Sightseeing in Tunisia: North Africa's Hidden Gem

Filed in archive Hidden Gems on November 25, 2007

Tunisia is a small country which is situated between Libya and Algeria. The country is mainly Arabic speaking, though travelers with even a limited knowledge of French should be able to get around quite well. Tunisia offers both a Mediterranean coastline and desert interior. The souks (markets) in cities like Tunis are definitely worth a visit because of their colorful atmospheres.

If taking a Land Rover, or camel, if you wish, into the desert is not you idea of fun, the heady mix of modern and historic makes cities like Tunis and Carthage quite the interesting cities. archaeological tours offer visits to the ruins of the once great Carthaginian empire. However, the same city hosts a film festival that showcases the most cutting edge work from the Arab and African worlds.

Tunisia is a mostly desert nation. Even so, the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean make the beaches look inviting. Yes, the climate does encourage sunburn, but some carefully applied sunscreen and a beach umbrella can take care of that.

So there you have it. Even if you re turned off by the idea of visiting a country that is mostly desert, Tunisia will still have a bit of allure.