10 Best Places to Go Shopping in Sousse

The Sousse Medina is an atmospheric labyrinth of narrow cobblestone streets and whitewashed buildings with beautiful wooden doors and trimmings dating from the early Islamic period. Shopping in the Medina Souk is a must-do experience when visiting this seaside city. 

You will encounter colourful displays of quality craftsmanship from hand-painted ceramics and wood carvings to beautifully crafted leather goods, baskets, lamps, clothing and shoes, alongside giant sacks of aromatic spices and local food vendors and eateries. Some of the vendors are eager to haggle so make note of what you want to spend and stick to it. Beware of scammers claiming to be from your hotel and always go along with your friends or family. 

Right outside the medina in the centre of Sousse, Soula Shopping Centre offers several floors of pleasant, air-conditioned shopping with reasonable prices. There's no need to haggle as prices are marked, which can be a relaxing break from bargaining in the souks. But if you do want to haggle for lower prices, the Soula Centre is a good place to browse to get an idea of local prices before heading out to haggle.  

The top-floor cafe offers great views of the old city and harbour, with good, reasonably priced food. If a visit to the Magic Eye Museum is on your radar while in Sousse, combine it with a trip to the connecting Soula Shopping Centre. 

If you’re looking for a wide choice of beautiful artisan pieces, Karrma Concept Store is a must-stop in Sousse. The family-owned business works exclusively with Tunisian artisans to offer a curated selection of items with elevated craftsmanship and creativity. Karrma is prized by locals and visitors for its high-quality ceramics, olive wood pieces, creative clothing and accessories, jewellery and homewares at affordable prices.   

The staff are warm, welcoming and unintrusive, leaving you free to browse in peace and comfort with no obligation. But with so many original artistic pieces at good prices, most visitors can’t resist taking home a selection of tasteful, hand-crafted Tunisian pieces to cherish. 

Found in the Sousse medina, Rosa Leather specialises in hand-crafted leather pieces. Each item is constructed by skilled leather artisans using age-old techniques and contemporary designs to produce a wide range of belts, bags, jackets, coats and accessories for men, women and children. 

Upstairs you can visit the tailors’ workshop and witness the leather tailoring process. You can select pieces off the rack which they can adjust to your size on-site or create a custom piece for you. Rosa Leather offers a glimpse into the world of traditional Tunisian leather work adapted to modern trends. 

For western-style shopping in a sleek, modern setting, head to the ultra- contemporary mall of Sousse. Indulge in some retail therapy at this large, comfortable mall where you’ll find the familiar range of international clothing brand boutiques you’ll find in Europe. Note that the prices are also similar to those in Europe. It even has a huge carrefour supermarket.  

The Mall of Sousse is large, clean and easy to navigate. The food court is popular, offering a mixture of local and international restaurants with good prices. Families love the children's play area, cinema and bowling. 

Quarré de Chocolat elevates artisanal chocolate-making and presentation to its pinnacle. The boutique offers luxurious chocolate crafted by passionate artisans who take their craft very seriously, aiming to bring joy with every bite. Their pistachio chocolates are a particular local favourite. 

The chocolates come with immaculate and creative presentations in a range of box shapes and sizes, that can be personalised for occasions such as Mother's Day, birthdays and anniversaries, or to commemorate the birth of a child. Quarré de Chocolat also offers a delivery service around Tunisia. 

Papillon Shopping Centre is a colourful artisan gift store located on the north side of Sousse not far from the sea and conveniently open till late. Papillon is like an indoor souk with good prices but without the haggling. You’ll find beautiful glassware, traditional handicrafts, natural cosmetics, artisan jewellery and a wide range of souvenirs. 

The English and Russian-speaking staff are friendly and welcoming without being intrusive. It makes for a pleasant shopping experience where you can browse freely and pick up unique souvenirs at good prices.  

If you are enjoying a visit to Las Vegas Beach or Aquasplash at the northern end of Sousse, Megastore Gifts is a good stop-off to pick up some souvenirs. Its 2 life-size elephant statues out the front are unmissable, welcoming shoppers to come inside and explore a large selection of leather goods, clothing, handbags, spices and beauty products.

You’ll find some more unusual items at Megastore too like coconut shell bags and dancewear and accessories. Megastore is geared towards tourists, so you’ll find plenty of small trinkets that are easy to transport like fridge magnets and scarves. 

Anyone who appreciates high-quality, hand-painted ceramics must visit La Maison de la Céramique in the old quarter of Sousse. You’ll find artistic displays of beautifully painted plates with vibrant and tasteful colour schemes, plant pots, water fountains, frames, dishes, vases, tajins and even small dioramas.  

Found in the Sousse medina, La Maison de la Céramique is housed in a lovely, old courtyard with high arches and skylight, which is a pleasure to explore in itself. This pottery haven is a treat for the senses where everything is beautiful, and the prices are fair. 

The desserts at Madame Trabelsi Pastry Shop look so lovely, you almost don't want to bite into one. But once you do you won't regret it. The beautifully crafted desserts, pastries and chocolates with intricate designs and decorations are divine to look at while they awaken the taste buds at the same time.  

The location is a little out of the way in the northwest of Sousse, but if you are in the area and looking for something special, Madame Trabelsi is the place. There are lots of options for kids ranging from colourful fresh juices to doughnuts and a good selection of ice cream.