# Palais Harran

Palais Harran is a seven-room guest house in a restored 13th-century mansion at 15 rue El Khadhraouine, inside the UNESCO-listed medina of Kairouan, a few steps from the Great Mosque. Guests are served a Tunisian breakfast and traditional Kairouan cooking; price on request.

Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/hotels/palais-harran-kairouan/

Palais Harran is the place to stay overnight in the Kairouan medina rather than visiting on a day trip: a 13th-century aristocratic mansion, restored with traditional techniques, whose seven rooms surround a courtyard a few steps from the Great Mosque. Staying here lets you see the holy city early in the morning, as the monuments open.

## A 13th-century house

The house has kept what gives the medina's grand homes their prestige: carved wooden ceilings, stained glass and zellige (cut glazed tiles assembled into mosaics). Tunisian craftsmen carried out the restoration, down to the traditional beds handmade by a master artisan. The courtyard and its arches also host weddings, engagement parties and photo shoots: it is worth asking when you book whether an event is planned during your stay.

## Seven rooms, two from the 13th century

The seven rooms are named after women: Yasmine, Ibtissem, Dhouha, Douja, Awatef, Jamila and Behja. All have a private bathroom with a walk-in shower, air conditioning and heating, Wi-Fi and daily housekeeping. They range from 20 to 30 m².

Two are the mansion's original rooms, and these are the ones to ask for. Jamila's Chamber, the oldest in the palace, with its 800-year-old carved wooden canopy, sleeps three; Behja's Chamber, with its gilded canopy bed, is made for a couple. Of the others, Yasmine looks over the lanes of the medina and Awatef faces the courtyard.

## Food

Palais Harran serves its guests a Tunisian breakfast and traditional Kairouan cooking. There is no restaurant open to the public. Kairouan is also the home of makroudh, a pastry of semolina, dates and honey.

## Coming soon

The house is preparing a wellness area with a hammam, sauna, pool and massage room, as well as rooftop dinners. These are announced as "coming soon": at the time of writing they are not open. Sabaro checks their status before each stay.

## Kairouan from the doorstep

The medina of Kairouan, founded in 670 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, is the leading holy city of the Maghreb. A combined ticket covers its monuments: 20 Tunisian dinars (TND), about €6, for non-residents, rising to TND 30 from 1 January 2027. It includes:

- **the Great Mosque**, or Mosque of Uqba, the first founded in the Maghreb, whose courtyard non-Muslims may visit; mornings only, until 2 pm, and until noon on Fridays, local time;
- **the Zaouia of Sidi Sahbi**, known as the "Barber's Mosque", with courtyards clad in ceramic tiles;
- **the Aghlabid Basins**, 9th-century reservoirs, under restoration since July 2025;
- **the Mausoleum of Sidi Abid el Ghariani**, with Andalusian coffered ceilings, closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

The medina's carpet workshops are open to visitors; outside town, the Raqqada National Museum of Islamic Art (TND 5) displays leaves of the Quran from the earliest centuries. Details are on our [Kairouan](/en/tunisia/kairouan/) page and in our [sites and museums](/en/guides/sites-et-musees-tunisie/) guide.

The Roman site of Sbeïtla, 109 km away, lies in Kasserine governorate, which several European foreign ministries advise against; see our [Tunisia safety](/en/guides/securite-tunisie/) guide. Kairouan itself is not in any area advised against.

## Getting there

Kairouan has no airport. The nearest are:

- Enfidha-Hammamet (NBE): 65 km, about 1 hour;
- Monastir (MIR): 67 km, about 55 minutes;
- Tunis-Carthage (TUN): 174 km, about 2 h 30.

Sousse is 56 km away, about 45 minutes. The house arranges transfers on request. The address is 15 rue El Khadhraouine.

## Season

Kairouan lies inland, and summers are hot: an average high of 38 °C in July. The best months are March to May and October to November. Winter days stay mild, around 18 °C, but nights drop to about 7 °C: the house is heated. The Mouled, the festival of the Prophet's birth, is celebrated every year in Kairouan; in 2027 it is estimated for 14 August (see [Mouled in Kairouan](/en/events/mouled-kairouan/)). Ramadan 2027 is expected from 8 February to 9 March.

## Price and tourist tax

Price on request: no offer was available for the dates Sabaro checked, and Sabaro obtains the rate from the house.

Tunisia's tourist tax is paid on top, on site: TND 8 per person per night in three-star hotels and TND 12 in four- and five-star hotels, for up to ten nights; Sabaro confirms the amount the house charges. At the Central Bank of Tunisia rate of 19 October 2026, €1 buys TND 3.36.

## Sabaro's view

**Who for**: travellers on a cultural tour, couples, architecture lovers (see [museums and culture](/en/themes/museums-and-culture/)).

**Strengths**: the 13th-century house, Jamila's and Behja's chambers, the Great Mosque a few steps away.

**Worth knowing**: the wellness area and pool are not open yet; there is no restaurant open to the public.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Palais Harran have a pool?

Not yet. The house announces a pool, hammam, sauna and rooftop dinners as "coming soon".

### How many nights should I spend in Kairouan?

One or two nights are enough for the Great Mosque, the mausoleums, the basins and the medina, visiting early in the morning when the monuments open.

### Can non-Muslims visit the Great Mosque?

Yes, the courtyard is open to visitors, with a view into the prayer hall, in the morning until 2 pm, and until noon on Fridays. Dress and etiquette are covered in our [customs in Tunisia](/en/guides/usages-tunisie/) guide.

### How do I get to Palais Harran from the airport?

The house arranges transfers on request, from Enfidha-Hammamet (about 1 hour) or Monastir (about 55 minutes).