Djerba

An island shaped by many faiths and a very particular light.

Djerba has its own rhythm. Low white houses (menzels) sit among olive and palm groves, small fortress-like mosques dot the countryside, and Houmt Souk, the island's main town, still trades in fish, textiles and pottery. In 2023 UNESCO inscribed the island's traditional settlement pattern on the World Heritage list.

In Erriadh, the El Ghriba synagogue is one of the oldest in Africa and a place of pilgrimage. The same village hosts Djerbahood, an open-air gallery of murals by street artists from around the world. Beyond the hotel strip, Djerba is an island of quiet roads and long lunches.

Highlights

• Houmt Souk

• El Ghriba synagogue

• Djerbahood murals in Erriadh

• Guellala's pottery

Best for: Culture, beaches, slow travel

Photo: Synek125 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0