Sidi Bou Said

Sidi Bou Said is one of the most beautiful villages in the Mediterranean, a stunning clifftop settlement of dazzling white houses with vivid blue doors, shutters and wrought-iron grilles, perched above the sea near Tunis. Its steep, cobbled lanes draped with bougainvillea, its studded blue doors, its cafes serving mint tea, and its sweeping views over the gulf have long made it a haven for artists and a beloved, photogenic escape from the capital.

What you actually see

• The blue-and-white lanes - the whitewashed houses and blue doors.
• The studded doors - the famous ornate blue studded doors.
• The clifftop views - the outlook over the Mediterranean gulf.
• The Cafe des Nattes - the historic cafe of mint tea.

When to go

Spring and autumn for the mildest weather; go early morning or late afternoon for the loveliest light on the blue and white and to avoid the midday crowds and heat. It pairs naturally with the nearby ruins of Carthage.

Honest expectations

It has become very popular and touristy, so the main lane fills with visitors, souvenir stalls and cafes charging premium prices, especially midday; early or late is calmer and prettier. It is small, seen in a half day, best combined with Carthage next door. Its blue-and-white beauty, though, genuinely lives up to the photos.

Nearby

The ruins of Carthage and the Tunis medina are close.