Habous Quarter
A medina built by the French in the 1920s, with arcades and right angles.
Duration
1 hr – 2 hrs
Best time
Late afternoon
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
The Habous quarter was built by the French in the 1920s as a new medina: arcaded lanes, fountains, mosques and souks, but drawn by architects, with right angles, pavements and mains drainage.
It is a medina without a medina's disorder, and that is exactly what makes it a curious object: colonial planning imitating what it replaced. It holds the best Arabic bookshops in the city, the traditional pastry shops and a quiet olive souk.
Getting there
South-east of the city centre, fifteen minutes by petit taxi. The quarter is entirely walkable.
What to bring
- Swimsuit
Rules on site
Many shops close in the early afternoon and on Friday at prayer time. Pastries are priced by weight: ask for the total before the box is filled.