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Tunisia
Like an eager carpet merchant in one of its backstreet bazaars, Tunisia rolls out an irresistible assortment of holiday wares.
Thomson Destinations
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Tunisia's always attracted the rich and famous. Omar Sharif and Sophia Loren loved to holiday here. And plenty of Hollywood stars come here to perform, too. The country's a living film set with blockbusters like Star Wars, The English Patient and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark all shot here. But it's not just about desert backdrops. Inland, the sands give way to citrus and olive groves. And there's a treasure trove of ancient cities left behind by the Phoenicians, Romans, Ottomans and of course, the French. Along Tunisia's coastline is a string of resorts. Like Hammamet, which gazes over the blue Med. Jet-set Port El Kantaoui. And Mahdia, with its storybook old town. But that's only half of it. You've got old medinas in Sousse. More beaches in Skanes and Monastir. When it comes to days out, sightseers and shoppers will feel like kids in a sweet shop. Grab a slice of the past in Dougga, El Djem and Carthage. Or lose yourself in a medina on a magical shopping spree. Tunisia - the north African charmer with plenty of French polish. Things to see and do Dougga Wow' is the word for this phenomenally preserved site. Once an important Roman city, it's Tunisia's answer to Pompeii. A few hours drive from Tunisia's main resorts, it more than rewards your travelling time with its two thousand year-old relics. Amble along its smooth-stone streets, complete with grooves carved by chariot wheels. Stroll amid the scattered pillars of the once people-packed Forum. Peer into the brothel with its waiting rooms and crude inscriptions. Marvel at the awesome, pillared Capitol. And climb the 35 tiers of the amphitheatre for spine-tingling views. El Djem Step into the imaginary sandals of gladiators at this jaw-dropping Roman amphitheatre, 60 kilometres south of Sousse. Built in the 3rd century AD, it's nearly as big as Rome's Colosseum but better preserved, so it's an absolute showstopper. Considered an incredible feat of engineering even today, this monumental edifice once seated 30,000 spectators and played host to bloody gladiatorial contests - some pitting trained fighters against wild animals. You can even tour the cells where the gladiators and the animals were housed before being elevated into the vast arena. Spine-chillingly spectacular. Desert Safaris Forget temples and amphitheatres. The Sahara desert is the biggest mind-blower of all. Book an excursion into Tunisia's southern reaches and grab yourself a slice of this extraordinary natural wonder. Gaze spellbound at the mirage-swathed salt lake of Chott El Jerid. Visit lush, palm-shaded oases. Climb soaring orange dunes. And at dusk, wrap yourself in Arabian robes and trudge across the sands on a camel just as the sun sinks behind the desert mountains. Bedouin Feast Live it up in time-honoured Tunisian style on a Bedouin feast. Sit crosslegged in a desert tent, help yourself to exotic couscous and wine, and stare wide-eyed as belly dancers, acrobats and drummers do their stuff. Add the star-spangled North African sky and it's one big night to remember. Golf Tunisia's status as a golfing hotspot is growing, so if you're into the grand auld game you're onto a winner. Take your pick from the emerald green 18-holers near Port El Kantaoui or hotfoot it to the links of Hammamet and Monastir, all laced with olive groves and magical lakes. Kairouan North Africa's holiest city, Kairouan bulges with mosques, minarets, mausoleums and ancient bazaars. Star billing goes to its Grand Mosque, a vision of stillness compared to the carnival-like colour and clamour of its carpet souk. The perfect combo of sights and souvenir shopping.
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di te rr Bizerte an Cape Bon Sidi ea Bou Kelibia n Said Isola di Carthage TUNIS Pantelleria Hammamet Jendouba Yasmine Hammamet
ALGERIA
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ea
Thala
1554 Jebel Kasserine Chambi
Sousse Kairo
Port el Kantaoui Skanes Monastir Mahdia El Jem
Sfax
Kerkenah
Golfe de Gabes
Gafsa Gabes Kebili Medenine
Tunisia TUNISIA
75 km
© TUI 2005
Tozeur
Chott el Jerid
Ile de Jerba
Beaches If you're looking for sun-bleached shores, you'll strike gold in Tunisia. All its resorts come with beaches worthy of a Bounty ad. Imagine mile upon mile of soft, pure and pale sands. Luminous aquamarine waters. Cloudless blue skies. You get the picture. Most hotels have their own private beaches, so you'll never have trouble finding a sunbed. For postcard-perfect shores, it's hard to beat Hammamet. Here, sands white as laundered sheets swathe the coastline for 10 kilometres. The same goes for Monastir, Sousse, Port El Kantaoui and Skanes, where gently shelving sands dissolve into glittering blue seas. In Mahdia too, you'll find exquisite white sands together with swimming off the rocks around the old town. And because we're talking about the Mediterranean, you'll find the waters warm and calm wherever you go. Watersports are in no short supply. Along every beach and promenade, colourful surf rentals, sailing
schools and dive centres conspire to keep you from your sunbed. Qualified diver? Wriggle into a wetsuit and head for the shipwrecks, rock tunnels and sealife hiding underwater. Skim the waves on water-skis or a windsurf board. Or take to a sailboat from Port El Kantaoui or Monastir marina and waft around the coast seeking out deserted bays and coves.
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