Tunisia

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Quick Facts

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Capital

Tunis

Population

9,925,000

Government

Republic

Religions

Islam

Languages

Arabic

Calling Code

+216

Nationality

Local name

Tunis

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Introduction

Boujaffar Beach, Sousse

© All Rights Reserved edhong

Tunisia has changed hands more times than a parcel at an eight year old's birthday party, but for us travelling folk that has some nice consequences. Phoenician, Jewish, Roman, Vandal, Arab, Ottoman and Spanish Muslim influences have each had their say in Tunisia's past.

Really, it's an attractive affair for any traveller who can handle the heat and wants some variety in their next trip. In the south, where the Sahara engulfs Tunisia, offer 4WD trips through the desert - not exactly an authentic caravan, but when you compare the air-conditioned climate inside the car to the pummeling heat outside, you won't be complaining. Carthage, Dougga and El-Jem are the most notable Roman ruins and you certainly won't be alone in visiting them. Nor will you be alone if you head to one of Tunisia's fine beaches. But any complaints will be erased quickly by the warm Mediterranean waters.

Brief History

Geography

Tunisia shares international borders with Algeria and Libya.

Regions

• Northern Tunisia stretches from the port town of Bizerte southward towards the holy city of Kairouan.
• Central Tunisia includes the island of Djerba and ancient locations like El Jem, which features a Roman colosseum almost the size of the one in Rome, but in a better condition.
• Southern Tunisia incorporate the northernmost part of the Sahara Desert.

Cities

• Tunis
• Sousse
• Sfax
• Gabes
• Bizerte
• Kairouan
• Tabarka
• Tozeur

Sights and Activities

For such a small country, Tunisia surprisingly has a lot to offer for the traveller, ranging from cultural to natural attractions. It has some good cities to visit as well and the old city of the capital Tunis is a real gem.

Kairouan

Kairouan is one of 7 holy cities of Islam and the religious hart of Tunisia, with over 100 mosques. It is an old city and its fortified wall structure proves this. Entering the old city (medina) through one of its gates is stepping back in time, although back in the old days tourists were probably almost unheard of, especially the lobster coloured one of today.

Carthage

The place to visit old ruins in Tunisia, Carthage boasts an enormous variety of remains of different people/periods in history, like the Phoenician, Byzantine, Arabic and Romans. This archaeological gem can be found just northeast of Tunis, along the Mediterranean coastline, which gives the place some extra beauty.

El Jem

Just like its counterpart in Rome, El Jem basically is impressive because of its simplicity alone. It may not be as well known as the Colosseum, but this amphitheatre is said to be about the same size. It is built around 230 A.D. and today is a very popular trip for people escaping the crowds at the Tunisian beaches. The town of El Jem is nothing much by the way, so spending the night here just is not necessary.

Desert experience

Tunisia, like Morocco is one of the best countries for beginners to experience the desert. The southern town of Douz is reached easily along a surfaced road from where a camel brings you to the sand dunes which form a beautiful yellowish sea to the south of the town. Douz itself is pleasant enough to wander around and has some good places to stay, including a hotel with views of the sandy parts of the Sahara desert.

Chott El Jerid

Chott El Jerid is a mostly dry salt lake in the south of Tunisia, roughly between the towns of Douz and Tozeur. Although Chott means lake, it usually is a dry salty flat, but in winter after heavy downpours there sometimes actually is a real lake. That said, it still is best to experience the vastness of this area outside winter, with spring (May) and fall (October) being the best months when it's dry and warm weather.

Cities

Apart from the holy city of Kairouan, Tunisia has a wider collection of cities and towns which are very enjoyable to walk around and give an impression of everyday life, both outside and inside the medina (old quarter). The best examples are the capital of Tunis and Sousse, more south along the coast. Although the latter is smaller and more touristy (because of its beaches), it is also more quiet than the capital. The cities are linked to each other by a 2 hour train journey.

There are also so smaller cities to be found in Tunisia, which are just as great to just wander around, admiring the people, their way of life and the historic structures. Some cities enjoy having a large maze of small paths, like Tozeur and Douz in the south.

