Tunisia

Tunisia is one of Africa’s easiest destinations, a place where tourists almost outnumber the locals in high summer, and flock here for the golden sandy beaches, non-stop sunshine, and exoticism on tap. It’s a country where sand dunes peak like brushstrokes near Douz in the Sahara desert; the beautiful sun-bleached round houses of Jerba & Houmt Souq hide a multitude of ethnic groups, and the parched southern landscapes near Tozeur are contrasted with the sparkling water of the Mediterranean sea that frames Tunisia’s northern and eastern shores. The quiet beaches of the northern coast are a secret from package tourists sizzling on the heaving sandy stretches of Hammamet and Monastir. Star Wars film sets are crammed with tourist groups. The country’s capital, Tunis, is a gritty yet lively urban centre, where the walls of the medina get clogged by day visitors and shopkeepers keen to make a buck.Tunisia also has some fascinating places to stay: a luxury, air-conditioned camp site in the middle of the desert, a revamped, stylish rural dwelling on Jerba island, or old merchants’ inns with kaleidoscopic tiles and sunny courtyards. Though package tourism has brought jobs and relative prosperity to parts of the country, much of traditional local culture still grates uncomfortably against modern influences, so tread lightly and enjoy this diverse, fascinating country.Tunis is a good introduction to the opposing character of Tunisia’s Western and Eastern influences, though it’s by no means the country’s most interesting city. The tangled streets of the medina are crammed with people selling, buying and carting goods around, enveloped in the scent of spices and sweat. Its chaos is infectious and you may end up bargaining to the last dinar with a shopkeeper, before flopping onto a pavement café, savouring your purchase. The medina’s maze is contrasted by the straight lines of the Ville Nouvelle, centred on Ave Habib Bourguiba, a wide, tree-lined street where locals stroll in the evenings amid cafés that dot the sidewalks. Tunis’ best attractions are outside of town: the wonderful Bardo Museum and mysterious ruins of the ancient Carthage are Tunisia’s most comprehensive and fascinating archaeological and artistic sights. The evening hubbub is all strolling families and shy couples, while the younger and the hipper head out to the gorgeous Mediterranean suburb of Sidi Bou Saidfor night-time fun. Tunis is best enjoyed in a day, after which you can move on to smaller and better things