Houmt Souk
The island's main town, its white fondouks and a fish market run by auction.
Duration
1 hr 30 min – 3 hrs
Best time
Mornings, for the fish auction
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
Houmt Souk means literally 'the market quarter'. It is Djerba's main town, built around its souks and its fondouks — two-storey caravanserais with a central court, where merchants slept upstairs and stored goods below. Several have been converted into hotels without being spoilt.
The fish auction is held each morning on the market square: lots are sold by voice, very fast, and the rhythm of the bidding is the spectacle. The fifteenth-century Spanish fort, the Borj El Kebir, guards the harbour entrance.
Getting there
In the north of Djerba island. The centre is entirely pedestrian and walked.
Rules on site
The auction finishes mid-morning: later, the square is empty. Souk prices start high for visitors, and haggling is expected.