Market Fever

 

Tunisia…. The “Pearl of the Maghreb” is a colourful and vibrant country, which expresses itself in Arabic and mellifluous French, infused with various Mediterranean accents.

 

 

Eager to explore, I jumped at the opportunity to go treasure – hunting in the great Medinas of the capital city, Tunis, which is brimming with a rich national heritage. 

 

 

 

Tunis,  is a city of contrasts, torn between modern times that stir the “Ville Nouvelle” (new city) and lasting traditions buried deep in the heart of the Medina (old city).

 

                     

         

       

 

Strolling through the maze of narrow streets and alleyways of the Medina you come across the many souks surrounding the Great Mosque known as ez zitouna, with the name of each souk based on its area of expertise. 

     

          

 

Souk el Attarire (perfume quarters), dates from the 13^th century, with tiny shops stocking bottles and jars of incense and perfumes.  Once you reach the end of the el Attarire souk you arrive at el Koumach souk, which holds the fabric.  This souk dates back to the 15^th century and encompasses three alleys, exhibiting a multitude of fabrics of all sizes, textures and colours.  After leaving el Koumach souk, you enter into souk de Femmes, which is where women still come to buy lengths of white or cream fabric to make their “sifsaris”.

   

         

     

Probably the most fascinating souk in the Medina is the souk el Trouk (Turkish tailors).  This was established at the turn on the 17^th century for Turkish tailors.  However, it has now increased and the streets of this souk also include carpets, souvenirs, brassware, pottery, gold and silverware and leatherwork, including an array of handbags and purses and the very Arabian babouche, otherwise known as the open-back bejewelled slippers). The streets of souk el Trouk are entirely covered and this only adds to the charm. 

 

 

 

If you love jewellery you can certainly go crazy in the souks and other small jewellery shops.  There is an array of antique and contemporary gold and silver jewellery.  There is also and abundance of fashion jewellery, such as silver bangles, large ethnic earrings and chunky necklaces.

 

When looking at the small treasures on offer; hidden in the depths of the souks, you realise why retailers such as Topshop have taken inspiration and featured a “Road to Marrakech” collection in there flagship Oxford street store. 

 

 

 

Haggling is a must in the souks of the Medinas and I found it a thrill bargaining a leather bag from the tourist price of 94 dinar to the bargain price of 20 dinar, about £9. Very pleased with myself!

 

The Ville Nouvelle, known as the modern city, originated at the end of the 19^th century after the French Protectorate was signed.  Many of the street names (de Paris, de Marseille, Charles de Gaulle) still recall the French presence, along with the many outdoor cafes. 

 

 

Mains de Femmes, is a centre, which promotes and commercialises handicrafts produced by women.  The handmade objects include clothing, embroidery, bags and jewellery made from all over Tunisia. 

 

The Palmarium is a new shopping centre, which stocks mainly female fashions and shoes.  The Tunisian’s seem to love shoes and every couple of stores you come across yet another shoe shop, also selling bags and jewellery, with most shops likely to carry the same stock. 

 

 

Having come from the bustling Medina, I was a little disillusioned about being unable to haggle the price and had loved the thrill of being able to bag a bargain!

 

  

 

Delving into the great Medinas of Tunisia and exploring the historical souks was an exciting experience, leaving me with a touch of market fever!

Rachel Costa