Nefta

Nefta, in Tozeur governorate, is the religious centre of the Djerid, with more than 24 mosques and about 100 marabouts. Many Sufis regard it as the spiritual home of Sufism, which earned it the name “the Kairouan of the South”. Its old quarter has flat-roofed brick houses with Tozeur-style patterns, and upper floors arching over the lanes. Below the town, the Corbeille, “the basket”, is a palm grove lying in a hollow.

History

Most religious buildings stand in the El Bayadha quarter.

Customs

Dress modestly and ask before entering religious buildings.

Food

Try deglet nour dates, the speciality of the Djerid.

Best time

October to April.

The Corbeille takes its name from its shape: the oasis lies like a basket in the hollow below the town.