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Tunisia spans from the Mediterranean coast in the north to the Sahara Desert in the south - conditions in December vary significantly depending on which part of the country you’re visiting. December is deep low season on the coast but prime time for the Sahara, Roman ruins, and cultural immersion at rock-bottom prices.
Cool Coast, Warm South: Tunisia’s Winter Regional Split Returns
December temperatures by region
| Region | City | Avg High | Avg Low | Sea Temp | Rain (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Coast | Tunis | 15°C | 9°C | 17°C | 9–11 |
| North Coast | Bizerte | 14°C | 8°C | 16°C | 9–11 |
| Cap Bon | Hammamet | 16°C | 9°C | 17°C | 8–10 |
| East Coast | Sousse | 16°C | 10°C | 17°C | 7–9 |
| East Coast | Monastir | 16°C | 10°C | 17°C | 7–8 |
| Central | Kairouan | 15°C | 7°C | - | 5–6 |
| Central | El Jem | 15°C | 7°C | - | 5–6 |
| Island | Djerba | 18°C | 10°C | 18°C | 5–6 |
| Sahara | Tozeur | 16°C | 5°C | - | 1–2 |
| Sahara | Douz | 17°C | 4°C | - | 1–2 |
Sahara nights drop to 3–6°C. Sleeping bags rated for near-freezing temperatures are essential for overnight bivouacs.
Northern Tunisia (Tunis, Bizerte, Cap Bon) averages 12–15°C with regular rainfall - December is the wettest month in the north, with 70–80mm spread across the month. Grey skies are frequent. It is cool but mild by northern European standards - roughly equivalent to a UK autumn.
Central Tunisia (Kairouan, El Jem, Sbeitla) is drier at 14–18°C. Cool mornings warm to pleasant afternoons. A light jacket is needed throughout the day, with warmer layers for evenings.
The Sahara is at its most photogenic. Tozeur and Douz average 14–18°C by day, dropping sharply to 3–6°C at night. The air is clear and dry, the light is low and golden, and the desert landscape is at its most dramatic. Warm clothing is essential for evenings and early mornings - overnight desert bivouacs require sleeping bags rated for near-freezing temperatures.
Sea temperatures drop to 16–18°C - too cold for swimming. Beach resorts are closed or on minimal operations.
Festival International du Sahara at Douz: Camel Racing and Bedouin Culture
Sahara Festival (Festival International du Sahara), Douz. Held in late December, this is one of Tunisia’s most distinctive events. The festival celebrates Saharan Bedouin culture with camel racing, traditional music, sand hockey, and poetry. Douz fills with visitors from across Tunisia and a handful of international travellers. The atmosphere is authentic and regional rather than tourist-oriented. If your December trip can coincide with the festival, it is worth the effort.
Olive harvest continues. The olive pressing season runs through January. Mills in the Sahel (Sfax area) and Cap Bon operate at full capacity. Fresh olive oil is available at markets - December oil is the freshest of the year.
Christmas and New Year. Tunisia is a Muslim-majority country and Christmas is not a public holiday. Hotels in Hammamet, Djerba, and Tunis that cater to European guests offer Christmas Eve dinners and New Year celebrations - typically gala dinners with live music. Outside the hotel bubble, December 25th is a normal working day. New Year’s Eve generates more visible celebration, with restaurants and some public venues marking the occasion.
Mawlid and Ramadan shift annually. When either falls in December, the character of the month changes - check dates before booking.
Sahara and Roman Sites at Their Most Atmospheric in Winter Light
Sahara. December is joint-best (with January) for the Sahara. Douz camel treks, the Grand Erg Oriental, overnight bivouacs, and the Sahara Festival make the south the primary draw. Tozeur oases and the Chott el-Djerid salt lake are excellent in clear winter light. Matmata’s underground Berber houses are atmospheric - the troglodyte architecture was designed for exactly these temperature ranges. See our Sahara desert tours from Tunis guide for structured itineraries combining all the southern highlights.
