Is this Greece or Africa? Exploring SIDI BOU SAID, a beautiful town in TUNISIA سيدي بو سعيد

Hi everyone! This is episode seven of my Tunisia series, in which I explore the beautiful town of Sidi Bou Said.
Arguably one of if not the most beautiful town in Tunisia, Sidi Bou Said is situated only c. 15-20 kilometers outside Tunis, but it feels like a world apart with its quiet alleys, magnificent scenery and relaxed markets. It often draw comparisons with the Greek island of Santorini because of its blue and white buildings and general island atmosphere.
The vlog starts off with me sitting at a vantage point overlooking the Bay of Tunis, which is part of the wider Mediterranean Sea. I then walk in the various alleys and streets of the city and marvel at the plethora of blue and white buildings, with the odd yellow door, orange tree and purple flower lending a bit of colour to the blue and white town.
I explain that Sidi Bou Said is also a prominent artist town in Tunisia and that we will stumble across various art shops and galleries along the way. I then buy a water from a local trader and comment on the various items for sale in the open market area.
A local shopkeeper then invites me into his shop to take in the magnificent view from his terrace. After admiring the view, I walk back out and notice the mosaic throughout the building, which is typical for Tunisian homes and buildings I've been in before. I then buy a coffee from the cafeteria in the house - more expensive than other coffee shops in Tunisia (and in fact the most expensive one I've paid to date in the country), but still cheap when converted back to Pounds Sterling. I then exit the shop but the shopkeeper still wants to sell me stuff - I politely refuse.
I then ask for an explanation of an orange door amongst the various blue ones from another trader, whilst also asking directions to the port or marina when he tries to sell me some pictures of that area. Again, I politely refuse.
I then walk towards the marina - or, well, I think I do - and stumble across a residential area away from the touristy part. I comment on various things I observe but soon notice that I am lost. I decide to walk back the tourist part of town and find an alternative way to the marina.
After asking for directions in the tourist part of town, and after a relatively tricky downhill walk, I finally make it to the marina. I notice all the yachts and vessels and comment on the relaxing vibe in the area. I then spot another tourist taking photos and ask him to take a picture of myself. I then return the favour - he even requested to wear my sunglasses to deal with the glare of the sun!
I walk back towards the tourist part of town and enjoy a coffee at a restaurant with a view.
Hope you enjoy! In the next vlog, I will be exploring Carthage...
Please hit the LIKE and SUBSCRIBE buttons, if you haven't already - your support in this regard really helps this channel to grow and allows me to produce more vlogs like these.

[@willieexplore]

Hi everyone! Hope you're enjoying this Tunisia series and this episode of Sidi Bou Said. Please give this video a 'like' and subscribe to my channel if you haven't already - those small acts of kindness really do help this channel to grow and allow me to make more videos such as these. Thank you!

[@akrambouabane183]

Hi I love the videos 📹 I whas the one one the Plane with my father who we whas speaking to you in the airport and your more and welcome to come next time with us to djerba and you can video and we will take you around djerba and show you

[@willieexplore]

​@@akrambouabane183 Hi Akram! Fantastic to hear from you, thank you for getting in touch! It was an absolute pleasure to meet you and your father and I hope that the trip back to West Sussex wasn't a downer after a great week in Tunisia. And wow, thank you for the Djerba offer! I will definitely be up for such an adventure and making vlogs of a special part of Tunisia. Just need to manage my annual leave / plan in advance. Do let me know when you're planning to go over again and send my warmest regards to your father!

[@user-bl3ud5le4w]

I am an American from Chicago, and I visited Tunisia before, after a friend told me about its beauty. I went to the amazing Sidi Bou Said and the southern Tunisian region, where Star War was filmed. I encourage all friends to discover this wonderful and diverse country with its cultural, social, and cultural heritage and its open-minded people... I promise all My wonderful Tunisian friends Back in this beautiful country I'm still hungry to discover it...

