Dar Sebastién and Hammamet Medina Tour: Roaring Twenties villa

A 1920s playboy villa still stands in Hammamet's leafy suburbs, marble halls and all.

A guided tour of Hammamet takes you first to Dar Sebastién, the legendary whitewashed villa built by Romanian playboy George Sebastian in the Roaring Twenties and once home to guests like Paul Klee, Wallis Simpson, Coco Chanel, Erwin Rommel and Winston Churchill. You then explore Hammamet's medieval medina, one of the world's best-preserved North African old towns, dating to the 15th century and still inhabited by local families. The tour runs between four and eight hours depending on your pace. An English-speaking local guide leads both stops, and transport plus entry fees are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Dar Sebastién and Hammamet Medina

• Visit Dar Sebastién villa
• Explore Hammamet medina
• Admire Kabir mosque minaret
• Discover Hammamet Fortress with guide

The experience

The tour starts in southern Hammamet's quiet suburbs, where Dar Sebastién rises behind whitewashed walls. Built in the 1920s, the villa's airy marble halls and colonnaded swimming pool were the backdrop for legendary parties: the kind that drew painters, socialites and generals across continents. You walk through the rooms where that world still lingers in the architecture and the stories your guide carries. The villa sits at the heart of what made Hammamet a destination for Europe's elite between the wars, and stepping inside is stepping into that moment.

From there, the tour moves into Hammamet's medina, the old walled town that dates to the 15th century. Unlike many North African medinas that have been heavily restored or emptied of residents, this one remains inhabited: local families still live in the narrow streets, cook in the courtyards, and move through daily life much as they have for centuries. Your guide points out the Kabir mosque's minaret, the fortress, and the architecture that marks the medina as one of the world's best-preserved examples of its kind. The streets are tight and the pace is yours. You have time to stop, look, and ask questions without rushing toward the next checkpoint.

Transport picks you up from your hotel and brings you back. Both Dar Sebastién and medina entry are covered. The whole experience takes somewhere between four and eight hours depending on how long you linger at each stop and how much ground you want to cover in the medina. Your guide speaks English and knows Hammamet deeply. The kind of knowledge that comes from living there, not from a script.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return transport.
• entry to Dar Sebastién villa.
• medina access.
• English-speaking local guide throughout.

Before you book

Days and timesMondayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (2 to 11 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by TUI Tunisia S.A.

Is this one for you?This is a shared tour with a guide leading both stops, so the pace is set by the group and the guide's expertise shapes what you learn. Choose it if you want the history and context that a local who knows Hammamet can provide, and if you're comfortable with a morning or afternoon structured around two main sites rather than a self-directed wander.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 11 years); Infant (under 2): free.

How long does the tour actually take?

The tour runs between four and eight hours depending on your pace and how much time you spend exploring the medina. Your guide adjusts to your interests, so you control the rhythm.

What was Dar Sebastién, and why does it matter?

Dar Sebastién is a whitewashed villa built in the 1920s by Romanian playboy George Sebastian. It became famous as a gathering place for European artists, socialites and political figures: Paul Klee, Coco Chanel, Wallis Simpson, Erwin Rommel and Winston Churchill all stayed or visited there. The marble halls and swimming pool still stand as they did then.

Is the Hammamet medina still a real neighborhood, or is it a museum?

The medina is a living neighborhood. Local families still inhabit the streets, cook, work and raise children there. It dates to the 15th century and remains one of the world's best-preserved examples of a traditional North African medina, which is partly why it feels authentic, because it is.

What's included in the tour price?

Transport from your hotel, entry to both Dar Sebastién and the medina, and an English-speaking local guide are all included. Food, drinks and gratuities are not.

Will I have free time to explore on my own?

Yes. In the medina especially, you'll have time to wander, look into shops, and discover corners at your own pace while your guide is there to answer questions and point out the history.