Tunisia Itinerary: One Day in Hammamet
How to spend one day in Hammamet? I will now go back in detail on the three “excursions” we made from our hotel. Of course, we stayed less than a week, and there are many things that I wanted to do but that I will have to keep for another trip, such as going to the Tunisian desert to discover the film locations of Star Wars .
We started our Tunisian getaways with a day in Hammamet, one of the most important Tunisian seaside resorts. We did not make this little excursion with a guide, just a driver, who took us first – thinking that we would love that… – in the tourist medina of the city (“Carthageland“…), Yasmine Hammamet, the neighborhood of big hotels. I did not take a single photo of this tourist attraction quite kitsch and without any authenticity, that’s saying. So, if you take a driver or a taxi, it’s worth telling him what you’re really looking for (authenticity or tourist-catching), it may sound logical but I think he really thought it was That’s what we wanted (moreover most Tunisian tourists were in Carthageland, while the real medina was almost empty of tourists as you will see later).
In short, once things are in focus, here we go for the real visit to Hammamet! As we were already in the area, we started with a small stop on the beach of Yasmine Hammamet. The season was just beginning, and most restaurants and beach bars were still closed, but you could admire the expanse of this huge beach.
We then continued with a short stop at the port of Yasmine Hammamet, a nice harbor with some small restaurants and shops. This is where the mini-cruises start in the Gulf of Hammamet. If the weather conditions allow and you have enough time that day, I think it can be a nice option to discover Hammamet from another point of view (and the tickets were really cheap).
Finally, we finally arrive in the heart of Hammamet: its beautiful Medina! The Medina of Hammamet is unique because it is fully fortified and particularly compact (fortunately because it is a real labyrinth of small streets inside).
We start with a mini walk on the beach that adjoins the medina, filled with small boats of colorful fishermen, and then enter the medina near the Kasbah. To have an overview, we decided to climb to the top of Fort Hammamet, near the entrance to the medina. The entrance fee, but the views are beautiful, although the weather suddenly became very cloudy during our visit!
Going back down, we wander in the alleys of the medina: this is the part of the visit that I preferred anyway! We are almost alone, the streets turn, turn, we get lost voluntarily, knowing that the exit should not be very far… The gates of the medina are particularly photogenic, we go from surprise to surprise!
After our stroll, we finish the visit by going to restaurant at the restaurant La Medina (the only restaurant open that day), overlooking the medina near its entrance. It was quite expensive for Tunisia, but the fish couscous (super fresh) was delicious and very plentiful.
Hammamet is about 1h30 drive from Monastir, and an hour from Sousse: it is an easy excursion if you are in one of these two seaside resorts!
Accommodation in Hammamet
The Sindbad: I slept in this magnificent accommodation north of the medina of Hammamet. This establishment is located by the sea. Its rooms, distributed through pretty gardens, are superb. The Sindbad has several swimming pools and restaurants, including those by the sea, a beach, a spa center, etc. A great address to remember and test for your stay in Hammamet. You can also view all accommodations in Hammamet here. Try to avoid the Yasmine Hammamet area where the big springs are. It lacks charm for my taste.