[@willieexplore]

It really is a great place! Thanks for commenting :)

[@boukhadrakhaoula841]

Thank you for showing a great representation of our lovely tunisia ! i hope your enjoying your time here

[@willieexplore]

Thank you for getting in touch and leaving a comment! I had a wonderful time in Sidi Bou Said and Tunisia overall. Appreciate you watching my videos and supporting my channel!

[@ИринаАлександрова-щ8л]

Beautiful views and friendly peoples 👍🐱Nice content! Don't stop 🙏

[@willieexplore]

Really appreciate your feedback and thank you for watching! Hope you'll watch my other content too :)

[@sheilam4525]

This town is beautiful, I do like the blue and white, it is very striking. I just can't get over how much there is for sale everywhere. The tourist suited your glasses, nice interaction!

[@willieexplore]

This is a world apart from the big city Sheila! But yes, I am also amazed at how many stores and stalls there are. All of them sell similar goods too. Loved meeting the tourist at the harbour area :)

[@mansouratitallah7863]

Just one information on the birds In tunis medina and sidi bousaid , each family (a house) train their birds on one specific chant , and the chant once heard by someone will know which family it belongs to. This for the most enthusiastic people and as you may saw allot of birds enthusiasts and some have world awards of beauty and trainings ❤

[@willieexplore]

Hi Mansour! This is really interesting information you shared with us, thank you so much! Really appreciate you supporting my channel :)

[@alohaNury]

Thanks for showing us the beauty of Tunisia. I will visit it in some weeks. 😊

[@willieexplore]

Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! I hope you have a wonderful time in Tunisia :)

[@morningstar4789]

Love your videos sir. I can’t wait to go back to Tunisia this summer InshaAllah. I lived in Hammamet in 2016 and fell in love with Tunisia 🇹🇳 my wife is actually Tunisian too. Sending love from Ireland 🇮🇪 ❤️

[@willieexplore]

Thank you very much Morning Star! Appreciate you taking the time to watch my content and leaving a comment. I had a fantastic time in Tunisia and I'm glad to be sharing my experiences with people like yourselves. Cheers for the support from Ireland!

[@no_soy_rubio]

Nice little town, loved that cafe with the tiles and mirrors where you got the view! You're dealing well with the pushy sellers. Great view from the cafe at the end of the video too, I'd never heard of this town but looks worth a stop!

[@willieexplore]

Lots of hidden gems around the world mate, and Sidi Bou Said is no exception! Great place to visit - definitely put it on your travel list as there are some great walks in the area

[@Boubouchan1]

Sidi Bousaid used to be religious town, when religious people gather to pray and stay away from the materialistic capital to seek some quietness and spirituality. Sidi Bousaid is called the town of 400 saints, because 400 saints are burried there. The legend says that the steps you took all the way down to the port are actually tombs of 355 saints, the 5 other saints are burried in other places in sidi bousaid. One of the saints is burried in the café that you visited in the end of the video, his name is SIdi fawah el misk 'the saint who smells good like musk). Sid Bousaid was named after a saint, bousaid: Sidi (saint) Bousaid

[@willieexplore]

This is incredibly interesting information, thank you so much for sharing this with us!

[@KaisDinoAdventures]

Love the architecture ❤

[@willieexplore]

It is really something special

[@mohamedgharsallah4579]

Yellow colour for some doors in sidi bou said it means that family who lives in that house is rich 🤑💰 because the yellow colour of painting was taken from a very special spice as a Safran

[@willieexplore]

That is so interesting! Thanks for sharing that information!

[@KaisDinoAdventures]

Happy Friday!! Hope you had a great holiday Glad we stopped by to show love and support to you and your channel! We wish u a happy new year my friend! Happy 2023!❤❤❤❤. Beautiful camera work

[@willieexplore]

Thank you very much Kai! Hope you have a great 2023 too, so much to look forward to!

