Ships calling at the new cruise terminal in the port of La Goulette drop their passengers just 10 km (6 miles) from the Tunisian capital. Tunis has managed to hold on to its own identity, where most other Tunisian cities sold their soul to tourism long ago.

The culture is Arab and African, but Tunisians are more liberated than their North African neighbours, and their Arabic is constantly interspersed with French. The city centre is even physically divided in two distinct quarters: the old Arab town and the ville nouvelle (new town) created in colonial times by the French.

Tunis is a relatively small city to explore for those on a cruise holiday, easily tackled on foot. The avenue Bourguiba is a good place to start, entering the medina at the Bab el-Bahr, to explore the winding alleys and white-washed streets for elegant mosques, busy souks, grand palaces and intriguing mausoleums. In the World Heritage Site district alone, there are around 700 historical buildings and monuments.

Highlights
• The Medina (Old Town) World Heritage Site
• Day trip to Carthage
• Bardo Museum
• The Great Mosque
• La Marsa Beach

Office de Tourisme de Tunis
1 avenue Mohammed V, Tunis, Tunisia
Tel: +216 7134 1077.
Website: www.tourismtunisia.com  

The souks in the medina are the best places for cruise visitors to shop for local bargains, but haggling is essential. Traditionally each souk is dedicated to a speciality, ranging from spices to antiques, from Berber jewellery to carpets and pottery. Rue Jemaa ez-Zeytouna has shops selling mainly tourist souvenirs, while smart Avenue Habib Bourgiba is lined with bookshops and galleries.

Tunis has plenty of international-style restaurants catering for the tourist industry, but it's worth venturing off the beaten culinary track to discover local specialities such as chakchuka (vegetable stew), spicy merguez sausages and marinated lamb shawarma kebab.

Tunisia has a typical Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild winters, when there is the most rainfall. Best periods are spring and autumn. Summer temperatures can be extremely high inland and in the south.

Tunisia

GMT + 1.

Arabic.

North African Mediterranean coast.

730,000.

Republic.

Muslim majority, with Christian and Jewish minorities.

Tunisia is one of the more liberal and tolerant Muslim countries. Shaking hands is the usual form of greeting. Hospitality is important and a small gift in appreciation of hospitality or as a token of friendship is always well-received. Dress can be informal but visitors should avoid wearing skimpy clothing, especially outside the main resorts and when visiting mosques.

Tipping: Not a requirement, but waiters and taxi drivers are usually tipped a few coins; waiters in tourist restaurants are accustomed to 10%.