Le Kef

A hilltop old town in northwestern Tunisia. An Ottoman kasbah, a saint's tomb, and Roman baths overlook the plain, and it is the starting point for the Jugurtha tableland and the Makthar ruins.

Le Kef is the capital of Kef Governorate in northwestern Tunisia. It sits on the slopes of Jebel Dyr at about 780 meters above sea level, roughly 170 km from Tunis and 40 km from the Algerian border. The town has more than two thousand years of history. In the Carthaginian period it was called Sica, in Roman times Sicca Veneria. It was later ruled by Byzantines, Arabs, and Ottomans. In the 19th century it was a military stronghold in western Tunisia, and during the Algerian War of Independence it served as a rear base for the FLN. The sights are concentrated in the hilltop old town and can be seen on foot in half a day: the Ottoman Kasbah, the Sidi Bou Makhlouf mausoleum, the Ghriba Synagogue, the early Christian Dar Kous Church, the Roman baths beside Ras Ain spring, and the Folk Art Museum.

Day trips from town: to the southwest, the table-top mountain of Jugurtha's Tableland; to the southeast, the Roman ruins of Makthar, the village of Kesra, and the Elles dolmen field; to the south, the ruins of Althiburos and the fortified city of Haïdra on the border; and to the west, the Roman hot springs at Mellègue. The UNESCO World Heritage sites of Dougga, Bulla Regia, and Chemtou are also within about an hour's drive (already listed in the Tunisia entry).

The best seasons are March–May and September–November, when the plains are green with wheat in spring. Summer days are hot, but the mountain town is cool at night. Winters are cold, with occasional snow.

Getting there: From Tunis, take a long-distance bus or share a louage (shared taxi), a trip of about 2.5–3 hours. Visiting the nearby sites requires hiring a car. Plan 2–3 days. Visitor facilities are limited, and hotel choices are few. Monitor the security situation in mountain areas near the Algerian border, check the latest travel advisories before you go, and avoid driving in rural areas at night.

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