[@marob9384]

Im Looking forwaad u will visit my city bizerte ..i didnt visit my country 12 years so thank u so much for taking me there cz of ur nice videos🇩🇰🇹🇳👍

[@willieexplore]

Hello Maro thanks for watching and leaving a comment! Very glad that you're enjoying my content. Yes, I'll put up my Bizerte vlog soon, hope you enjoy that one too :)

[@marob9384]

@@willieexplore u are welcome as u suport local peoples i will suport ur chanel ..thats the good karma 😊

[@RIANDOA]

Another great video. This city is definitely my style, a bit more laid back than Tunis or Hammamet it seems. Keep up the great work my friend!

[@willieexplore]

Thanks Landshark! Always great to hear from you and you provide such valuable feedback on your viewer experience. Yep, this is a very small town with a population of less than 6,000! Definitely a holiday vibe away from the crowds. In hindsight, I wish I stayed there for a night / a bit longer.

[@Swanoaks]

Interesting walk Willie. The blue and white painted buildings of Sidi Bou Said fascinated me. Love all the coloured mosaic tiles. And the cats even though I'm a doggie person. Once again thank you. Kiwi from Virginia

[@willieexplore]

Cheers Swanoaks. Those buildings and mosaic tiles are really pretty and you can feel the artistic atmosphere in the town. I also prefer dogs but the cats definitely rule in this part of the world!

[@yolandatorres5511]

Wow !!

[@willieexplore]

Thanks for watching!

[@jaspervanzyl6212]

Beautfiful place, Willie Explore! Thanks for showing us. Keep up the good work!

[@willieexplore]

It goes without saying that I really appreciate your support for my channel brother!

[@marcomarco3487]

You must visit the second largest cave in the world in Jabal Assaraj in Oueslatiya a very deep cave and you see art panels that are lime and gold

[@willieexplore]

Cheers for the suggestion Marco Marco! So many places to visit in Tunisia!

[@user-nc4kx9lg3u]

Доброе утро! Благодарю вас за видео о прекрасном Тунисе и прекрасном городе. Пожалуйста, если это возможно, было бы замечательно с переводом на русский язык❤️

[@willieexplore]

Thanks for watching! I'll see what's possible!

[@soleiltounsi6754]

Hi Russia! Welcome to Tunisia 🇹🇳

[@BeforeIKicktheBucket1]

Lot of interesting places to see in Tunisia ...on my list now ;-) Thanks & take care..

[@willieexplore]

Definitely worth a place on any travel list! Thanks for watching :)

[@danielalenge7276]

Ja Sidi bo said ist wunderschön👌😉

[@willieexplore]

Definitely a great place! Thanks for watching!

[@EsoTarek]

Did you not go all the way up!? You get the best view if you keep walking up past that coffee shop and you will get to cafe des delices (french singer Patrick Bruel made a song about it) where you can sit back and enjoy the view of the harbour. On a side note, that little water stream with the stumps is for people to perform ablution Keep the vlogs coming :)

[@willieexplore]

No I didn't make it to that cafe! I've seen some pictures though and it must be quite a sight, especially in summer. I'd like to pretend that I sometimes skip the touristy parts but it would have been nice to go there - I just needed a break after that steep walk :) Haha thanks for explaining the water stream! It makes a lot of sense now. Glad you're enjoying these vlogs my friend, it means a lot!

[@EsoTarek]

@Willie Explore ah mate you weren't even that far, just a couple of mins or so. If you have the time it's worth a quick visit to see the sunset from the top. There's a famous little place that is renowned for its "bambalounis" (sugared donuts) just past that cafe you went to as well and judging by your previous vlogs you seem to have a sweet tooth so I think it would be right up your alley with a coffee lol You may have discovered this already but there's a train that connects Marsa, sidi bou said, carthage and tunis, it's very cheap and easy to use. Saves you from being ripped off by taxis. Ask the locals where the TGM metro is and they can direct you to the nearest station

[@willieexplore]

@@EsoTarek yes my friend I knew about the TGM but I do have a soft spot for taxis, but I know what you mean about getting ripped off. And yes I do have a sweet tooth, well spotted! Thanks for providing all this additional detail and insight, definitely very useful for when I return to beautiful Tunisia one day!

