Hammamet: Hammamet and Northern Tunisia

Tunis and Monastir are a 2h40 flight from Paris. Both airports are served by Transavia, an Air France subsidiary, from Orly, and by Tunisian airlines Tunisair and Nouvel Air, the latter from Roissy CDG.

COVID info

For Covid-19, you will need to present the full vaccination certificate, otherwise you will be sent for a PCR test... No vaccination is required to enter Tunisia. An identity card valid for at least six months after your return is acceptable if you've bought a package, but you'll need to present your passport, valid for at least six months after your return, if you've only bought a plane ticket. Between you and me, you might as well take your passport just to be on the safe side...

Golf and thalassotherapy

Admittedly, the sea is not as beautiful as in Djerba, but you can still take advantage of the beautiful, well-maintained beaches. One good point is that facilities (showers, sunbeds, parasols, etc.) are included for those staying in hotels. The water sports centres are open from April to October. The Hammamet region is not just about lazing on the beach. The area is home to several thalassotherapy centres, whether in Yasmine Hammamet, Hammamet, Tunis or Tabarka. You can treat yourself all year round, even in winter. For golf lovers, the choice is yours: at Hammamet Sud, between Yasmine Hammamet and Hammamet, you can opt for the Citrus golf course in the heart of a pine forest. Designed in 1927 by French architect Yves Bureau, the Carthage golf course is the first in Tunisia and one of the oldest in Africa. The Résidence Golf Course was designed by the famous architect Robert Trent Jones II. It is part of the luxury hotel The Résidence Tunis. But the most technical golf course is Tabarka!

Must-try specialities?

Many hotels serve excellent lemonades. The inevitable couscous (with chicken or lamb) is served at club buffets during Tunisian evenings. Try the country's other recipes too: Fatma's fingers (puff pastry stuffed with chicken breast, potatoes and capers), tajine (meat and potato omelette), brick (pastry triangle filled with tuna and a semi-cooked egg). Don't hesitate to leave the hotels and explore the medina: linger in one of the Moorish cafés for a mint tea accompanied by a delicious Tunisian pastry.

Beware of jellyfish

Beware of seaweed and jellyfish. The former are washed up on the beach by sea currents when the sea is rough. They are most common in spring and autumn. They are harmless, but unsightly. Hoteliers remove them sparingly, as they play an active part in the beach ecosystem. Jellyfish, on the other hand, 'bloom' in summer, as soon as the water temperature rises above 26°C. Depending on the weather, these conditions occur in July-August, sometimes as early as the end of June, and as late as September.

What to take back with you

In the old souks, you'll find plenty of trinkets to haggle over: Arab-Berber-style leather masks, terracotta or ceramic ashtrays, chiselled iron mini trays, babouches, Tunisian doors concealing a small mirror, dates, stuffed camels, Tunisian pastries, woven-mat shopping bags.... You can also take home a fouta, a large cotton towel typical of Tunisia. In Tunis, you'll find all the country's handicrafts: wrought iron, Berber pottery, ceramics, lamps, vases and decorative objects in blown glass, rugs, mosaic table tops and carpets (to hang on the wall or lay on the floor). The area around Carthage (Gammarth and Sidi Bou Saïd) is also full of artists' studios where you can admire unique works, paintings and sculptures. For a closer look, check out the private collections of The Residence hotels and the Hasdrubal chain.

Haggling goes on daily in the souks. We therefore advise you not to accept the initial price given by the vendor, but to negotiate as much as possible by setting yourself a maximum amount. In this way, you can reduce the price of the product you buy by 20-50%. Spices are not very expensive in Tunisia. To avoid rip-offs and haggling, you can also visit fixed-price shops. A word of advice: don't wear your hotel bracelet on your wrist when you enter the souks, as this is how touts spot tourists and take them to expensive shops!