Carthage, Roman Mosaics and Mediterranean Light
Tunisia is the northernmost country in Africa, a Mediterranean nation known for the ruins of ancient Carthage, superb Roman mosaics, sunlit beaches and the gateway to the Sahara. Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Ottoman and French chapters are all visible on a short journey. Carthage, the ancient rival of Rome, and the Medina of Tunis were both inscribed by UNESCO in 1979, and the same year saw the Amphitheatre of El Jem, one of the largest Roman amphitheatres ever built, join the list. Tunisia packs a great deal of history into a compact country, and most sites are an easy drive apart.
The Bardo Museum in Tunis holds one of the world's great collections of Roman mosaics, and the capital's medina is a handsome maze of covered souks, mosques and merchant houses. Just along the coast, Sidi Bou Said, a hilltop village of white walls and blue shutters, looks out over the Gulf of Tunis, and its cafes serve mint tea and fried doughnuts with views to match. Tunisia lies close to Malta and Sicily, and combines naturally with a wider Mediterranean itinerary for travellers who love ancient ports.
Kairouan, Dougga and the Road South to the Sahara
Beyond the capital, Tunisia unfolds in layers. Kairouan, inscribed by UNESCO in 1988, is one of the holiest cities in Islam and has a Great Mosque dating back to the seventh century. Dougga, inscribed in 1997, is among the best-preserved Roman towns in North Africa, with a theatre, temples and a capitol rising above olive fields. Sousse and its walled medina add a lively coastal chapter, and Hammamet, with its fort and jasmine-scented streets, has long been a resort favourite for beach holidays with a cultural edge.
Further south, the landscape turns to desert. Douz is known as the gateway to the Sahara, with camel treks and dune camps, while the great salt lake of Chott el Djerid shimmers near Tozeur. Around Matmata and Tataouine, hilltop villages and underground dwellings gave film-makers the setting for the planet Tatooine in Star Wars, a detail many fans love to follow. The island of Djerba, with its white-washed villages, pottery workshops and long beaches, completes a varied offer, and a hotel group can use it to show how one country serves families, couples and culture seekers.
Read the full Tunisia guide on Visit Travel Group, or see DiscoverTunisia.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.