes, be sure to look up at the windows above the arched tunnels. In past generations, single women would sit in these windows hoping to catch the eye of an eligible bachelor walking below.
Another historical feature is the door with three knockers. One would be for male visitors, one for women, and smaller one for children. Each makes a different sound, so the residents inside could answer the door accordingly.
A small museum dedicated to traditional life in Tozeur is run by a local artist. She gives lively demonstrations in cooking and weaving and even dressed me up in a traditional wedding outfit. Her singing while doing all these things was my favorite part.
Café Berbère serves traditional Berber coffee and other beverages on a roof terrace overlooking one of the medina’s main squares. I tried the orange blossom coffee and it was very strong and floral.
La Grande Boutique de la Medina is located in the same square and has every type of Tunisian souvenir you can imagine. The shop opposite has a stunning collection of antique furnishings and decor.
Visiting Tozeur Brickmakers
The sand-colored bricks covering much of Tozeur are made by hand locally. The family I met has been continuing this tradition for six generations. It is hard work that begins with mixing the clay by hand. It must have the correct percentage of red and white to achieve the approved shade.
After being shaped with a mold, the bricks are coated with ash and left to dry in the sun. Once dry, they are stacked in the family’s homemade kiln outside. The kiln is sealed with a palm tree trunk and fired. It can reach temps over 800 degrees Celsius!
Tozeur City Center
Daily life in Tozeur seems to center around the market. You can find everything from dates and fresh produce to spices and meats. Camel meat is popular here, so don’t be surprised to see a head or two hanging outside the butcher stand.
Popular souvenirs include woven baskets and “desert roses,” which are clusters of crystals found in the Sahara. For higher quality pottery and carpets, head to the covered shopping arcade nearby.
Where to Stay in Tozeur
I stayed in Dar Tozeur, a beautiful boutique hotel just inside the main entrance to the medina. Unfortunately it was too chilly during my winter visit to take a dip in either of the two swimming pools, though I did enjoy reading in the peaceful courtyard.
Food in Dar Tozeur’s restaurant was pretty disappointing, and I’d skip it in favor of the fabulous restaurants below.
Where to Eat in Tozeur
Restaurant Tisouros
This might be my favorite restaurant in Tunisia. Opened in 2023, Tisouros supports local farmers and women, sourcing much of its ingredients from the oasis. The salad arbi made of lettuces grown in the shade of the palm trees, is outstanding. So is the saffa, a tomatoey pearl couscous dish that’s a specialty of Tozeur.
Another regional specialty is chakhchoukha. This slightly sweet dish is made of traditional semolina bread called mtabga, which is cut into small pieces and tossed with chick peas, sultanas, and spices.
Restaurant Le Soleil
Where else in the world can you dine under the shade of an immense fake date palm tree? But the decor of Restaurant Le Soleil is just half the experience. Start with a plate of doigts de Fatma, or the “fingers of Fatima.” Tunisia’s version of eggrolls, they are filled with mashed potato, egg, and tuna and are so good!
Then order a gargoulette, a traditional Tunisian Berber dish. On menus it might be listed as “a la jarre.” Lamb and dromadaire (camel) are the most popular proteins, but I opted for chicken. The meat and vegetables are cooked in a sealed clay pot until they are fall-apart tender. I scraped out my pot to make sure I got every morsel.
Restaurant Les Arcades
With its white tablecloths and tuxedoed waiters, Les Arcades is one of the fancier restaurants in town. This is a great place to try “Berber pizza,” a spicy rolled calzone which comes as a free appetizer. I also really enjoyed the brik, a hot Tunisian pastry typically filled with egg and tuna.
You can find chakhchoukha and saffa here as well, though the traditional Tunisian couscous with lamb is an excellent choice.
How to Get To and Around Tozeur
There is a small airport in Tozeur with direct flights from Tunis and Paris. I flew from Tunis with Tunisair Express and it was a relatively easy experience, though my return flight was unexpectedly moved up five hours early. Schedule changes are common for this route, and you’ll definitely need to be prepared for last minute notifications.
I prebooked a ride to take me to my lodging as my flight arrived late at night, but there were plenty of taxis waiting outside the airport.
Getting around: The town center and medina are compact and easily walkable. Horse-drawn carriages parked all around the main tourist areas and are a pleasant way to see the date palm grove.
I arranged all my tours and excursions through local agency, Wildyness. Their website isn’t the most user-friendly, but they are very responsive on email and WhatsApp. I had a great experience with them and would recommend their services. (This is not a paid endorsement or affiliate relationship, just an honest review!)
Is visiting Tozeur on your Tunisia wish list?
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Want to see more places around Tunisia? Check out my guides to Kairouan and Dougga!
Heather thank you again for an interesting posting. Your pictures of Tozeur look stunning.
All the best,
Celeste
Thanks, Celeste! I appreciate your kind comment!