[@AZqyc]

Hey, let's just go for a walk and see what we see! That, Willie, is what makes your "explores" so neat, pleasant, enjoyable. What's next? Thanks for sharing! [Greetings from Tucson!]

[@willieexplore]

Haha you know it Jim! Thanks for watching and commenting, as always. I have a few more Tunisia vlogs coming soon and then it is time to pick a new destination - any ideas? Hope you had a great Christmas and look forward to the New Year!

[@AZqyc]

@@willieexplore I used to teach at U Arizona ... had students from all around the world. Some ideas for you: Chefchaouen, Morocco (and other Morocco locales, too, of course); Diego Garcia (or maybe he just has a taqueria in Tucson ... I get confused sometimes); your favorite off-the-beaten-trail spots in South Africa; Andorra; Liechtenstein; Falkland Islands; Ulaanbaatar (yes, I really did have a student from there!) ...

[@willieexplore]

@@AZqyc I'm actually thinking of those small European countries such as Andorra and Liechtenstein and actually looked at options for visiting the Falklands not too long ago! So many plates spinning in my head. Glad you enjoy the hidden gems in South Africa - definitely going back sometime so will have more footage then. I visited Mongolia in 2014 as part of a wider Trans Mongolian trip, but it was very much a whistle-stop so I want to return and explore more of the Gobi desert etc. Stick with me and I'll take you places Jim :)

[@jayceontalylor4244]

nice video as always Monsieur Afrique Du Sud !

[@willieexplore]

Really appreciate your support as always mon ami! Thanks for watching!

[@rziguiaymen7519]

Hi Willie, I am glad you enjoyed walking in Sidi Bou Said, just wanted to say though that the majority of the shops will try to sell you staff and sometimes it can be a little bit uncomfortable for tourists, but just put in mind that these sellers have families to feed and they were struggling during covid as the number of tourists was lower. So it is totally understandable why they insist too much on selling their staff. Enjoy your time in Tunisia and thanks for the video

[@willieexplore]

HI Rzigui, thank you so much for your input and for watching my videos! I really appreciate your support. You are absolutely right - in fact, if you watch my Hammamet videos, I make the same point re why I think it is the right thing to support these sellers.

[@rziguiaymen7519]

@@willieexplore I am watching it now as I am talking to you haha 😂 you are a great man with great mentality, not everyone understands why they insist on selling their staff like that, so just don't feel offended by it and try to adapt to the fact that it is what it is and move on. Thanks again for your great videos about Tunisia, peace 👋

[@willieexplore]

@@rziguiaymen7519 thank you so much my friend, much appreciated!

[@khayreddinebr2181]

you're welcome ❤ im sorry if u faced a lot of pushy sellers ure dealing well with them 👍

[@willieexplore]

Thanks my friend! Appreciate your support. I really enjoy engaging with people so no worries at all :)

[@amelchapoutot6579]

❤

[@willieexplore]

Thanks for watching!

[@yajinirahma3616]

Wonderful vidéo continue but whoever comes to tunisia loves to visit the beautiful island of DJERBA i advise you to visite it

[@willieexplore]

Cheers Yajini, Djerba island is definitely on my bucket list. You're not the first to recommend Djerba to me which means it really must be something special. And I love visiting places off the beaten track. I met a father and son at Gatwick airport before flying out to Tunisia who were on their way to Djerba and they were so excited to go.

