Tunisia Top Ten
One of North Africa's most user-friendly countries, Tunisia is a pocket of winter sun, and perfect for escaping dreary weather in chilly Britain.
Prices are low, hotels excellent, flights short, and the capital Tunis, with its souk full of cheap treasures, a delight. We countdown our top ten of things to do in this fabulous country.
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1.Visit Tunisia’s capital Tunis
Address: Tunis, Tunisia
Tunisia’s capital is only 40 miles from the main tourist resort of Hammamet. The medina (old town) is one of the oldest and biggest markets on the planet. It’s a maze of alleyways lined with tiny shops (souks) and impressive mosques. Don't leave Tunis without visiting the Bardo Museum in the suburb of Le Bardo about 4km west of the city centre. It is housed in a former ruler’s 17th century palace and home to the world’s best collection of Roman mosaics - looking as fresh as when they were made more than 17,000 years ago.
2.Take a trip to Nabeul
Address: Near Hammamet, Tunisia
The centre of Tunisia’s pottery industry is only five miles from the main Tunisia resort of Hammamet. There is a good market on Fridays. There are also plenty of souvenir shops. The beach is about one kilometre from the town centre.
3.Explore Dougga
Address: Near Hammamet, Tunisia
Dramatic is the word to describe one of the best preserved and stunning archaeological sites in North Africa. A good guide will bring the history of this ancient Roman city to life. It’s in the hills two-and-a-half hours north west of Hammamet. The excursion also takes you to Thurburbo Majus to see the remains of another Roman city.
4.Sample a Bedouin Feast
Usually arranged by your tour company make an evening visit to a Bedouin village and savour traditional Tunisian culture. See Arab horsemen and belly dancers. Plenty to eat and drink.
5.Take a desert safari to the Sahara
Another excursion usually arranged by your tour company you can take a two or four-day safari into Tunisia’s desert region. It’s a memorable adventure and among other things you’ll see troglodyte caves, a salt lake and an oasis. Top tip: Take a small bottle of water on full-day trips. It’s easy to become dehydrated even though drinks stops are built into the programme.
6.Seek out ruins in Carthage
Address: Near Tunis, Tunisia
A popular half-day tour from Tunis is to Carthage. Once the third largest city in the Roman Empire, what remains of Carthage is scattered over a large area in a Tunis suburb and you have to use your imagination if you want to experience something of its glorious past. There are a few gems: in particular the remains of the Antonine Baths - the largest in the Roman world.
7.Relax in Sidi Bou Said
Address: Near Tunis, Tunisia
This delightful town is a gem - a masterpiece of Andalusian architecture. As the tour buses pull into Sidi Bou Said the area is lined with souvenir stalls and sweet shops. Just a couple of hundred yards away is the main drag, a steep, narrow cobbled street that rings with the tapping hammers of brass workers. The popular Café des Nattes is always crowded and is a favourite spot for watching the passing promenade.
8.Take a Star Wars Adventure
Address: Near Tozeur, Tunisia
The man-made village, a few kilometres from Tozeur, is surrounded by the sun-bleached Sahara sand. In fact, before reaching Tozeur you will already have seen troglodyte villages set into hillside and the genuine Ksar Haddada, which was used for filming the Mos Espa slave quarters in Star Wars, The Phantom Menace is also on the itinerary. Also, again near Tozeur, is Hotel Sidi Driss where you can be photographed in the interior of Luke Skywalker’s home, which appeared at the beginning of Star Wars. Perfect for film buffs wanting some movie magic.
9.Visit at Roman Coliseum
Address: El Djem, Tunisia
The Roman Coliseum in El Djem is superbly preserved with a surprising amount of “terracing” and external stone walls still intact including a great deal of the highest terraces. Here, when the Romans ruled Tunisia, gladiators would do battle with wild animals watched by as many as 30,000 spectators all baying for blood - presumably the animals. On fight days the central arena was camouflaged with trees and shrubs to create a forest or jungle and the wild cheetahs and lions released from cages built deep in the bowels of the coliseum before battle commenced. Stand in the centre of the coliseum and you can begin to imagine some of the atmosphere.
10.Haggle in the Souks
Address: Tunis or Hammamet, Tunisia
For a spot of shopping head to your nearest souk – usually located in the medina of the major cities and resorts. Smells, sights and sounds surround the senses; traditional Tunisian food, ground coffee mingling with roasting meat, sparkling silver and brass souks, Tunisian puppets, piles of freshly baked bread, hat makers, leather jackets, delicate filigree bird cages and pottery. It’s also the perfect place to pick up an authentic holiday bargain.
Photographs courtesy of The Tunisian National Tourist Office
Souk image courtest of Colin Antill - fotoseeker.com
| Written by | Claire Maguire |
|---|---|
| Travelled to: | USA, Australia, Europe |
| Favourite city: | San Francisco |
| Favourite holiday adventure: | Staying in a rainforest retreat in Australia |
Buy carpets at souks marked ONAT, which means the carpets are government inspected and approved. They will parcel up your carpet and send it to you by air, which is usually included in the price. Depending on price, you may have to pay VAT in the UK.
A good, cheap way to get around the city is to take the louages – shared taxis, usually white Peugeot vans with a blue stripe along the side (red stripes are for longer trips between cities).
Try a few words of Arabic which will be appreciated by Tunisians. Even ‘Yes’ (N’am); ‘No’ (La) and ‘Please’ (Min fadlak) would be enough to raise a welcoming smile. And before you leave after your fascinating holiday don’t forget to say thank you! (shøkran).