In a galaxy not so far, far away… Tunisia was selected to stage the planet of Tatooine in Star Wars: A New Hope (1977), and three subsequent instalments. Its arid landscapes, vast deserts and intriguing architecture made it the perfect choice for the dry, desolate planet.
The oasis city of Tozeur is a good starting point to explore the Skywalkers’ homeland. Organised tours will take you bounding over sand dunes in a dusty 4x4 to visit these otherworldly locations.
Sidi Bouhlel (AKA Juntland Wastes), north-east of Tozeur, is the canyon in which Luke Skywalker met Ben Kenobi.
The Mos Espa set remains mostly intact, its mise-en-scene a bizarre sight to come across in the remote and ancient Tunisian desert. The set is home to a small Tatooine village and a pod-racing arena.
In the south of the country, the town Matmata is famed for subterranean sandstone dwellings, built by the native Berber people. These structures doubled up as troglodyte homes in A New Hope and The Phantom Menace. You can stay overnight in these underground rooms and eat in a local Tatooine restaurant – if that’s your thing.
And to avoid any confusion... the name ‘Tatooine’ was taken from a real place in southern Tunisia: Tataouine. This city is also home to Berber dwellings and is a popular tourist attraction.
Did you know? Sidi Bouhlel was also the choice location for filming scenes in Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and The English Patient (1996).