Sfax sits roughly halfway along Tunisia's east coast, just opposite the Kerkennah Islands. With about half a million people, it is the second city of the country after Tunis — but it is not much of a tourist destination. The hotels and restaurants mainly cater for Tunisian business people, and the surprising upshot is that things tend to be cheaper here than in the touristed areas. Sfax is probably one of the best places in Tunisia to buy souvenirs: the quality is higher and the goods are genuine.
The main attraction is the Medina of Sfax — one of the largest and most authentic in the country, enclosed within near-complete 9th-century Aghlabid walls and entered through historic gates like Bab Diwan. Inside, the Great Mosque of Sfax has one of the oldest minarets in North Africa, the Dar Jellouli Museum occupies a magnificent 17th-century mansion, and the Souk El Haddadine fills a lane with the sound of metalworkers. The Kasbah of Sfax in the southwest corner houses the Archaeological Museum with Roman mosaics. The harbour is one of the best places to see working Tunisia in action.
Sfax is also the main departure point for the Kerkennah Islands, reached by a short ferry crossing.