Picolo recommends · Hotel in Tunis, Tunisia
Dar Ben Gacem
Step off a narrow medina lane, close the heavy door, and you are standing in a bright courtyard under old tiles and painted ceilings.
Outside, the lanes are full of calling traders, copper pans and the smell of bread. Inside Dar Ben Gacem the noise falls away. The house sits in the medina of Tunis, the old town listed by UNESCO, and its few rooms open onto a light courtyard.
The restoration kept what makes these houses special: the original tilework, the decorated ceilings, the cool rooms built around open air. This is a guest house rather than a hotel, and the people who run it are happy to point you to the right workshop or café.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Dar Ben Gacem
We chose it because it lets you see Tunis from within. The souks, the covered market streets, start at the door along with the mosques and craft workshops, and you come home to a quiet courtyard instead of a lobby.
There is no pool, no spa and no beach, and the rooms are few, so book early. The medina lanes are narrow, so be ready to walk the last part with your bags. If you need a pool, add a few nights on the coast.
What you get
- Original tiles and painted ceilings
- Light courtyard at the heart of the house
- Only a few rooms
- Hosts with good local tips
- Cafés and souks right outside the door
A day at Dar Ben Gacem
- Morning
- Coffee in the courtyard before the souk shutters go up.
- Midday
- A wander through the souks to the Zitouna Mosque.
- Afternoon
- The train out to Sidi Bou Said and the sea.
- Evening
- Back through the lanes as the lamps come on, to the calm of the courtyard.
Location
Medina, Tunis, Tunisia
Open in MapsQuestions about Dar Ben Gacem
Where is Dar Ben Gacem?
Inside the medina of Tunis, the UNESCO-listed old town, with the souks and mosques a few steps from the front door.
Does Dar Ben Gacem have a pool?
No. It is a small restored house built around a courtyard. For swimming, the beaches at Gammarth and La Marsa are a short drive north of the city.
Is Dar Ben Gacem good for a first visit to Tunis?
Yes, if you want culture over comfort. You wake up in the old town, and the hosts can steer you to workshops, food and places you would not find alone.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
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