What's on in Djerba, Tunisia through the year

Busy — Ramadan, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  Ramadan

  25 Jan – 25 Mar · usuallyClosures

  The resort strip at Sidi Mahrez carries on as normal, but Houmt Souk and the villages inland are shut through the day and the island's roads empty around sunset. Source ↗

Still on: Olive harvest (1 Nov – 15 Jan (usually)), Out of season (15 Nov – 15 Mar (usually))

Busy — Ramadan, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Ramadan (25 Jan – 25 Mar (usually)), Out of season (15 Nov – 15 Mar (usually))

Busy — Ramadan, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Ramadan (25 Jan – 25 Mar (usually)), Out of season (15 Nov – 15 Mar (usually))

Busy — El Ghriba pilgrimage, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  El Ghriba pilgrimage

  25 Apr – 31 May · usuallyJewish holidaysCrowded

  The annual Jewish pilgrimage to the El Ghriba synagogue at Erriadh, timed to Lag BaOmer. It has been a much smaller and more heavily policed affair in recent years than it was a decade ago. Source ↗

Busy — El Ghriba pilgrimage, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: El Ghriba pilgrimage (25 Apr – 31 May (usually))

Busy — Swimming season, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Season

  Swimming season

  1 Jun – 31 Oct · usuallySea warm enoughCrowded

  The water round the island is shallow and slow to cool, so the swimming runs well past when the charter flights thin out. September and October are the pick of it. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Swimming season, The August peak

• Season

  The August peak

  15 Jul – 31 AugSchool holidaysCrowdedBook early

  Tunisian families take the causeway across and European charters run at full load at the same time; hotels, ferries and the Houmt Souk restaurants are all at their limit. Source ↗

Still on: Swimming season (1 Jun – 31 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Swimming season, The August peak

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Swimming season (1 Jun – 31 Oct (usually)), The August peak (15 Jul – 31 Aug)

Busy — Swimming season, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Swimming season (1 Jun – 31 Oct (usually))

Busy — Swimming season, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Swimming season (1 Jun – 31 Oct (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Nature

  Olive harvest

  1 Nov – 15 Jan · usually

  The groves that cover most of the island's interior are picked and the small presses run through the night. It is the season the island works rather than performs. Source ↗

• Season

  Out of season

  15 Nov – 15 Mar · usuallyOff-season shutdownClosures

  A good share of the beach hotels close outright and the ones that stay open run skeleton kitchens. Houmt Souk keeps going because people live there, which makes it the better base now. Source ↗

Quiet — school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Olive harvest (1 Nov – 15 Jan (usually)), Out of season (15 Nov – 15 Mar (usually))