It may be but a slim wedge of North Africa’s vast horizontal expanse, but Tunisia has enough history and diverse natural beauty to pack a country many times its size. With a balmy, sand-fringed Mediterranean coast, scented with jasmine and sea breezes, and where the fish on your plate is always fresh, Tunisia is prime territory for a straightforward sun-sand-and-sea holiday. But beyond the beaches, it’s a thrilling, underrated destination where distinct cultures and incredible extremes of landscape – forested coastlines, Saharan sand seas in the south – can be explored in just a few days.
We spent one night in the city of Sfax, which is located on the east coast of Tunisia, just 270 km south of Tunis (highway from El Jem – 2,2 TND). The city was founded on the ruins of Roman Taparura in 849. By the end of the 10th century, Sfax had become an independent city-state. The...
Since we could not make it on time to Sfax, we have decided to overnight in El Jem. After arrival at the parking just in front of the ancient Amphitheatre, a policeman on a scooter has arrived and politely asked us to follow him to nearby safer gated parking (1 TND, free toilets). Others...
Mahdia is occupying a narrow peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea, it is blessed with a truly spectacular setting. We have explored relaxed cobblestone medina with whitewashed houses, which spreads through the length of the narrow peninsula to Cap d’Afrique. There are many...
Today we were in Monastir – a lovely city on Tunisian’s central coast set along a superb coastline with a blue sea and long golden sandy beaches. Monastir was founded on the ruins of the Punic–Roman city of Ruspina. The town has the oldest and the most important ribat (coastal fort...
Today we were exploring Tunisia’s third-biggest city. It is an important port and commercial center that originated as the Phoenician settlement. It was used also by Hannibal as his base during the Second Punic War (218–201 BC). Sousse changed its allegiance during the Third Punic...
We spent one night in Hammamet on the Cap Bon peninsula. Our truck was parked near the Yasmine Harbour – finest Hammamet’s resort with its long sandy beach and pleasant marina with few restaurants (Beef burger 7 TND, Pizza Margherita 8 TND, Gordon Bleu 14 TND, Citronade 3,5 TND). In the...
Late afternoon we have arrived in Kélibia, a coastal town on the Cap Bon peninsula. Its sand beaches are considered some of the finest in the Mediterranean, so we have decided to park at the famous El Mansourah beach. We have scrolled around the sandy beach and tasted local Bambalouni...
Around lunchtime, we have arrived at the site of an ancient Punic city in north-eastern Tunisia, near Cap Bon. Kerkouane town existed for almost 400 years and nowadays it’s one of the most preserved Punic settlements and it’s listed in UNESCO (entrance 8 TND). It was probably abandoned...
In the morning we made it through the busy town and its narrow streets to the El Haouaria Port on the other side of Cap Bon. We started our two-hour hike from the small quiet fishing harbor. There is a path leading to the great cliffs rising up from the turquoise wild sea, from there we...
After 3 hours drive from Sidi Bou Said we have arrived at the tip of the Cap Bon Peninsula. A few kilometers behind the El Haouaria town is located its main attraction, the Roman quarry caves (entrance 10 TND). They are dramatically set at the ocean´s edge. The caves were first quarried...