Sousse

Founded in the ninth century BC by the Phoenicians, Sousse is still an important port for the export of salt and agricultural produce. The modern high-rise town may initially seem disappointing, but its medieval medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has plenty of tiny shops, fascinating monuments, fine museums and is more vibrant than any other city in Tunisia. Unlike other Tunisian resorts, the hotels are integrated into the city, which perhaps explains Sousse's buzz. The olive groves that made the city important in Roman times still stretch inland and the soft sand, warm waters and mild climate see visitors return year after year.

A popular tourist destination all year round, Sousse particularly attracts Brits, Germans, Russians and Eastern Europeans. Both Tunisians and Europeans fill the beaches in summer; during the school holidays there are plenty of families and in winter the mild climate attracts European retirees. It is slowly but surely starting to attract young people with its nightlife.

Sousse is in the east of Tunisia on the Gulf of Hammamet. The closest airport is Monastir Habib Bourguiba International, 15km (9 miles) to the southeast, frequently used by holiday charter flights. The city is 140km (85 miles) south of Tunis.

The capital of the Sousse governorate is in the Sahel region, overlooking the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Hammamet, which is part of the Mediterranean Sea. The landscape inland is Mediterranean with plenty of olive groves.

The long white sandy beach of Boujaffar stretches from the centre of Sousses to Port el-Kantaoui, 10km (6 miles) away. A few stretches are private to the resort hotels, but most is open to the public. In summer the beaches are packed with holidaymakers until late at night when Tunisian families come to enjoy a picnic and the cooler air. A wide selection of watersports is available all along the beach including paragliding, wind-surfing, water-skiing and jet-skis.

The labyrinthine walled medina, surrounded by ninth-century walls offers plenty of distractions apart from shopping. Right at the entrance is the superb ninth-century Great Mosque, the only one in Tunisia without a minaret. Nearby is the oldest monument in the medina, the eighth-century ribat (fortress) where devout soldiers defended Islam and prayed. The Archaeological Museum (avenue du Maréchal Tito) has an outstanding collection of Roman mosaics. The small private museum of Dar es-Sid (65 rue du Rempart du Nord) is a delightful 10th-century house with a great café on the rooftop. Under the city is a network of about 5.5km (3.5 miles) of tunnels that make up the catacombs which are open to the public (avenue des Catacombes).

Sousse is totally family orientated, with shallow clean beaches and most resorts cater to kids. Children love the pedestrian alleys of the souk and the small Museum of Kalaat el-Koubba (rue Laroussi Zarrouk) in an old funduq (inn) with scenes explaining traditional life in the medina. The ribat (fortress) near the medina entrance has watchtowers with great views over the medina. Nearby Port el-Kantaoui has the Aqua Palace (rue des Palmiers) and Hannibal Park (route des Touristes), an amusement park with several rides and a roller coaster.

The souk in Sousse is the best in the country with shops selling Tunisian souvenirs like carpets, woollen blankets, dyed cloth, traditional caskets, copper ware, pottery and jewellery. Olive oil is a good buy too. Bargaining is essential here, but there are fixed-price shops in the vast Soula Shopping Centre (place des Martyrs). A Friday afternoon market in held in Hammam-Sousse, 5km (3 miles) north of the city centre, and a Sunday market (Souq el-Ahad) on the road to Sfax, with everything from crafts to livestock, including camels.

In recent years the nightlife scene in Sousse has been improving, with several new bars and clubs opening. The hottest nightclub in the whole country is the Bora Bora (boulevard du 7 Novembre), which is host to the cream of international DJs and the most beautiful people in town, has spectacular light shows and claims to be Sousse's answer to Ibiza's Space. Living Samara (boulevard du 7 Novembre) has a classy interior, equally good music and a cage in the middle of the dance floor for the prettiest girls in town. The tiny underground bar at the Bonaparte (avenue Taieb Mhiri) is the best place to hear garage, house or electro music.

Many tourists eat in their hotel, and the beach-front restaurants cater mostly to tourists, with bland food at a price. There are however plenty of good restaurants in town serving Tunisian and international cuisine. One of the best is L'Escargot (87 route de la Corniche), where French-Tunisian food is served in a charming 1940s decor. Young Tunisians love Caracas (rue Ali Belhouane), which serves Tunisian and Western dishes. The best place to sip a mint tea or a fresh orange juice is the Petit Café Maure (souk el-Reba, medina), a traditional Tunisian café.

The medina is easily explored on foot. A handy metro connects Sousse to the airport, Monastir and Mahdia, with stops at the resorts in between. An electric train operates along the beachfront from Sousse to Port el-Kantaoui. Tuktuks, five-wheel motorcycle taxis, operate on the same route and there are plenty of taxis at the taxi rank on place des Martyrs at the entrance of the medina. Regular national buses operate from the bus station (boulevard Yahia ben Omar) to Tunis, Sfax, Kairaouan and most other Tunisian cities. Several trains a day leave for Tunis, Nabeul, Gabes and Gafsa from the railway station in the centre of town (avenue Hassouna Ayachi).

The Roman amphitheatre at El Djem is better preserved than the one in Rome. The ribat (fortress) in Monastir is impressive and the medina at Mahdia is a charming place to stroll around. Kairouan, the fourth holiest city in Islam, has the Great Mosque, the oldest mosque in North Africa, and several other important Islamic monuments.

Indulge in a traditional Turkish steam bath (hammam) at Le Grand Bain Maure Sidi Bouraoui (rue el-Aghlaba, behind the Abd el-Kader mosque in the medina) where masseurs slough old skin off with a coarse glove. Afterwards, sip excellent cocktails with the beautiful people at the new Fashion Café (boulevard du 7 Novembre), the trendiest spot in town.

Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport (MIR)