The Corniche is the spine of La Marsa and the closest thing the city has to an unmissable sight. It is a wide, palm-lined promenade running for about two kilometres along the beach, with cafés, restaurants, ice-cream shops, and a strip of sand wide enough to spread out a towel. In the cooler months it is a place to walk; in summer it becomes the main social space of greater Tunis, packed in the evenings and on weekends.
The atmosphere is unmistakeably Mediterranean and entirely Tunisian — couples promenading, families picnicking, teenagers on motor scooters. Cafés range from cheap-and-cheerful to upmarket; the best ones have terraces directly above the beach. Most have free wi-fi and stay open late. The view across the Gulf of Tunis is at its best in the late afternoon, when the light goes amber and the Sidi Bou Said cliffs to the south stand out clearly.