Located on the Mediterranean coast but lacking much in the way of beaches, Tunis has been spared the onslaught of package tourism in the resorts to the north and south. With a population of less than 700,000, the entire city feels small and compact. There isn't much in the way of must-see attractions, but Carthage is easily accessed from here and the souq is one of the most authentic and hassle-free in North Africa.

Tunis-Carthage Airport (TUN), 8 km away from the center, is small and in reasonable shape with all standard facilities. You can exchange money here at decent rates. A taxi into the city center — insist on the meter — shouldn't cost much more than 5 dinars: you are more likely to get this fare by waiting for a taxi outside the upper floor, rather than at the taxi stand. Alternatively, buses depart fairly regularly and charge a fraction of the price.

The souq in the Medina makes for a fascinating stroll. Tiny shops overflowing with stuff; people selling, buying, milling about; skeletal cats lurking in the shadows; the smells of essential oils, spices, frying food and rotting garbage; the sounds of the muezzin, raï, football on the radio, Arabic and French... The Tunis medina's main routes are labeled "touristique", but even a few steps off the beaten track it's a real, working market. Behind the often scruffy facades hide old palaces, mosques, medersas (Islamic schools). Compared to Morocco or even Sousse you will not be hassled here. Bab El Bahr (The large stone-arch "French Gate" at the head of Avenue DeFrance) is a good starting point for the Souk. The goldsmiths are close to Bab Bnet. Haggle if you wish to buy anything.

For visitors and Tunisians alike Hammamet is another word for vacations and its ritual of sun bathing on spotless beaches, the gasp of cool water on bronzed skin, dinner on the patio of a beachfront hotel, midnight swims, discos and watching the sun rise in the mirror of the sea.

Hammamet, the "Tunisian Saint Tropez", is all this and more. Its a way of life, taking the time to relax, meet old friends and make new ones. It's fishermen in brightly painted boats setting out at dawn, the medina surrounded by its ramparts and crowned by an ancient fort overlooking the sea, fashionable boutiques where resplendent traditional tunics and caftans rival the shimmering sun. On the eastern coast of Tunisia, two hours from the capital Tunis lies Sousse, "the pearl of the Sahel". The mildness of its climate, its calm and beautiful coast and the hospitality of its people have long captivated those who came to conquer. Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs settled in this lovely "fertile city" each leaving their imprint and heritage. No wonder modern day visitors from all over the world find themselves at home and return again and again.

The resort area of Sousse is perfectly integrated into the city and the visitor welcomed to participate in its exuberance. Proud of its heritage, museums and monuments are accessible and opened with pleasure to its guests and the Medina with its tiny colorfull shops overflowing with silver jewellry, pure wool blankets, copper and carpets bustle with activity under the towering walls of the ribat.