Peninsula · Tunisia

Cape Zebib

AT A GLANCE

Why go?

Cape Zebib (Arabic Ras Zbib, French Cap Zebib) is a blunt, low-topped headland on Tunisia's far north coast, east of the port city of Bizerte and beside the small hill town of Metline. It is one of the most recognisable promontories along the Bizerte shoreline, jutting out into the open water of the Sicily Channel toward Italy. Offshore lie its two signature rock stacks, and on a clear day you can spot the Cani Islands and their 19th-century lighthouse standing guard a few kilometres to the north.↗↗↗

What draws people here is the combination of a working fishing harbour, clear Mediterranean water, and a headland that has watched over this sea lane for more than two thousand years. Phoenicians, Romans, later Mediterranean powers and 20th-century armies all left their mark on these cliffs and coves, yet it remains an unhurried, almost untouched-feeling corner of the Tunisian coast rather than a built-up resort. For travellers exploring the Bizerte region, it is the scenic, salty-air stop where the land runs out and the sea opens.↗↗

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Peninsula · Tunisia

Cape Zebib

Tunisia, TN 4.5 (53 Google reviews)

Photo: Google Maps

AT A GLANCE

Why go?

Cape Zebib (Arabic Ras Zbib, French Cap Zebib) is a blunt, low-topped headland on Tunisia's far north coast, east of the port city of Bizerte and beside the small hill town of Metline. It is one of the most recognisable promontories along the Bizerte shoreline, jutting out into the open water of the Sicily Channel toward Italy. Offshore lie its two signature rock stacks, and on a clear day you can spot the Cani Islands and their 19th-century lighthouse standing guard a few kilometres to the north.↗↗↗

What draws people here is the combination of a working fishing harbour, clear Mediterranean water, and a headland that has watched over this sea lane for more than two thousand years. Phoenicians, Romans, later Mediterranean powers and 20th-century armies all left their mark on these cliffs and coves, yet it remains an unhurried, almost untouched-feeling corner of the Tunisian coast rather than a built-up resort. For travellers exploring the Bizerte region, it is the scenic, salty-air stop where the land runs out and the sea opens.↗↗

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The Cape of the Raisin Rocks

The name itself comes from the sea. In Arabic, zebib means raisins, and the twin offshore rocks that rise in front of the cape look for all the world like two dark grapes dropped off the headland's edge. They give Cap Zebib its silhouette on the charts and its reputation as one of the most identifiable landmarks on the Bizerte coast. The cape forms the eastern end of the great sweep of the Bizerte roadstead, and the coast to the south-east falls away into low cliffs, sandy hillocks and small beaches fringed by a cultivated plain that reaches toward the village of Ras Jebel.↗↗

Because it stands on this seaward finger, the cape has always been a strategic lookout. Ships threading the narrow Sicily Channel between Tunisia and Sicily pass close offshore, and the rocky islets of Cani, with their old lighthouse, are the most visible companions on the horizon. It is a place defined by its position on the water as much as by the land beneath your feet.↗↗

A Shore Layered with Seafaring History

Cape Zebib's charm is partly archaeological. The headland has served as a harbour, a lookout and a defended point for centuries: Phoenician remains from the ancient settlement of Thinisa lie in the area, and traces of former tuna fisheries recall a time when the rich waters here fed the whole coast. Later military structures built on and around the cape testify to how prized this stretch of shoreline was, and the broad bay between the cape and neighbouring Cap Guardia shelters the site of Skala, itself an ancient port.↗↗↗

You do not need a guided tour to enjoy this heritage; on a Cap Zebib visit the past shows itself more as atmosphere than as reconstructed monuments. Old port lines, weathered fortifications and a fishing harbour that still smells of the day's catch sit against a coastline that has hardly changed in character over generations.↗↗

What to See and Do

Start at the small fishing port tucked beneath the cape, where boats come in and the water is startlingly clear against the rocks. From here easy coastal walks lead toward the natural rock pools of Jwabis and the sea-carved Damous El Holka caves, the kind of shoreline that rewards a slow wander and a camera. The clear Mediterranean shallows make the headland a good spot for swimming and snorkelling, and visitors consistently describe the area as calm, spacious and visually striking, a place to "take a step back" from the busier resort towns.↗↗↗

If you want a little activity rather than just a view, there is a jet-ski hire operation by the harbour, and the surrounding waters have long supported fishing. Afterward, the local restaurants and cafés around the port focus on seafood, the natural payoff of dining where the boats actually land. Set your expectations correctly, though: this is a rocky headland and anchorage, not a long resort beach, so the appeal is dramatic coastline and clear water rather than sand.↗↗

Visiting and Getting There

Cap Zebib lies in the Bizerte Governorate in northern Tunisia, a manageable stop on a circuit of the north coast that can also take in the city of Bizerte and its old port. The headland and harbour are open and free to visit at any time of day, with the main draw being the views, the fishing port and the coastal walks; bring water, sun protection and sturdy shoes for the rocky paths, as facilities are modest.↗↗

Reaching it is easiest by car, as the coastal roads through Metline and Ras Jebel are not well served by public transport, and the same drive lets you pair the cape with sandy Skala beach in the neighbouring bay. Mornings and late afternoons offer the best light for photography and the calmest conditions for swimming, while the open northern exposure means the cape can be breezy and the sea choppy at times. A note from regulars: as with many unmanaged wild coasts, a little litter appears near the viewpoint, so it is worth carrying any rubbish back out with you.↗↗↗

What makes it special

01

Twin offshore rock stacks, the 'raisins' that give the cape its Arabic name, frame one of the most recognisable headlands on the Bizerte coast.↗

02

On clear days the Cani Islands and their 19th-century lighthouse sit offshore, marking the narrow sea lane toward Sicily.↗↗

03

Walk from the fishing port to the natural pools of Jwabis and the Damous El Holka sea caves, then swim or snorkel in the clear shallows.↗↗

04

The area layers Phoenician ruins from ancient Thinisa, old tuna-fishery traces and later military works into a single dramatic shoreline.↗↗

A little planning goes a long way

Best reached by hire car from Bizerte via the Metline / Ras Jebel coast road; public transport to the cape itself is sparse.↗
This is a rocky headland and working fishing harbour rather than a sandy resort beach, so pack sturdy shoes and manage expectations around bathing.↗
Pair the visit with Skala beach in the neighbouring bay, or with the old port of Bizerte, for a full north-coast day trip.↗
Go early or late for the best light and calmer seas; the open northern exposure can make the cape windy and the water rough.↗
Carry water, snacks and sun protection, and take your rubbish out with you, as facilities are limited and litter can accumulate at the viewpoint.↗

About this guide

Compiled with AI assistance from the sources below; this is not a first-hand visit. Place details collected October 5, 2026. Hours, access and ratings can change; confirm with the venue before visiting.

Finding your next place…

Cape Zebib

Why go?

More of Tunisia.

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Finding your next place…

Cape Zebib

Why go?

More of Tunisia.

El Saguia Beach (Plage de la Seguia), Djerba

The Cape of the Raisin Rocks

A Shore Layered with Seafaring History

What to See and Do

Visiting and Getting There

What makes it special

A little planning goes a long way

About this guide