Zaghouan

Zaghouan is a small mountain town in northern Tunisia, set at the foot of Djebel Zaghouan about 60 km south of Tunis. As the capital of Zaghouan Governorate, it is known for its natural springs, rosewater production and a calm, traditional atmosphere that feels far removed from the coast.

The town's most famous landmark is the Roman Water Temple, a nymphaeum built around the spring that once fed the Zaghouan Aqueduct to Carthage. Alongside the Roman remains, the compact medina preserves Andalusian and Morisco heritage, including the 17th-century Great Mosque and the Zawiya of Sidi Ali Azzouz, together with terraced gardens on the mountain slopes.

Visitors come for the Djebel Zaghouan National Park, hiking and climbing on the limestone massif, and the nearby abandoned Berber village of Zriba El Alia. Thermal springs, the national park eco-museum and rosewater workshops and distilleries add local experiences, while the surrounding countryside is known for olive oil, fruit and aromatic plants.

Zaghouan works well as a day trip from Tunis, Hammamet or the Cap Bon resorts, and increasingly as a base for nature, heritage and wellness tourism. Its proximity to the capital, agricultural and industrial activity in the governorate, and growing interest in rural and thermal tourism give it relevance for both leisure and business travellers.