A good place to start touring the island is the capital, Houmt El Souk. Crammed full of little white houses with blue doors and a lively morning market, this small town also hosts the interesting Coopérative Artisanale and the Museum of Popular Arts. Just 10 km away, there is the Ras Rmel Peninsula, where pink flamingo colonies abound from Spain and France, and where you have the chance to contemplate magnificent sunsets.
Some 22 km southwest of Houmt El Souk is Ajim, which houses both the main port and the largest palm grove in Djerba. A short distance away, you can see a small whitewashed building that was used in the filming of Episode IV of the Star Wars saga.
In the east, in the resort of Aghir, you can see the Borj El Kastil, a fort built in 1285 by the sailor Roger of Lauria. From there, a dirt track leads visitors to the vestiges of another fort called Borj El Jilliji. Located 18 km from Houmt Souk on a rocky slope, it was constructed in 1745 at the request of Ali Pacha and finished half a century later, coinciding with the reign of Hammuda ibn Ali.
Another defensive structure that you can't miss is Borj El Kebir, which has foundations dating back to Roman times. It is the largest and best preserved local castle, and is one of the most visited historical sites on the island.
In the south, we recommend visiting the charming village of Guellala which has an authentic outdoor pottery workshop and a museum, located on a hill, showing insights into the local customs of Djerba.
Of course, this list wouldn't be complete without the town of Midoun, where the Iberostar Mehari Djerba hotel can be found. Located 5 km northwest of Aghir, it has a lively market of crafts and agricultural products that takes place on Thursdays and Fridays, and is said to be one of the best on the island. In the outskirts of town, you will find an old maassera, a unique underground oil mill, where oil is still produced following traditional methods. Not far from there, you will run into the Jemaa Fadholoûn Mosque, which was built in the Wahabi style and is now abandoned. A stone's throw away from that is the Borj Ben Ayâd, a palace built in 1810 by order of the governor of Djerba.