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Last Updated: Aug 17th, 2009 - 19:02:51 |
On the northernmost coast of Africa lies Tunisia, a small Islamic republic that is sandwiched between Algeria and Libya but is, unlike its neighbours, a peaceful and politically stable nation.
Tunisia is the smallest of the North African countries. Its population, which speaks a mixture of Arabic and French, is under ten million, the vast majority of whom have Arabian roots, while a minority two per cent or thereabouts are of European and Jewish origin.
Culturally, Tunisia is a fascinating mix, although the different ethnic flavours very much blend and seem to complement each other. In terms of architecture, the buildings range from Islamic structures to Roman ruins. Music has predominantly Arabic influences, while paintings have a distinctly French character.
The country offers a combination of sunny weather, excellent beaches and fascinating culture and has very much centred its tourism industry on the needs of package tourists. There is therefore a wide variety of
accommodation, ranging from budget hotels right through to luxury waterfront villas.
The main destination for tourists is Hammamet, a lively beach town that has developed a distinctly European feel. A third of all tourists to Tunisia end up in the resort, usually in one of the large hotels that have rapidly appeared along the six mile stretch of sandy coastline.
Hammamet has good, clean beaches, although during the peak months of July and August, they are every bit as busy as key European beach destinations. However, the resort is ideal for families and there are plenty of nearby attractions to add interest to the holiday.
The medieval souk, or bazaar, is a must for visitors to Hammamet, with its embroidered kaftans and carpets, glittering trinkets and attractive brass and pottery goods. It is ideal for souvenir shopping or to find
cheap gifts for family back home, although you need to be prepared to haggle to get the best prices.
Seventy kilometres to the north-west of Hammamet is Tunis, the country's capital. The medina, the city's atmospheric centre, is a Unesco world heritage site and is a winding labyrinth of alleys and passages, filled with local sellers trying to press their goods onto unwitting tourists.
While many are well worth purchasing, you again need to be careful not to pay unnecessarily high prices as the original asking price is bound to be higher than the item is worth. In addition, it is usually best to avoid the main route through the medina, as most of the more authentic bazaars tend to be located in the smaller surrounding alleyways.
Around one in ten of Tunisia's residents live in the capital and it very much represents all of the country's different ethnic backgrounds. The traditional medina is surrounded by wider, tree-lined avenues that are
distinctly European in flavour. The National Bardo Museum, which is located in a former palace, is a popular tourist stop, with its vast collection of Roman mosaics and archaeological treasures from the Carthaginian, early Christian and Islamic eras.
A mere ten kilometres from Tunis is Carthage, which was founded in the ninth century. Although it is almost imperative to visit Carthage while in Tunisia, the ruins themselves are not as spectacular as one might expect, as the Romans took apart the majority of the ancient city.
However, the history of the place is so fascinating, and the views so spectacular, that anyone with an interest in people or ancient civilizations would be a fool to miss it.
Africa may seem like a long way away, but Tunisia is in fact a mere three hour flight from the UK. Direct flights leave from the majority of UK airports and the majority of budget airlines have fantastic deals on cheap flights. With European tourist resorts often seeming stiflingly similar, Tunisia makes a refreshingly exotic alternative and is every bit as affordable and as easy to get to.
Call Global Holidays on 0870 1999038
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