Roman ruins. El Jem, Dougga, Sbeitla, and Carthage are uncrowded and pleasant in December. Cool temperatures suit extensive walking. The sites feel solemn and impressive without summer tourist traffic.
Tunis and the medina. Tunis in December is at its most local. The medina souks are busy with Tunisian shoppers rather than tourists. The Bardo Museum, the Dar Ben Abdallah palace museum, and the Zitouna Mosque are all excellent rainy-day cultural visits. Sidi Bou Said is quiet but open - fewer cafes operate, but the village’s beauty is unaffected by season.
The Bardo Museum is genuinely best visited in December - the Roman mosaic collections covering Carthage, Dougga, and Thuburbo Majus require time and space to appreciate properly, and December crowds give you both. Allow a full half-day. The hammams in the old medina operate year-round: Hammam du Pacha (near the Zitouna Mosque) charges 5–8 TND entry and is the most atmospheric. December afternoons in the medina are when Tunis looks most like itself - the souks lit with winter light, the smell of roasting coffee from the spice traders, families buying ahead of the school holidays. The quarter around the Dyer’s souk (Souk des Teinturiers) and the Perfumers’ souk (Souk el-Attarine) is uncrowded and entirely unperformed.
Djerba in December. Djerba is the warmest part of Tunisia in December, averaging 18–20°C by day with only 5–6 rain days. It sits 33° north - comparable to Sicily - and the island’s south-facing position means more sun than the mainland. The beaches are too cool to swim (18°C sea temperature) but entirely walkable; the long beach at Sidi Mahrez is deserted outside of the brief Christmas surge. December is the best month to visit the island’s most distinctive sites without crowds: the ancient El-Ghriba synagogue (operating, visitors welcome), the pottery village of Guellala, and the Houmt Souk market in the main town. The Roman Bordj el-Kebir fort overlooking the harbour is a short walk from the souk and rarely visited. December hotel rates on Djerba are 40–60% below August peak; see our where to stay in Djerba guide for all island options, or browse hotels in Djerba for current prices.
Thalassotherapy spas. December offers the cheapest spa packages of the year. Thalassotherapy centres at Hammamet and Djerba discount heavily to attract winter visitors - multi-day treatment packages can be 30-40% below summer rates. For travellers who want wellness and warmth (relative to northern Europe), Tunisia in December is strong value. See our where to stay in Hammamet guide or browse spa hotels in Hammamet for December package rates.
Cheapest Month Alongside January: Spa Hotels at Deep Discount
December is the cheapest month alongside January. Coastal resort occupancy is near zero outside the Christmas-New Year week, when a small surge of European visitors boosts Djerba and Hammamet briefly. Sahara lodges at Tozeur and Douz are moderately busy - the Sahara Festival at Douz attracts visitors, and the desert season draws steady bookings.
Flights are at minimum frequency and cost. A handful of winter charter flights serve Djerba from Germany and France. Scheduled carriers offer reduced timetables. Domestic transport runs year-round on slightly reduced winter schedules.
Tunisian school holidays cover roughly two weeks around Christmas and New Year, bringing some domestic tourism to the south and Djerba - but the impact on availability and pricing is minimal for international visitors.
December Logistics: Festival Period Fills Fast - Book Douz Early
See our Tunisia in winter guide for the full Dec–Feb picture, the best time to visit Tunisia for a year-round breakdown, or the 7-day Tunisia itinerary for a route covering north and south. December is the peak month for Sahara desert tours from Tunis - the Festival du Sahara in Douz draws significant interest and group tours fill weeks in advance.
Plan Your Trip
December is joint-best with January for the Sahara. If your dates can overlap with the Festival International du Sahara in Douz (late December), plan well ahead - Douz accommodation and guided Sahara tours fill weeks in advance for the festival period. Spa hotels in Hammamet and Djerba offer their lowest rates of the year; thalassotherapy packages in December are genuinely cheap. A hire car is almost essential for the southern circuit - book in advance if flying into Tozeur. The Bardo Museum and Carthage are excellent in December’s quiet winter light; Tunis tours run on short notice with no booking pressure.
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