Northwest and north of the port is the medina, known as the Ville Arabe (Arab town) during the French period. The richly decorated, lavishly tiled Zaouia of Sidi Mokhtar (5 rue de la Grande Mosquée) is well worth a look in, and next door is the Great Mosque. West of the mosque is the heart of the medina.
The area was damaged during WWII by Allied bombing but its alleys, with blue grills and keyhole-shaped doors, are worth a wander. The tiny rue de Forgerons, still true to its name, is lined with cluttered blacksmiths' workshops.
