Matmata is so great, that it's almost destroyed. This is the town where people didn't build their houses, the dug them. On a fairly plain field, you'll find all these craters in the ground, making the courtyard of a family's dwelling. Two stories have been carved out of the ground, and when looking down, you see openings all over the walls. Openings for windows and doors.
Once inside, don't expect this to be free, the interior is strikingly white, and does not give any cave-feeling. Between some of the courtyards, tunnels have been made.
As Matmata is among the greatest spots on earth, the place is infected by tourists, gnawing up what could have been atmosphere. Locals here are not friendly, and the ones who seem to be, act with your money in mind. When a family invites you in, prepare to buy handicrafts, or at least pay for each and every photo you make! You could soon find yourself discussing the price for each and every photo before entering
someone's dwellings.
Don't let this scare you, though. Even if there were more tourists here, Matmata would stay a must. But if you manage, look around late in the evening or early in the morning, when the number of visitors is far smaller.
Due to it's extraordinary form, Matmata was the location for the Star Wars film. Before you leave for Tunisia, try to see the film first, then you go on to experience Matama.
Standing in front of the port, it can be very modest. Entering the doors, you walk down a dark corridor, but suddenly you're inside the
troglodyte, rising above you with two or three stories.
Left: A courtyard, seen from the sleeping room.
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Traditional sleeping room. This one is no longer in use, well, except for photographing travellers.
The rugged landscape of
Matmata. These days houses above ground steals the attention from the less visible holes in the ground.