Houmt Souk is the island's main town, a place of whitewashed arcades, small squares and a busy fishing harbour, and the church of St Nicolas gives it a reminder that Djerba has never been exclusively one thing. The island has been home to Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities for centuries, and its location on the trade routes of the central Mediterranean brought Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spaniards and Ottomans. In 1560, a Spanish and allied fleet was defeated nearby by an Ottoman force under Dragut, and the victors built a tower of the skulls of the dead beside the harbour, which stood until the nineteenth century. A monument now marks the site.
The old town has a covered souk, with stalls selling leather, silver jewellery, pottery, spices and sponges, and the craft workshops are as much a pleasure to watch as the goods are to buy. The fort of Borj el Kebir, at the water's edge, is a well-preserved Ottoman and Spanish structure with a small museum. Cafés around the harbour serve fresh fish, and the fishermen unload their catch in the early morning.
Riding in town requires patience. The streets are narrow, with traffic and pedestrians in the souk area, and parking is limited. A good rule is to park outside the old centre and walk. On the surrounding roads, watch for scooters that appear from side streets without warning, and for sand on the surface after a windy day. Sun and heat in summer are intense, and drinking water is worth carrying.
Fuel stations are numerous, and the town has everything from supermarkets to garages, as it is the commercial heart of an island of some one hundred and fifty thousand people. The airport is not far, and the causeway at El Kantara, a Roman-built link to the mainland, is an easy half-day ride to the south-east.
Evenings, when the light softens and the arcades fill, are when the old town feels most alive.