Tunisia Way

Elegant in the mountains

Le Kef is clearly one of the most underrated travel destinations in Tunisia, and far too few travllers come here. Not only is the town quite beautiful, charming, but there are plenty of attractions.
At an elevation of 800 metres above sea level, it even offers cool temperatures in winter, and sometimes snow in winter. Colours are white, and the village itself is well-kept. It is situated on a hillside, and offers many good views over rich agricultural land, through the crisp mountain air.

There are plenty of sights in small Le Kef, with the mosque of Sidi Bou Makhlouf as the most famous. But the mysterious basilica next to it, must not be missed at any cost. The kasbah (see picture above) on the peak over the town, is worth a visit, at least for great views over town and the valley beyond. Of the two museums here, the one covering Berber culture, through several small exhibits, is definitely worth a visit.

Sidi Bou Makhlouf

Few sights of Tunisia has so often appeared on posters and the cover of tourist guides. This tiny mosque is neither old nor religiously important, but is an usually successful piece of mosque architecture. The two ribbed domes and the octagonal minaret can be viewed from many angles, giving the photographer the choice between a number of different types of light all through the day. The interior is not always accessible, but if you get in, the level of workmanship is no less interesting than the exterior, with a domed prayer hall held up by antique columns, lined with with stuccowork and ornamented by crescents of green starts. The mosque was in its heyday the centre of the local Aissaawiya Sufis, and the mosque itself is named after Le Kef's patron saint.