1
Tunis Medina
Tunis is one of the great historic cities of North Africa with its old Arab walled town (medina). Here in the souqs, all manner of goods ranging from gold, leather, carpets, perfumes, and household goods are on display amidst an intoxicating oriental atmosphere. Fine Arab architecture sets the stage with notable monuments including the great Zitouna Mosque with its distinctive square minaret and fine re-used byzantine columns; the lavishly sculpted 18th century Torbet el Bey, and the Dar Hussein Museum of Islamic Art.
2
Sidi Bou Said
Sidi Bou Said is considered to be amongst the most picturesque villages in Tunisia. The whitewashed town is picture perfect and has become something of a writers’ and artists’ colony. A profusion of architectural details is on display ranging from traditional blue and green painted doors studded with black nails in patterns, to curving mashrabia grills overflowing with cascades of jasmine and bougainvillea. Souvenir shops are plentiful with reams of prints and watercolours for sale. Said Bou Said can get busy, but is a delightful place to discover on foot over a couple of hours.
3
Bardo Museum
Tunis’ Bardo Museum is one of the great highlights of Tunisia offering a world class collection of brilliantly executed Roman mosaics collected from sites across the country; wonderful sculptures in bronze and marble dating from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD; together with a paleo-Christian section; and Islamic collection. It is generally accepted that the Bardo Museum is the finest in North Africa.
4
Dougga
Dougga (ancient Thugga) is arguably the finest Roman site in Tunisia and has a beautiful rugged rural location. It was the seat of a Numidian principality until annexed by Rome following the battle of Thapsus in AD 46. The site is extensive and notable buildings include the theatre which dates to 168 AD; the very well preserved Capitoline Temple built during the reigns of emperors Marcus Aurilius and Lucius Verus; and the astonishing needle-like Mausoleum of Ateban which rises to a height of 18 metres and is crowned by a small pyramid with a figure of a lion on top of it.
5
El Djem
El Djem (ancient Thysdrus) is the location of a magnificent amphitheatre which is in a better state of preservation that the Coliseum in Rome. The amphitheatre once had a capacity of 30,000 spectators and has huge outer walls rising to a height of three stories. Below ground the visitor can walk through the tunnels and dungeons that once held wild animals, gladiators and criminals prior to them being delivered into the arena. El Djem’s museum houses a collection of mosaics that is second only to that of the Bardo.
6
Kairouan
Kairouan is venerated as the fourth most important holy city in the Muslim world. The city is Tunisia’s spiritual centre and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Preeminent amongst the city’s monuments is the Great Mosque of Okba, one of the largest and oldest mosques in the country. A walking tour is the best way to appreciate Kairouan’s attractive medina and souqs and to see the city’s craftsmen at work.
7
Matmata & the Ksour
The troglodytic houses of Matmata, together with the curious honeycomb-like granaries known as ghorfas, and the fortified Berber settlements called ksour that proliferate in and around Tataouine in southern Tunisia, are so different to most known architectural styles that they look almost ‘alien’. This is perhaps why film director George Lucas was so taken with the area that he featured it in his Star Wars films as Luke Skywalker’s home planet.
8
The Mountain Oases
The Mountain Oases of Chebika, Mides and Tamerza offer some of the most dramatic scenery in southern Tunisia with date palms surviving in rocky clefts, and small streams and waterfalls creating an Eden-like paradise amongst the arid mountains. The villages were abandoned in the 1960s and have crumbled into atmospheric ruins. Several good hikes can be enjoyed in the area.
9
Mediterranean Beaches
Tunisia has a glorious Mediterranean coastline and some beautiful golden sandy beaches. The coastal resorts of Hammamet, Sousse and the island of Djerba offer the best accommodation. Here you can expect extensive modern facilities , swimming pools, thalasotherapy spas, direct beach access, and hours of sunshine on a year round basis. Swimming in the sea is at its best from June to early November when sea temperatures are at their warmest, although outside these months some hotel offer heated pools.
10
The Sahara
The vast rippling sands of the Grand Erg Oriental (or Eastern Sand Sea) engulf southern Tunisia and offer the visitor an immersion into a world where until very recently the camel and desert nomad reigned supreme. It was here that the breathtaking desert scenes from the English Patient and Star Wars were filmed. The Sahara is a magical place; camel rides in the desert, an off-road jeep adventure, sunset drinks on the dunes, or a night under canvas in an air-conditioned tent will provide memories for a lifetime.