Mahdia is an old-fashioned and charming town with an unhurried air.
Skifa el Kahla
The entrance to Mahdia’s medina is through the mighty Skifa el Kahla. The gatehouse, with its 44 m long entrance passage, was formerly incorporated in the 175 m long town walls that crossed the peninsula and is one of Mahdia’s most impressive architectural attractions. The present gate is not the original Fatimid structure, having been rebuilt in 1554 using stone from the Fatimid fortress after the spanish destroyed Mahdia.
Medina
Mahdia’s medina is a dinky little place of whitewashed traditional houses, narrow lanes, and colorful washing flapping between windows.
Bordj el Kebir
The mammoth square hulk of the Bordj el Kebir sits just a short distance along the seafront. Built in 1595, this grand fortress is commandingly situated on the peninsula’s highest point and is the town’s most recognizable attraction.
Old Harbor area
Between the Bordj el Kebir and the lighthouse aholds to the old harbor area, with the gorgeously situated cemetery and some interesting scattered ruins. Near the lighthouse are a number of 10 century shiite tombs as well as the remains of some cisterns. The peninsula’s south side was the site of the old harbor, which was probably used as far back as the Punic.