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Holidayco.co.uk specialises in cheap Tunisian holidays, package holidays and late deals to a huge number of destinations. Find out more about Tunisia in our guide below.

Holidays in Tunisia

Tunisia lies on the north (Mediterranean) coast of Africa between Algeria and Libya. The nation gained independence from France in 1956. Tourism was determinedly promoted as a national industry, creating a large industry that employs a considerable segment of Tunisian society.

Although Tunisia is an Islamic country, society is open and moderate, with better rights for women than most similar states. Alcohol is available in bars and hotels, though it is expected that visitors will respect local customs.

Tunisia is not a large country, but it has 1200km of coast with good beaches along the fringe of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. The climate is warm with plenty of sunshine, making Tunisia ideal for a beach holiday.

The capital of Tunisia is Tunis, which lies in the northeast of the country by Lake Tunis. The city is a modern business centre, but among the offices you will find baroque buildings and pal-lined avenues. Tunis has many excellent little shops selling brass, leather and jewellery as well as other traditional crafts. The city has many famous historic attractions including a 9 th-Century Mosque.

On the outskirts of Tunis lie the ruins of Carthage, once the dominant power in the Mediterranean and enemy of Rome. Destroyed in the Punic Wars, Carthage was rebuilt by the Romans and served as the capital of their African holdings. Its remains are now a national monument. The site contains the National Museum of Carthage and work is ongoing at reconstructing the famous ancient naval base at Salammbo.

Tunisia Facts At A Glance

Area: 163,610 square km.

Climate: Temperate in the north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Desert in the south

Terrain: Mountains in north with a hot, dry central plain. In the south the land is semiarid and gradually merges into the Sahara Desert.

Population: 10 Million

Languages: Arabic.

Currency: Dinar

Time Zone: 1 Hour ahead of GMT

International Dialling Code: +216

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Places to visit

The main Mediterranean coast resorts in Tunisia are Djerba, Hammamet, Monastir, Nabeul, Sousse and Tabarka. All have excellent beaches with hotels all along the waterfront.

Djerba is located on the isle of Djerba in the southeast of Tunisia and reached by a regular ferry from the mainland. The city is a modern tourist resort with many good hotels as well as Roman ruins and a pirate castle.

Hammamet on the east coast is a modern seaside resort with good night life, overlooked by an ancient fort.

Monastir is close to Sousse, and about 165km from the capital. The modern marina contrasts with the 9 th-Century walls. The town was named for a ‘monastery’ built in 797 by an Islamic religious order to defend the town. Today the monastery houses a museum of Islamic art.

Nabeul , close to Hammamet and about an hour from Tunis, is a centre for pottery and ceramics. Once the site of a famous camel market, today Nabeul’s Friday market sells all manner of local produce and crafts. The city has a museum of Roman and Carthaginian artefacts.

Sousse lies on the east coast of Tunisia about 2 hours from the capital. The city has some good museums and excellent little shops filled with copper and silverware, jewellery and blankets. The nearby port of El Kantaoui has a marina for 300 boats plus a golf course, watersports and riding on offer.

Tabarka lies about 170km from Tunis, in the northwest of the country. It is famous for coral fishing and today hosts an annual festival of underwater photography. The marina houses many yachts and there is a good golf course. Close by are mountains with wildlife including deer and eagles. A 16 th-Century Genoese fort overlooks the city.

Things to do

With so much coast it is hardly surprising that Tunisia offers a range of watersports including surfing, windsurfing, sailing and scuba diving. There are 26 ports and 4 marinas along the coast with yachts and other vessels available for hire. On land, the range of sports on offer is considerable. As well as the conventional golf, tennis etc, you can also try your hand at hunting if that takes your fancy.

All manner of international cuisine is available, but it is worth seeking out traditional Tunisian dishes if you can. Bread is an important part of most meals, including unleavened bread made in the traditional manner. Most meat dishes are based around lamb. A typical lamb dish is Coucha: lamb shoulder cooked slowly with a sauce of olive oil, mint, salt, cayenne pepper and turmeric. Seafood is also popular.

While most Tunisians like spicy food, it is acknowledged that not every guest at a restaurant or hotel shares this taste. Less ferocious dishes are widely available. Eating is a social activity in Tunisia and a meal can take all night from soup to coffee

While it is entirely possible to spend your holiday loafing about at the beach, Tunisia has a number of well preserved ancient sites that are worth visiting. Arabs, Berbers, Phoenicians and Romans have all left their mark on the country. There are also many fine museums dedicated to the history of the country and the lands surrounding it.

The ancient (prehistoric) past is covered by the Gafsa Museum and the Bardo Museum in the outskirts of Tunis. There are Berber ruins at Chennini and Tataouine (yes, it is a real place!), Roman-ear remains at Utica, Salammbo and Carthage. You can experience Islamic history at Sousse, Mahdia and Monastir, and traditional art in Tunis and the Griba synagogue, among others. Tunisia has a wide range of historical attractions to experience and the climate is such that they tend to be in far better condition than is common in wetter, colder countries.