Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia.

Dazzling blue and white haven

The extremely photogenic and popular artist’s village of Sidi Bou Said is located 20 Kilometres north of Tunis, capital of Tunisia.

Positioned on a steep cliff top overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Sidi Bou Said was originally known as the village of Jabal el-Menaris.

The town was renamed Sidi Bou Said to honour of Abu Said Ibn Khalaf Yahya al-Tamimi al-Beji a 13th century Sufi Saint who settled here on his return journey from his pilgrimage to Mecca.

The 19th century French baron Rudolph d’Erlanger was responsible for the distinctive blue and white scheme in the village which is reminiscent of a Cycladic Greek island with its whitewashed cubical homes with blue shutters and colourful doors and cobbled and narrow alleyways overflowing with bougainvillea.

Sidi Bou Said. Tunisia. View of a blue door with studded ornamentation in the clifftop village of Sidi Bou Said.

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All images, text and content are copyright Steven Sklifas.