La Marsa

La Marsa is a beach-side settlement in Northern Tunisia.

Get in

Get the TGM train line from Tunis. La Marsa is the last stop. Trips cost less than 1 DT and take something over 30 minutes.

• 1 La Marsa Plage. Terminus of TGM line between La Marsa and Tunis. (updated Apr 2022)

See

• The beach is quite nice, but is reputedly popular with locals from Tunis on weekends.
• There is a mosque with a fairly interesting tower near the train station
• 1 Abdelliya Palace (Palais El Abdelliya). One of the most lavish creations of Hafsid dynasty sultans. Built in the early sixteenth century by one of their last sovereign, Abu Abdallah Mohamed. It is the oldest evidence of Muslim Palatine architecture remained in a good state in Maghreb. (updated Nov 2018)

Do

• Relax in a coffee shop
• 1 Jhonny Bikes, Rue 25 Juillet. Bike shop which provides rentals as well as tours. Weekly Carthage tour on Sunday morning. DT30 for 24h. (updated Apr 2022)

Buy

Bamboloni, a sort of donut shaped beignet made by several shops at the place du Safsaf and popular with locals. Less than DT1.

Eat

• There is a fantastic restaurant literally above the water on the beach. A meal with two courses and a beer will run you just under 50 DT, but the impeccable service and view out over the ocean and down the beach is well worth it.
• 1 The Cliff (on the hill south east of La Marsa). Fine dining, particularly seafood, on the cliff. This is a smart modern restaurant with good view over the sea. (updated Oct 2019)
• 2 Les Ombrelles (The Parasols) (next to Sindbad bar). 20:00 onwards. Right on the sea front which gives a great view over the sea. Very good seafood for a reasonable price. (updated Oct 2019)
• 3 Al Seniour. 12:00-23:00. Lebanese food, mid-range prices with large portions of meat and typical Lebanese mezze (hummus, tabbouleh, baba ghanoush) (updated Nov 2022)

Drink

• The O Bar at the Hotel Plaza Corniche is popular, as is the nightclub below (only starts around 01:00 outside of summer, mostly house music but a friendly DJ with much music who can likely play to suit your taste if you arrive early or with a large group. License finishes 02:00).
• 1 Blanko kitesurf club, Gammarth, by the Carrefour mall / Gammarth Center / Ramada Plaza hotel (pass the shopping mall by the right towards the sea). 10:00 - 02:00. Open April - October on the beach. Nightclub, bar, cafe with dancefloor. Pop, rock, live music (depending on day), and mixed crowd full on weekends. Tables indoor or outdoor on the beach, mats, dancefloor. No entry after midnight. Almost no Tunisians unaccompanied by female. "Parking fee" 2 DT, but charged 3 DT unofficially, even if you park by the shopping mall. 
• 2 Le Plug, La Marsa Plage. Great place to get a drink in the house in the sea with amazing view, DJs or live rock music, young crowd with a trendy and alternative touch. No entry after 23:00. Almost no to guys only companies without "reservation". Beer 6 DT. 

Sleep

• The unique Hotel Plaza Corniche is on Rue de Maroc, a few hundred metres up from the train station (from the station, walk back down the train line on the coastal side. You can't miss the entrance). Not cheap, but offers pleasant enough rooms and a simple breakfast gratis. Quite an experience!

• 1 The Residence Tunis by Cenizaro, Boite Postale 697, ☏ +216 71910 101, info-tunis@theresidence.com. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Starting from USD 160.