Matmata

Part of the Star Wars series was recorded in Matmata, which instantly made it a popular Tunisian destination. Besides Star Wars fame, the area around Matmata looks like what you'd expect to see on the moon, with its barren plains, hills and craters. Temperatures can reach 50º C here and therefore some people are still living in houses beneath the surface.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Although Tunisia is small, there are quite some differences regarding the weather. The northern part of the country has a mediterranean climate with warm summers and mild winters. Temperatures during the day are generally between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius during the day and around 20 at night. Most rain falls during the cooler winter months and higher up in the mountains there is some snow possible as well, but usually not more than 10 days or so. The central parts are becoming drier and hotter, while in the south there is a desert climate, with only several days a year seeing some precipitation, usually in the form of heavy downpours. Temperatures in the south can rise to 50 degrees Celsius but usually are somewhat lower.

Getting There

By Plane

Tunisair is the national airline of Tunisia and is based at Tunis-Carthage International Airport (TUN) near the capital Tunis. International destinations include those to and from Algiers, Amman, Amsterdam, Athens, Bahrain, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Cairo, Casablanca, Copenhagen, Damascus, Dubai, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, Istanbul, Jeddah, Kuwait, Lisbon, London, Lyon, Madrid, Marseille, Milan, Munich, Paris, Rome, Stockholm and Zürich, among many others. Several French cities are served as well. About 20 other airlines serve the airport as well, mainly from Europe and Northern Africa. There are many charter airlines and several scheduled services mainly from Europe to a number of places along the coast, including Sousse, Monastir and the island of Djerba. These cater mainly to package tourists but can be a good deal for other travellers as well.

By Train

There are no international trains to and from Tunisia.

By Car

Tunisia is the starting point of the central overland route through the Sahara. The most popular route and crossing is at Hazoua on the road between El Oued and Tozeur. You can cross by car, but you'll probably need an escort to travel further onward in Algeria. Other borders are not an option.

By Bus

Shared taxis travel across the border with Algeria at Hazoua (see above). Although there are also buses from a number of Tunisian cities towards Libya (Tunis - Tripoli is around 10 hours for example), these can not be used by travellers (not being locals), you will need a guide/tour from Libya onwards.

By Boat

Italy:

• GNV has ferries from Genoa, Palermo and Civitavecchia in Italy to Tunis.
• Grimaldi Lines offers the same routes, as well as from Salerno.
• Cotunav has crossings between Tunis and Genoa.

France:

• Cotunav operates a service between Marseille and Tunis.
• SNCM has services from Marseille to Tunis as well.

Getting Around

By Plane

Sevenair operates several daily flights between Tunis and the island of Djerba and several weekly flights from the capital to Tozeur, Sfax and Gafsa.

By Train

SNCFT operates the train network in Tunisia. The main route is north-south between Tunis and Gabès, stopping in places like Sousse and Sfax. One train per day branches at Mahres, south of Sfax, going to Gafsa and Metaloui. There are also branch lines to Bizerte and Nabeul (in the Cap Bon). Another train link is the Metro de Sahel linking Sousse to Monastir and Mahdia along the coast.

By Car

Tunisia is a good country to travel around by car and if you are from Europe, it is easy to bring your car on one of the many ferries from Italy or France. Otherwise, you can rent one at the international airports, major cities and many coastal resort areas. Most roads are paved and in good condition and there are well maintained road signs and fuel is available at frequent intervals. Valid national driver's licenses and sufficient insurance are required.

By Bus

SNTRI operates an extensive network of bus connections between all major cities and regional towns. Minibuses and shared taxis provide services to even the most remote villages.

By Boat

Ferries operate between Sfax and the Kerkennah Islands, and between El Jorf and Djerba.

Red Tape

A visa for a stay up to 3 months is not required for nationals of the following countries:

Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Denmark, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guinea, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Monaco, Montenegro, Montserrat, Morocco, Netherlands, Niger, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States and Vatican City.

All other nationals need to apply for a visa at the nearest embassy or consulate.

Money

See also Money Matters.

The dinar is the currency of Tunisia (code: TND), subdivided into 1000 milim.
Coins come in denominations of 1,2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 milim, ½, 1, 5 dinar, banknotes come in 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 dinar bills.

Work

Study

Language

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

See also Travel Health

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

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