Tunisia

Is Tunisia safe to visit?

For a beach holiday or a city break in Tunis, yes, with a few clear limits. Hotels in Hammamet, Sousse, Monastir and Djerba host millions of visitors each year, and street violence is moderate. The things to take seriously are the terrorism threat, which killed 59 tourists in two attacks in 2015, and the closed zones along the Algerian and Libyan borders. Roads are the most likely way to get hurt. We score Tunisia 64, a little below Morocco and Egypt.

Tunisia made the biggest gain in the Middle East and North Africa on the 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary, climbing 19 places to 77th of 163. The report puts this down to better personal safety: the share of people who say they feel unsafe walking alone fell from 35% to 23% in a year. It also notes that this came with tighter state control, with more than 50 people reportedly held on political grounds.

Terrorism and the 2015 attacks

Two attacks shaped Tunisia's reputation. In March 2015 gunmen killed 21 tourists at the Bardo Museum in Tunis; in June a gunman killed 38 tourists, 30 of them British, on the beach at Port El Kantaoui near Sousse. A state of emergency has been in force since a bombing of a police bus later that year, and it still gives the security forces extra powers.

Since then attacks have been smaller and mostly aimed at police. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary lists knife attacks on officers in Tunis in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and the May 2023 shooting at the Ghriba synagogue on Djerba, where a gunman killed three security staff and two civilians. It still says terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks, with tourist sites, festivals, religious sites and crowded places at higher risk. In practice you will see armed police at hotel gates, museums and town entrances.

Where not to go

The no-go areas are in the west and south, far from the resorts:

• All travel (FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary): Chaambi Mountains National Park and the military zones around Mount Salloum, Mount Sammamma and Mount Mghila in Kasserine; the militarised zone south of El Borma and Dhehiba; within 20 km of the Libyan border; Ben Guerdane.
• All but essential travel (FCDO): Kasserine governorate, including the Roman site of Sbeitla; strips along the Algerian border near Jendouba and El Kef; within 75 km of the Libyan border, though Zarzis and the area north of the C118 road in Medenine are excluded.
• US Level 4: within 16 km of both borders (Tabarka and Ain Draham are exempt), the same mountains, and the desert south of Remada.

Travel insurance may not cover you in these areas. Tozeur, Douz, Tataouine and the classic desert routes are outside them, but check the current FCDO map before you book a Sahara tour.

Protests and tension

Demonstrations happen at weekends and on dates such as 14 January and 17 December, mostly in central Tunis. They are rarely violent, but the authorities can impose curfews and checkpoints at short notice. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary also reports anti-migrant protests and violence in coastal towns such as Sfax, which can affect anyone seen as being of sub-Saharan African origin. Black travellers should be aware of this and avoid crowds during tense periods.

Roads, taxis and louages

WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 16.5 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2019, roughly three times the rate in France. The national road safety observatory recorded 997 deaths in the first ten months of 2025, a rise of 3.4% even though crashes fell. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary describes drivers who ignore right of way at roundabouts, run red lights at night, and share unlit rural roads with livestock and vehicles without lights.

If you hire a car, avoid driving between towns after dark and watch for unmarked speed bumps in villages. Shared louages (minibuses) are cheap but fast and crowded. Trains are slower and generally safe, though there is petty theft on board. Quad bikes in desert resorts have variable standards; always wear a helmet.

Theft, hustle and harassment

Most visits are unaffected by crime, and the most common problem is theft. Bag-snatching and pickpocketing happen in the medinas of Tunis and Sousse, on trains and at beaches. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says thieves use confidence tricks as a distraction. Expect persistent touts and shop "guides" in the souks. Women report frequent unwanted attention, and the FCDO notes more reports of harassment and assault in summer.

Health and heat

Health risks are modest. CDC lists no malaria and does not recommend yellow fever vaccine. Rabid dogs are common, so avoid stray animals. Private clinics in Tunis, Sousse and Djerba handle most problems, but you pay up front and costs can be high, so carry insurance with repatriation.

Summers are very hot inland, and heatwaves cause power cuts that can knock out hotel air conditioning, ATMs and card machines; keep some cash. In January 2026 the heaviest rain in over 70 years flooded Monastir, Nabeul and greater Tunis and killed at least four people.

How to stay safe in Tunisia

• Check the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary and US border zones before any trip west of Kairouan or south of Medenine.
• Keep away from demonstrations and obey curfews or checkpoint instructions.
• Carry a copy of your passport; the FCDO says foreigners must carry ID.
• Use metered or app taxis in Tunis and agree fares for long trips first.
• Call 190 for an ambulance, 197 for police in towns and 193 for the National Guard in rural areas.

How we scored it

Road safety (53) is the weakest factor, based on WHO's 2019 estimate, which sits just above the 15 per 100,000 line; the national count suggests the real rate is lower. Conflict (62) reflects the terror threat and border no-go zones, offset by an improving GPIGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary. Violent crime (70) and natural hazards (70) are the strongest factors.