A souk crowded with goods in the Medina (old town) of Tunis
Tunisia is known for its beautiful blue and white Mediterranean coastal towns and historic ruins as tourist attractions. However, experiencing local people’s lives and culture is also one of the joys of travel. In particular, “shisha” (also known as narghile or water pipe), widely enjoyed in the Middle East and North Africa, is deeply rooted in the daily lives of Tunisian locals and provides an excellent opportunity for travelers to experience this culture. In this article, I’ll share my experience enjoying shisha among locals at M’rabet (المرابط), the oldest café in the Medina of the capital city, Tunis.
Tunisia and Shisha
In Tunisia, shisha is not just a means of smoking but also an important communication tool for relaxing and conversing with friends and family. Gathering around a shisha at cafés or homes and chatting for hours is a common sight. Especially in the old town of Tunis, you can see locals enjoying shisha in traditional ways at historic cafés, and experiencing this aspect is very attractive for tourists as well.
M’rabet: The Oldest Café in Tunis
Café M’rabet is marked by the overhead sign
M’rabet (المرابط), located in Tunis’s old town, sits almost in the center of the Medina, nestled quietly within the arcade-like souk (market). Therefore, it might be a bit difficult for first-time visitors to find, but if you follow the large banner-like sign overhead, you should arrive without getting lost. M’rabet is a traditional café with a sense of history and dignity, loved by locals for generations. The walls are adorned with old tiles, and Tunisian-style chandeliers hang from the ceiling, allowing visitors to feel the history of the place just by being there. While there are many tourists during the day, the café is bustling with locals from evening to night, filled with people enjoying conversation with shisha in hand.
The interior still preserves its traditional décor
By the way, cafés and restaurants in Tunisia can be used by women alone. In many Arab countries, traditional values often impose restrictions on women acting independently, but in Tunisia, which achieved women’s social advancement relatively early, women travelers face few inconveniences. At M’rabet, women can certainly visit on their own, so there’s no need to worry.
Sitting Cross-Legged with Locals on the Raised Platform
The local style is to relax by lying down or sitting cross-legged
At M’rabet, there’s a local style to the seating as well. In the back of the café, there’s a raised platform where the local way of relaxing is to sit cross-legged. This style of sitting around a low table with your legs stretched out is perfect for spending long hours, and even first-time visitors can quickly blend into the atmosphere.
Ordering Coffee and Cranberry Mint Tea
Before enjoying shisha, I first ordered drinks. I chose the café’s signature strong coffee and refreshing cranberry mint tea. The cranberry mint tea, in particular, is perfect for a break on a hot day, moistening the throat with its refreshing sweetness and mint aroma. Many locals at the café could be seen relaxing with this tea in hand.
Ordering Shisha
You’ll receive a mouthpiece, so don’t worry
Next, I tried shisha, of course. While shisha comes in various flavors, I didn’t hesitate to choose mint, the most popular flavor in Tunisia. When I placed my order with the waiter, he skillfully set up the charcoal and showed me how the smoke rises. The sweet mint aroma wafting throughout the café, along with the faint smell of tobacco, enhanced the relaxed atmosphere even more.
Although shisha isn’t yet widely popular in many Western countries, in Tunisia, it’s quite a common indulgence consumed daily, with people of all ages and genders puffing away morning and night. It’s not unusual to see women passing around a shisha during tea parties, though tourists seeing this sight for the first time might be a bit taken aback.
Even Shisha Beginners Can Relax
My companion, who was a shisha beginner, grew to really enjoy it
I was already familiar with shisha, but my companion was experiencing it for the first time. Even though they had no smoking history whatsoever, they were able to enjoy shisha without choking, so even beginners can confidently give it a try. However, the basic approach to shisha is to enjoy it slowly. If you continuously smoke it, you might experience mild oxygen deprivation and feel dizzy. Also, depending on your physical condition or constitution, there’s a possibility of acute nicotine poisoning, so it’s important not to overdo it while monitoring how you feel.
Final Thoughts
The experience of enjoying shisha among locals in the old town of Tunis is a valuable opportunity to delve deeper into Tunisian culture, something you can’t taste through ordinary tourism. Especially spending time leisurely, forgetting about time in a historic café like M’rabet (المرابط), will become a wonderful memory from your journey. The next time you visit Tunis, please try experiencing shisha in local style at this café.
