VFI Overseas: Tunisia a place of facination and beauty
Known as Tunisia's Saint Tropez, Hammamet is the country's prime holiday destination. It all started in the 1920s when the Romanian millionaire George Sebastian fell in love with what was then a tiny fishing hamlet. His villa on the beach was described by architect Frank Lloyd Wright as ‘the most beautiful home in the world', and it became a refuge for artist and writer friends. Other wealthy Europeans followed suit and built along the sweeping beach. Soon the secret of Hammamet's beautiful setting, pleasant climate and stunning beaches was out, and quite a few of the glamorous villas became part of the large scale touristic development of the 1970s. The picturesque medina is at the heart of the town. To the north and south hotels cater mainly for cheap package tours, while the more upmarket hotels have moved 10km (6 miles) further south to an area known as Yasmine Hammamet.
Who goes there?
In summer the resort attracts many Tunisians and those Europeans who can stand the heat. For the rest of the year it draws in mainly northern Europeans, particularly Brits, French and Germans, looking for sun. Families enjoy good value holiday packages during the school holidays. In the winter most visitors in town are retirees, but Yasmine Hammamet sees a more mixed crowd.
Where in the world?
Hammamet is south of Tunisia's Cap Bon peninsula, 10km (6 miles) southwest of Nabeul, 64km (40 miles) south of Tunis and the nearest airport and 85km (53 miles) north of Sousse. The city has excellent connections to all these cities by road and train.
The town overlooks the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Hammamet, and is at the beginning of the Cap Bon peninsula, which is only 140km (84 miles) from Sicily. Inland it is all rolling vineyards and agricultural land.
Beach
The Gulf of Hammamet has some of the best beaches in a country famous for them. Both north and south of the town has lovely stretches, interspersed with private hotel beaches - particularly outside the International Cultural Centre, previously Sebastian's villa (avenue des Nations Unies). Plenty of watersports facilities are available, including windsurfing, water-skiing and jet-skiing. Some hotels offer open-water diving courses. If you have your own transport you can head for the wide and wilder beaches beyond Yasmine Hammamet.
Beyond the beach
The charming medina, surrounded by thick walls, is a good place for an afternoon stroll: one corner is the 15th-century kasbah, on the other end is a small Folklore Museum. Sebastian's beautiful villa (avenue des Nations Unies) has been turned into the International Cultural Centre with art exhibitions and concerts. Yasmine Hammamet has a new medina, rather kitsch but full of crafts and souvenir shops.
Family fun
This resort is very family friendly but the Flipper Aquapark (route touristique north) (website: www.aquaflipper.com) with slides and several pools will be particularly popular with children. Carthageland (rue de la Médina) (website: www.carthageland.com) in Yasmine Hammamet is a theme park with rides and attractions inspired by Tunisia's long history. The beaches are shallow and clean, perfect for smaller children, and the wide selection of watersports will keep the older ones amused.
Retail therapy
Tunisian souvenirs like carpets, pottery and some jewellery, are for sale in the medina. The daily Municipal Market (avenue de la République) is the place to stock up on fruit and vegetables. A small weekly market takes place near the tourist office on Thursdays. Yasmine Hammamet has more upmarket clothing stores as well shops selling the usual tourist tat. Nearby Nabeul is the place in Tunisia to go for pottery. Shops and workshops line the main street and the attractive covered souk near the Grand Mosque. The weekly market takes place on Friday mornings, selling everything from livestock to belly dancing outfits.
A night on the town
Hammamet may have some of the best nightlife in the country. The best nightclubs are in the hotels south of the centre, including the lively Calypso Club (avenue Moncef Bey) (website: www.calypsotunisia.com), and the Latino Club (route touristique) with a mixture of salsa and Arabic music. Enjoy a fresh orange juice sundowner at Café Sidi Bou Hdid, at the foot of the medina walls overlooking the Mediterranean.
Eating out
Most tourists eat in their hotel, but there are plenty of good fish restaurants on avenues de la République and on the seafront. Most have a wide selection of fish, as well as Tunisian couscous and salads and a few international dishes. One of the best is Chez Achour (rue Ali Belhouane), which has a lovely courtyard and is very popular with Tunisian families. For excellent Italian cuisine, head for La Scala di Milano (avenue el-Aqaba). The best Tunisian wines come from the Cap Bon region. Recommended regional wines include a red Mornag from the Grombalia region, Blanc de Blanc, and a good muscat from Kelibia.
Getting around
The town centre is easily explored on foot, but the resorts now spread far out of town. There is no public transport except for a bus to Yasmine Hammamet, but several private companies run little motorised trains to the hotels. The main taxi rank is outside the medina. There are half-hourly national buses to Tunis and Nabeul, and regular buses to Sousse further south. There are several trains a day from Tunis, via Nabeul, and on to Sousse. The railway station is 1.5km (1 mile) from the centre.
Exploring further afield
The pottery centre of Nabeul is within easy reach, and a car trip around the wilder beaches and small villages of Cap Bon makes for a pleasant day trip. The capital Tunis has its own beautiful medina, fine Roman mosaics at the Bardo Museum and the romantic ruins of Carthage.
Splashing out
If it was good enough for Grace Kelly, Greta Garbo and Sofia Loren, then Fella near the entrance of the medina, is definitely worth a visit. This chic and long-established boutique sells beautifully made Tunisian djellabas, exotic kaftans, embroideries and fine jewellery.
Flying in
Tunis-Carthage Airport (TUN)
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