[@yajinirahma3616]

@@willieexplore your channel is amazing i hope you enjoy your time in tunisia and i follow you from DJERBA 💗

[@willieexplore]

@@yajinirahma3616 thank you so much for your support! I have more Tunisia videos coming soon so hope you'll enjoy those too :)

[@rajafezzani9952]

you are welcome

[@willieexplore]

Thank you very much!

[@ikramrbh7410]

Hey sidiboussaid was blue and white before Santorini they coped us

[@willieexplore]

Such a beautiful place, the blue and white houses are magnificent!

[@ikramrbh7410]

@@Tunisianbeauties no HhH check history Jeb Rabi tounsia

[@mouath_14]

It is weird because this pattern is almost exclusively found in Tunisia and Greece. And given the fact that this is very spread in Tunisia, the Greeks must've incorporated it at a later point in Santorini. I wonder when.

[@ikramrbh7410]

@@mouath_14 They only started adding the blue in the 60's Sidi boussaid was blue and white since the 10's

[@willieexplore]

@@mouath_14 will be interesting to find out!

[@soleiltounsi6754]

Well, Sidi Bou Said is more beautiful than Santorini. It have its old architecture, its beautiful perfume, its tradition, it preserved its history and its style. No pools everywhere, no disrespect for the old architecture. Many differences if you forget to compare 2 cities because only of the colours.😉

[@willieexplore]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder mon ami

[@bossgames8457]

Its a touristic place thats normaly to buy coffe with this price..

[@willieexplore]

Certainly a tourist hot spot in beautiful Tunisia! Thanks for watching :)

[@mini_jkooki_minkookieeeee]

Yeah that's one of my Tunisia 's gems 🇹🇳💜🥰 The yellow door means that that house is belonging to a really wealthy family not like the other families there ...I think just the Baron Derlanger the former protector of Tunisia had had a yellow door for his house 🤔 Are you British or south african?!! The guy that took the picture for you is not Tunisian 😅🤣🤣 he's a tourist himself he can't understand French 🤣🤣

[@willieexplore]

Thanks for providing this additional information regarding the door, that is so interesting! I do find the doors and the detail quite fascinating. I'm from South Africa but live in England :)

[@mini_jkooki_minkookieeeee]

@@willieexplore my pleasure 🙏 ☺ yeah there are alot of meaningful details in those doors that can give you all the information about the residents in those houses such as the number of the families in every single house,have or not children and their financial status 😀 You welcome...merry Christmas and happy new year.. come visit again in summer you can discover the costal side as well

[@willieexplore]

@@mini_jkooki_minkookieeeee that is great! I would love to go back at some point to explore more of Tunisia. Which coastal places do you recommend?

[@willieexplore]

oh, and thanks for the kind wishes! a very happy new year to you as well! :)

[@mini_jkooki_minkookieeeee]

@@willieexplore I recommend sousse ,monastir ,mahdia where the Roman coliseum( the second largest coliseum in the world after the one in Rome)exists in El jam and the dream island djerba

[@mouhamedfares883]

La Sidi Bou Sguid is older than Santorini

[@willieexplore]

It has a lot of history! Thanks for watching and supporting my channel!

[@soleiltounsi6754]

You can't go to Sidi Bou Said without buying something. A normal tourist didn't just filming. When I go there, I filmed and buy many things.

[@willieexplore]

I'm not a normal tourist mon ami. And I also don't tell you what to buy or what to do on your travels. But did you miss the bit where I bought water and coffees?

[@venum7603]

Saidi Bou Said in fact its way older then that greece city ,

[@willieexplore]

So much history in this part of the world!

[@TK_Originals]

Did you feel like the experience is tarnished because of the constant harassment to buy their items? That would just start to irritate me after the first few times. I have encountered shopkeepers in Saudi Arabia to be rude and dismissive when you don't.

[@willieexplore]

The short answer is no. I tried to embrace it - as a vlogger, I am always looking for good content where I can interact with people. I think people are just desperate to do extra business during these tough times