- Do not believe what people you meet in the medina (market) tell you — you are not late for a festival or celebration. They will lead you to an artisan or carpet shop and getting yourself out of that situation without spending a large sum of money is unlikely.
- You are not in Europe; resist the urge to get upset when someone is invading your personal space. If they see you are genuinely disturbed by them, Tunisians will back off, just be firm.
- Know money conversions and exchange money at the port/airport. 1 dinar is roughly $1.33. Life in Tunisia is less expensive; for example, a plate of couscous at a family run restaurant in a medina is usually about 7 dinar, which includes complimentary appetizers, desert, and mint tea; a beachfront hotel room in Sousse, off-season: €11 a night. That being said, be aware that locals want your money and will overcharge you. Never agree with their first offer—Tunisians expect you to haggle.
- The medina is the place to go for shopping but be smart and firm when dealing with merchants. They will outwit you and rip you off, so don’t be afraid to be ruder than normal. It’s really all par for the course. Once you make eye contact with a vendor, he will assume you are interested and will do anything to make a sale. An easy solution? Wear dark sunglasses while in the medina. And, yes, they will understand you; never in my life have I encountered so many people who speak more than 4 fluent languages. Tunisians mean business—literally.
NYU Student-to-Student Guide: European Travel 