Hot springs, mountain views and clear water- your guide to Qurbus

There is a hidden gem that is less than 2 hours from Tunis, surrounded by mountains and Mediterranean water and also has a hot spring for those unpredictable rainy days. That is the tiny town of Qurbus and here is your complete guide to an easy day trip from the capital.

Qurbus? What and where is it?

If you’re going to Tunisia chances are your passing through Tunis. Either by choice or by necessity a stop in capital of Tunisia is bound to happen. And if you find yourself there for a few days and don’t want the commitment of moving cities, there is thankfully a perfect day tip to the small coastal village of Qurbus.

Under 70 km from Tunis and about an hour and half by public transport, Qurbus is an off the beaten track gem. It is also home to one of the few hot springs in Tunisia, Ain Atrous. This spring which juts out at a piping 60 degrees rushes to meet the much cooler Mediterranean sea. Whether there for a quieter beach and crystal clear water, or to join the local crowd in nature’s spa this little cove has a relaxed vibe for everyone. Ain Atrous, the hot spring pours into a small cove via stone plumbing. Before you hit the sea, you can treat yourself to a DIY foot spa, resting your paws on the warmed stones. When you’re ready to jump in, rent a nice shaded lounger for 20 DT, or ditch your gear in a free spot. Now you’re ready to join the crowd of old women, young kids and families vying for that perfect combo of piping hot water and cooling sea waves. There are other beaches in both directions that are quieter and are more suited for just swimming and lounging. Of course there are also a handful of seafood restaurants that pack up around lunch so be sure to secure a spot at the busiest place, the locals always know what’s up! Crystal blue water, hot spring and fresh fish make Qurbus a great day trip.

How to get there?

Now how do you get there? The louage and shared taxi are going to be your bestfriends for this journey.

• A louage is a public transport option in Tunisia. Normally white vans with a red or blue stripe. They are privately owned by the drivers but the routes are normally dictated by needs and government. They are inexpensive and often with listed prices. They depart when they are full.
• A shared taxi is essentially the cousin of a louage and it is normally the same price and runs similar routes, departing when full. The difference is the bright yellow and a red or blue stripe.

Start your trip around 9 and your first stop will be the Bab Aliwa Louage station. At the station look for a louage going to Soliman. At the time of writing (2024) the louage was under the white canopy next to the vans headed to Sousse and Nabeul. If you can’t find it ask around for the louage to Soliman and clarify that you want to end in Qurbus.

• Soliman can be written a few ways just to avoid confusion here they are: Soliman, Sulyman, and Sliman.

Once on, either ask the other passengers the cost of the fare or confirm with the driver. I paid 4DT. The drive to Soliman is quick-maybe 45 minutes to an hour. You will get dropped off at a station where you can connect to Qurbus.

In the Soliman parking lot/station, either ask the driver who just dropped you off or another one of the drivers for the connection to Qurbus. The louage drivers are very helpful and will often walk you over to the right van. The connection was down at the other end from the drop off point- across the street from a bulk nut and sweets shop. (Asking around will be much quicker and more up to date!)

The drive through the mountains and into Qurbus is gorgeous and quick- maybe 20 minutes. I paid around 3 DT for this trip. The louage will go all the way to Qurbus but I recommend getting off a little before you hit the town as that is where Ain Atrous is.

Ain Atrous and it’s surrounding beach is populated with rentable shade and chair set ups. If you want to drop your stuff and go in to the water just find a free spot and work away. The spring is hard to miss ( although I somehow didn’t get a photo of it) but if you want to just swim walk either direction. If you head right from the hot spring, past the restaurants, past the parking lot down the gravel road and down the slope there is a perfect little cove surrounded by mountains and goats. If you head to the left of the spring on the paved road past the restaurants you will keep bumping into small coves and eventually hit Qurbus.

When you are ready to eat, find one of the spots with a fresh smokey grill, a free table and tuck into some great fresh catches.

Getting Back to Tunis

I recommend heading back around 3 or 4pm as the waiting game with Soliman bound and Tunis bound louages can take a bit of time. It is essentially the same journey back but you may trade in a louage for a yellow shared taxi from Qurbus to Soliman. I ended up waiting 30 minutes for the shared taxi to fill up and took the opportunity to try out my recruiting skills as I joined the driver in hawking for passengers to Soliman.

Once in Soliman, track down the Tunis bound louage and then that’s it; you’re back on your way to Bab Aliwa station and the bustling capital of Tunis.

The day trip to Qurbus is easily achieved and is such a nice cleanse from the business of Tunis. Whether you want a spa retreat or just a day by the beach, you’re bound to find it in Qurbus.