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While North Africa’s smallest nation, Tunisia still has a wealth of attractions. The Carthaginians and ancient Romans left their mark. A 1,300 km (800 mile) coastline ensures no shortage of Mediterranean beach escapes. Star Wars fans will recognise sites including Tatooine and Mos Espa. Nature lovers have a range of fascinating national parks to explore. And culture vultures will fall for Djerba. Odysseus’ Island of the Lotus Eaters, its traditional way of life is like nowhere else. Tunisia’s climate is no less impressive. Here’s everything you need to know about the best time to visit Tunisia.
Tunisia is warm all year round
Given its location on the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Tunisia’s general climate isn’t all that different to Spain’s or Italy’s. The basic rule is that Tunisia’s winters are mild but wet, and its summers are hot and dry.
Tunisia’s coastal belt tends to be cooled by light breezes coming off the Med. Temperatures steadily increase the further inland (and towards the Sahara Desert) you head.
Destinations around the Oasis of Tozeur do away with the Mediterranean theme. Instead, they’re pretty hot year-round given their proximity to the Sahara.
What’s the best time to go to Tunisia?
To a certain extent, the best time to visit Tunisia depends on your holiday aims. If you’re heading to the beachside resorts and hotels of Hammamet, Mahdia or Monastir you’re probably after the summer sun.
With history and culture in mind though, the best month to visit Tunisia is probably either September or October. This makes the country a good pick for some late summer warmth in the October school half term holidays.
Predictably, both the summer (July and August) and October half term see prices rise. But in September and October temperatures are more suitable for exploring. July and August are the hottest months to visit Tunisia, since temperatures range from 22-34°C.
They drop from highs of 34°C in August to 28°C in October. But for all that, the Med is still deliciously warm. At the same time, sites like the Roman amphitheatre at El Jem (or El Djem) are very quiet.
Another good month to visit Tunisia is May. Temperatures in Tunisia during May range from 16-27°C. May is therefore a great alternative for those who enjoy the sun but not extreme heat.
Is December a good time to visit Tunisia
In Muslim-majority Tunisia you certainly won’t get the traditional Christmas of the UK, although some resorts do make an effort with decorations and Christmas trees.
Weather-wise, nights can be chilly, falling to around 10°C. The months or January to March have similar nighttime temperatures. Even during the day, thermometers don’t see their mercury-alternatives rise much beyond 18°C. That’s sweater weather.
Firmly out of season, there are plenty of bargains to be had in December to March. For winter sun, Tunisia isn’t perhaps the best. There’s quite a lot of cloud cover during these months – hence the drop in temperatures.
The clouds also lead to rain. Around 60 mm falls each month, almost equal to the amount of rain which falls on London. That’s except for Tunisia’s desert oases including Tozeur.
December is probably the best time to visit Tunisia if you’re looking to take a desert camel trekking tour. Otherwise, it’s just way too hot for most people.
Is Ramadan a good time to visit Tunisia?
Ramadan is best known as the Islamic month of daylight fasting. Muslims are meant to avoid consuming anything from dawn to dusk. Many consider this to mean drinking and smoking too.
The good news is that Tunisia does not enforce the fast on anyone. And even Muslim travellers are traditionally exempt.
Ramadan is the name of the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. A lunar rather than solar calendar, months last 28 days, meaning the Ramadan fast shifts forward in the calendar year slightly every twelve months. Over the next few years, Ramadan will fall outside of Tunisia’s main tourist season, in spring.
Visitors to Tunisia during Ramadan will find many tourist sites have shortened opening hours. Bars and restaurants may also be hard to come by during the day, although resorts continue to operate as usual.
Towns and cities become almost deserted during the afternoon, as families wait out the final hours until they can eat again. As soon as the sun sets, people break their fast, usually with dates. As evenings progress, streets get busy again. After all, Ramadan is actually a month of celebration rather than gloom.
Check out my guide to travelling during Ramadan for more.
The best time to visit Tunisia
For most holiday makers, the best time to visit Tunisia is going to be either side of high summer. During these months the weather is ideal for sunbathing and taking in Tunisia’s historic attractions. But if you’re heading for the southwest, December could well be the best time to visit.
