Le Kef
Hilltop city crowned by an Ottoman kasbah
Le Kef clings to the slope of Jebel Dyr at about 780 m, some 170 km southwest of Tunis near the Algerian border. Known in antiquity as Sicca Veneria, it has been a strategic stronghold for over two thousand years. The kasbah at the top, rebuilt under the Ottomans in the 17th century on older foundations, offers wide views over the plains. The old town below has a Roman water system, the Dar el Kous basilica, a former synagogue known as the Ghriba and a museum of popular arts and traditions. The city is also a base for visiting Jugurtha's Table, a spectacular flat-topped mountain further south.
Highlights
- Ottoman kasbah and views
- Dar el Kous basilica
- Former Ghriba synagogue
- Museum of popular arts and traditions
- Day trip to Jugurtha's Table
Best months to visit
Location
Nearby
Chemtou (Simitthus)
Rome's yellow-marble quarries and an excellent small museum
≈ 2 h on sitePrice on request
Bulla Regia
Roman villas built underground to escape the summer heat
≈ 2 h on sitePrice on request
UNESCODougga
Tunisia's best-preserved Roman town, on a hillside of olives
≈ 3 h on sitePrice on request