Tunisia travel guide
Tunisia is a land of sand, with glorious Mediterranean beaches and the rolling Sahara, plus ancient souqs and abundant adventures
Tunisia for some is a fly-and-flop beach destination. And with a lovely climate, fine Mediterranean beaches and cheap flights, who can blame them? However, Tunisia has plenty for the more adventurous traveller too.
Wave goodbye to the package holidaymakers at the airport in Tunis and jump aboard a louage to the Roman city of Dougga or the lovely mountain town of Le Kef. Other less touristy destinations include Sfax and Kairouan, where you can potter around the souqs, steam away your troubles in a hammam and gorge on couscous.
If you’ve always dreamed of crossing the Sahara by camel, Tunisia is the place: fly to Tozeur or bus it to Douz, where bona fide explorers can also rent a 4WD to access the remote south.
Wanderlust recommends
- Gallop across the Sahara Desert on horse-back
- Take a weekend break in Tunis
- Scrub yourself clean in a hammam
- Head to Kairouan, one of Islam’s holiest sites and a world away from the touristy coastal resorts
- Visit Douz at the end of December for the Festival of the Sahara
- Bargain in the souqs of Sfax – one of Tunisia’s most unspoilt walled cities
Wanderlust tips
Always use licensed cabs, especially from the airport, and ask around first about how much the fare should be.
If you hate haggling, head to one of the government-run Socopa shops for quality souvenirs without the patter. Otherwise, learn a few words of Arabic and bargain hard over a few glasses of mint tea.