Tozeur

Gateway to the Sahara, Tozeur sits in a palm grove of hundreds of thousands of date palms. The old Ouled el Hadef quarter is built of yellow bricks laid in geometric patterns.

History

Ancient Thusuros was a caravan stop on the trans-Saharan routes.

Customs

The poet Abou el Kacem Chebbi, author of the national anthem's verses, was born here.

Food

Deglet nour dates, and "legmi", fresh palm sap, if you find it in the morning.

Best time

October to April. The Sahara Festival in Douz is in late December.

The palm grove is irrigated by more than 200 springs, shared out with a water-clock system devised in the 13th century by the mathematician Ibn Chabbat.