Things to do in Tunisia from Hammamet

Tunisia is only about 800 km from north to south. Yet it holds nine UNESCO World Heritage sites, 1,300 km of coast and a gateway to the Sahara. So the best way to plan things to do in Tunisia is to start from your base. From Hammamet, Tunis is one hour away, while the desert needs at least two days.

If you can pick only one thing, pick a Roman site. The El Jem amphitheatre held around 35,000 spectators in the 3rd century. Dougga, high on its hill, is the best preserved Roman town in North Africa. In Carthage, the Antonine Baths open straight onto the sea. However, shade is rare at all three, so start early in summer.

The capital packs four major visits into one day. The Medina of Tunis, listed in 1979, takes about two hours on foot. The Bardo Museum holds one of the world's finest collections of Roman mosaics. After that, Sidi Bou Said waits with blue doors and mint tea above the gulf. Check the Bardo's opening hours the day before, because they change often.

Each stretch of coast has its own feel. Hammamet offers a long bay of fine sand and calm water. Cap Bon mixes coves, Nabeul pottery and the Punic site of Kerkouane, also on the UNESCO list. Further south, Sousse and Monastir pair old medinas with beaches, while Djerba is the slow island option. For diving, head to Tabarka in the north west.

The desert is on most wish lists, but it is far. Douz, the gateway to the Sahara, is about 6 hours by road from Hammamet. As a result, a same-day return makes no sense. With two or three days, however, you can link dunes, oases and cave villages. Go between October and April, because summer often passes 40 °C.

Away from the beaches, the interior tells another story. Kairouan, the first holy city of the Maghreb, keeps its Great Mosque and the Aghlabid Basins. In Zaghouan, the Water Temple once fed Carthage through an aqueduct more than 120 km long. Nearby, the Berber village of Zriba clings to the mountain. It makes a quiet day that most guides skip.

With children, shorter days work best. Friguia Park, 30 minutes from Hammamet, shows African wildlife in half a day. Carthage Land in Yasmine Hammamet fills the hottest afternoons. Otherwise, a gently sloping beach is often enough. Ask for a child seat when you book, because they are not standard in Tunisia.

To match things to do in Tunisia to the time you have, start with this table. One week covers the north and the centre. Ten days let you add the Sahara without rushing. The easiest plan is one hotel on the coast and day trips from it, so you never repack every second night.

Spring and autumn almost always win. In July and August, inland towns often pass 40 °C and the ancient sites have no shade. Winter stays mild on the coast, and the sites are nearly empty. In short, keep summer for the beach and the rest of the year for sightseeing.

Everything above, except the Sahara, fits into one day from your hotel. Your driver picks you up at 8 or 9 am and brings you back in the late afternoon. The price shown is for the whole vehicle, and you pay the driver on the day. To compare lengths and prices, see all our excursions.

Nothing here is complicated, but a few details save you from surprises. These are the questions we hear most often the night before a trip.