Mahdia, Tunisia's little-known wonder

Situated on a peninsula some fifty kilometres south-east of Monastir, Mahdia is the administrative capital of the eponymous governorate. It was originally the Phoenician trading post of Jemma, founded on a peninsula 1,400 metres long and 500 metres wide. After the Punic period (the Carthaginians), the town came under Roman rule under the pretty name of Aphrodisia, then Cap Africa. This is an opportunity to learn that Africa, the name of the Roman province corresponding to Tunisia, eventually gave the name to the whole continent, Africa! One of the greatest treasures on display at the Bardo Museum in Tunis is the cargo found on board the wreck of a Greek merchant ship that ran aground following a storm in the 1st century BC, off the coast of Mahdia.

Later, from 921 to 973, Mahdia was quite simply the capital of the Fatimid dynasty, whose caliph ruled over an empire that encompassed a large part of North Africa, Sicily and part of the Middle East! It was at this time that the city took the name of Mahdia, when the first Fatimid caliph made it his capital, before being supplanted by Cairo in 973. Mahdia remained the most important port and city in Tunisia until the 12th century, when Tunis became increasingly important. In the 16th century, Mahdia became a haven for privateers, before being briefly occupied by Charles V's Spanish troops. When they left, they blew up the ramparts...

That's why there are few traces left of this period, but you can admire the Skifa El Kahla or Bab Zouila, a superb fortified gateway dating from the 10th century, one of the access points to the medina and one of the rare remains of the old ramparts. Then came the time of Ottoman stability until the early 20th century. Today, one of Tunisia's largest fishing ports is shaking off its torpor and attracting tourists enchanted by its superb medina between two waters and its dream beach.

Everyone knows Djerba, Hammamet and even Sousse and Monastir, but what about Mahdia? Even Tunisians don't really know what there is to see in this town situated between Sousse to the north and Sfax to the south, respectively the 3rd and 2nd largest cities in Tunisia.

Mahdia beach is reputed to be one of the most beautiful in Tunisia, and with good reason! Flour-coloured sand, turquoise sea, no undesirable algae and a breeze that is pleasantly refreshing in summer. A considerable asset, especially as Mahdia also offers the advantage of not yet being over-developed in terms of tourism. Nothing like the busy beaches of Djerba, Monastir, Port El Kantaoui and Hammamet! The hotels - around twenty of them - are grouped together outside the town, along the beach that stretches in a ribbon for several kilometres north of the citadel. Some have a thalassotherapy centre. Water sports centres offer jet skiing, banana boating, towed buoys and parasailing for a fee.

Mahdia's medina has a real charm about it! It's not as crowded as Hammamet, Houmt Souk (Djerba) or Tunis, it's relatively small, and its small, shady squares are perfect for drinking squeezed orange juice. As you stroll through the narrow streets, you can admire colourful frescoes, enter art galleries, walk past the public hammam, even enter an old church hosting a painting exhibition, and finally admire the panoramic view from the roof of Dar el Medina, a huge Moorish café spanning several floors!

A well-deserved mint tea break on the roof of Dar el Medina, a Moorish café superbly decorated over several floors. You can admire a panoramic view of the minaret of the new mosque, the medina between two waters, the Ottoman fort Borj el Kebir, the Great Mosque, the marine cemetery and the sea!

Other remarkable sites to admire in Mahdia include, of course, the impressive 16th-century Ottoman fort of Borj el Kebir overlooking the sea, and the Great Mosque, founded in 916 by the Shiite Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi and reserved for the caliph and his entourage. Its distinctive feature is that it has no minaret. It was briefly converted into a church during the Spanish occupation in the 16th century, before the arrival of the Ottomans. Our favourite? The mysterious marine cemetery overlooking the sea at the end of the Cap Afrique peninsula, where the medina of Mahdia nestles between two waters! The immaculately white tombstones stretch as far as the eye can see. We walk along an ancient Carthaginian port, the cothon, a Phoenician and Punic harbour where charming colourful fishermen's boats anchor. Then you stroll between the stelae to reach the tip of the peninsula, where the remains of the ancient walls that surrounded the town are enthroned. Not much remains, but the arch of Beb el Baher, the gateway to the sea, stands out.

The Ottoman fort of Borj el Kebir: This imposing 16th-century fortress guards the entrance to Cap Afrique, on which the medina of Mahdia is built. From here, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the medina on one side and the Gulf of Mahdia on the other.

The Great Mosque of Mahdia: Founded in 916 by the Shiite Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi, it was reserved for the caliph and his entourage. Its distinctive feature is that it has no minaret! The Great Mosque of Mahdia was briefly converted into a church during the Spanish occupation in the 16th century, before the arrival of the Ottomans.