TOP
Exploring Tourism in Tunisia
Tunisia
icon Worldwideicon
Places to Visit Details

Galite

Bizerte, Tunisia

Galite

 

Galite is an archipelago of rocky islands of volcanic origin located in the north of Tunisia. Galite is also the archipelago and the northernmost point of Tunisia, but also of all the African continent.

 

The main island in the center of the archipelago, La Galite, measures 5.4 kilometers in length from east to west and up to 2.9 kilometers in width in its eastern part. Bordered by cliffs 200 meters high, it can be approached by the bay of Escueil de Pasque, south of the island. Its highest point, culminating at 391 meters, is the Bout de Somme (Grand Summit) which is surmounted by a watchtower. It is climbed by a rocky path which is the best communication route of the island; This path crosses gardens espaliers where, despite the scarcity of topsoil, grow figs, cacti, olive trees, vines and enough grain to meet the needs of a few families of fishermen. Formerly wooded, the island no longer contains a low bush. The eastern Piton, a cone-shaped ridge located to the southeast of the island, rises to 360 meters.

Apart from the main island, there are two groups of several islets all of which are unaffordable. The western Galitons, located three kilometers southwest of the main island, include Le Galiton (158 m) and La Fauchelle (137 m) which are the second and third largest islands in the archipelago. On the crest of Galiton is a lighthouse 14 meters high.

The Eastern Galitons, nicknamed "The Dogs", are one to two kilometers northeast of the main island. This group consists of three rocks named The Gallo, The Pollastro and The Gallina. The Gallo is the largest of the three rocks and is 119 meters high.

 

The independentist leader of Tunisia Habib Bourguiba is exiled from 21/05/1952 to 20/05/1954 in an old abandoned fort.

Check out more Places to Visit