Festival de la Medina de Tunis

مهرجان مدينة تونس العتيقة

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Religious & SpiritualTunis Medina
DatesDates TBA · Usually FebruaryCheck locally before booking
Duration23 daysListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forCeremony, pilgrimageUnlike most Tunisian festivals, which run in
Language["ar"]Currency: TND
CategoryReligious & SpiritualFestival type
The story

Festival de la Medina de Tunis in Tunis Medina

The Festival de la Medina de Tunis is an annual traditional-music festival founded in 1984, staged each year during Ramadan in the historic medina of Tunis. Concerts of malouf, Sufi chant and classical Arab music fill restored medina houses and cultural centers through the fasting month's evenings, reviving a program originally created to give life back to Ramadan nights in the old city.

For centuries, Ramadan nights in the medina of Tunis meant lit lanterns, open shops, and neighbors gathering in courtyards after the day's fast ended.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Unlike most Tunisian festivals, which run in summer, this one is anchored to the Islamic lunar calendar and unfolds only during Ramadan, so its dates shift yearly and its evening concerts follow the rhythm of the fast, beginning after iftar rather than at a fixed clock time

02

The mystery stays covered

Founded in 1984 by journalist Mokhtar Rassaa, it was built to bring Ramadan evenings back to the medina's restored historic houses, using venues such as Dar Lasram and the Zaouia Sidi Mehrez, a working Sufi shrine, as concert spaces rather than converting them into museums

03

The city starts moving

By 2026 the festival had reached its 42nd consecutive edition, one of the longest-running annual music programs in Tunis, its repertoire of malouf and Sufi inshad keeping Tunisian Andalusian musical heritage in front of local audiences every year

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The festival was created to revive the tradition of animated Ramadan nights in the medina of Tunis

Water and renewal

Living ritual

a practice that had faded as the old city's population and commercial life shifted toward newer parts of the capital

The sacred route

Living ritual

its programming of malouf

The local code

Living ritual

the Andalusian-rooted classical repertoire brought by Muslim and Jewish refugees expelled from Spain

Tradition 5

Living ritual

and of Sufi inshad performed in an active zaouia

Tradition 6

Living ritual

keeps devotional and courtly musical traditions tied to specific historic spaces rather than staged in a generic auditorium

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually February

Getting around

Move patiently around ceremony routes and leave space for worshippers and participants.

What to wear

Modest, respectful dress is expected throughout Ramadan in the medina, especially at venues like the Zaouia Sidi Mehrez, a working Sufi shrine: covered shoulders and knees, a scarf on hand...

Safety

Watch local behavior before photographing, filming, or entering sacred spaces.

Where to stay

Stay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Tickets/cost

Public ritual moments are often free, but donations, transport, or temple access may vary.

Language/currency

["ar"] · TND

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map36.80 N, 10.17 EOpen in Google Maps

Tunis Medina, Tunis, Tunisia

Nearest airportTUN — Tunis Carthage
TransportMove patiently around ceremony routes and leave space for worshippers and participants.
Stay areaStay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Tunis Medina via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Tunis Medina, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for February.Compare faresFestival gearModest, respectful dress is expected throughout Ramadan in the medina, especially at venues like the Zaouia Sidi Mehrez, a working Sufi shrine: covered shoulders and knees, a scarf on hand for shrine visits, and comfortable flat shoes for walking the medina's stone alleyways between venues.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Tunisia and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Festival de la Medina de Tunis?

Festival de la Medina de Tunis is listed for Past edition: 21 February–15 March 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Festival de la Medina de Tunis take place?

The festival is listed in Tunis Medina, Tunisia. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

23 days is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Tunis Medina, Tunis, Tunisia

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLlapresse.tn
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually February
Source statusOfficial source linked
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