At the crossroads of worlds Tunisia receives influences from Western Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Accessible in just 2h30 from the French capital, it is a popular destination for long time vacationers in need of sun, heat, change of scenery close to home. And it’s no coincidence … Tunisia indeed hides many treasures !
Tunisia is first and foremost an oriental, warm and animated atmosphere that is offered to you in a country with history as rich as it is old and which allows to reconcile relaxation, leisure, and discoveries of all kinds, for Unforgettable holidays. You will discover heterogeneous regions with different strengths, so that everyone will find happiness in Tunisia !
Not convinced yet? So read this article and discover some good reasons to make Tunisia your next destination …
Tunis: tours and culture galore
Often shunned by tourists who prefer the seaside resorts, Tunis has the merit of combining traditional culture, modern life and pleasures of the beach ! Cosmopolitan city, the contrasts are striking: while the new city displays an architecture with Western accents, you will find in the Medina a maze of narrow, irregular even labyrinthine streets that come from another time. All roads lead to a souk, organized by trade … but in a happy mess!
Not far from there, Carthage, a Phoenician city, superpower and hub of trade in antiquity located on the sea front. With its Punic vestiges witness of this splendid time, it was classified in the world inheritance of Unesco.
Special mention for Sidi Bou Saïd , village just 20 km from the capital, perched on a cliff overlooking the big blue. With its bright white houses highlighted with turquoise, inherited from the Andalusian culture, it is an ideal city for a day trip !
The seaside resorts: ideal for family holidays
The Cape Bon … this strip of land that forms a peninsula plunging into the Mediterranean is THE appreciated leisure destination . Its beaches with fine white sand, abundant vegetation that allows the harvest of generous fruit, its refreshing oasis and its mild climate are necessarily for something. Some cities are unavoidable, this is the case of Hammamet , or Nabeul seaside resorts particularly appreciated by tourists for their white sand beaches .
Source: Crosa (Flickr)
In the south of the country, the legendary island of Djerba has almost as many beaches as circumference … the embarrassment of choice! The most affectionate is nevertheless that of Sidi Mahres with golden sand. The main town of the island, Houmt-Souk, is characterized by its charming whitewashed houses, its narrow streets, its abundant small squares … and of course by the “souk” that reigns there!
Light on Tabarka the delicious, seaside resort that barely opens to the world. You will be able to blossom on the beaches with finer sand than icing sugar, to admire the seabed of unequaled richness, to perfect your swing … to golf, on the most beautiful green of Tunisia, or to the sound of jazz ! Still little known to the general public , it will wear on you all its charms even in high season.
Large spaces: another facet of Tunisia
The south of Tunisia can be the only reason for a trip! In total immersion in traditional culture, you will see Tunisia in a new light.
At Matmata you will be captivated by the troglodyte dwellings , excavated several centuries ago by the Berbers who wanted to escape the heat of this isolated region. This lunar and unusual landscape was also the setting for Georges Lucas’ famous Star Wars ; notice to the aficionados!
On the road to Tataouine , further south, you will cross the ksours , these old grain granaries in the shape of cells superimposed give the impression of having been designed by bees of a monumental size.
Going up towards the west, you will reach the el-Fejej and el-Djerid chotts , the seas of salt and sand that stretch as far as the eye can see. The salt crystals that sparkle under the rays of the sun, the formation of sand roses, the mirages that make you see shimmering waters on the horizon … A surrealism that really pushes the reflection on the beauty of certain landscapes .
Not far from there, in Tozeur , you will be stunned to see such a fertile oasis at the gateway to the Sahara Desert. Built of sand and clay bricks, the old town is charming, and sets the tone for the aridity that reigns a few miles further south. But paradoxically, you will find in this city a luxuriant vegetation in the palm grove irrigated continuously by the underground hot springs which up to the surface snake under you feet …
For the more adventurous, a visit to the desert of sand is necessary, accompanied by a guide, that goes without saying.
The entrance to the Sahara is officially in Douz – there is actually a door – south of Tozeur, not far from Kebili. Here is an area of 9 065 million km² that challenges you with its spectacular dunes caressed by the wind.
Silence, nature takes back its rights and you become dependent on its kindness … or its excesses! Hot climate during the day, harsh at night; sandstorms when the sirocco is part … thrills, real. The ideal place for a return to the sources.
So, convinced? Often far from the clichés that we want to grant, Tunisia is a land of welcome where the natives will take a real pleasure to receive you as long as you are a minimum “open” to the local culture. And so close to home, why deprive yourself?
To Read Also:
Top 10 things to do in Tunis
Where to stay in Tunis – 2018?
Itinerary: One week in Tunisia 2018
