Visiting Sousse is almost like going back in time. The city is home to no skyscrapers and even the modern hotels in the resort area evoke a feeling of being from another era. The tallest building, one of the modern hotels, is all of eight floors.

Founded by the Phoenicians, ruled by the Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Spanish, Ottoman and French, the city of Sousse has had a long and colorful history. Yet most obvious to visitors is that the city retains its Muslim Arab era architecture. While the older influences of the Romans and Byzantines are present the centuries as a major Arab center, especially during the Aghlabid Dynasty have left their mark on the city.

Much of this can of course be seen in the Medina, or old city, which is home to the Rabit, the monastery fortress, and the Great Mosque of Sousse. This area also served as a major part of the coastal defense of the city to fend off attacks throughout the Middle Ages.

One of a dozen of the great Medina quarters in North Africa, the one in Sousse is renowned worldwide for its beauty, with its winding streets and stunning architecture. And the Medina was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.