Things to see and do in Tunisia

Experience the eerie otherworldliness of 5000 sq m (53,819 sq ft) Chott El Jerid, part of a series of lakes that stretch into Algeria. In summer, the surface is dry and blisters in the heat, while in winter the lakes flood with water.

Go desert trekking from Douz, either by camel or in 4-wheel drive vehicles; trips can last from an hour to three weeks. You can also go dune skiing, desert go-karting or take a flight in a light aircraft over the dunes.

Rivalling El Jem as the country’s most unmissable Roman remains, Dougga was a hilltop city which once had a population of up to 10,000. The site has been well preserved, giving a valuable peek into how its erstwhile inhabitants lives.

A holy city complete with a superb mosque and a snaking medina, Kairouan was founded by the Arabs in the 7th century. Many Muslims see the city as being the most important religious site in North Africa, and a skyline of minarets and fine buildings gives good idea why.

Matmata is one of the most famous villages in Tunisia as it was the setting for the opening scenes of the film 'Star Wars'. The village's lunar-like landscape and subterranean cave dwellings attract hundreds of visitors every day. They come to see the home of the Star Wars characters Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, which was located in the fictional town of Sidi Driss.

The Berber people first dug homes out of the ground over 1000 years ago in order to escape the midday heat. These Troglodyte communities formed craters beneath the earth and constructed tunnels between some of the courtyards to build an underground labyrinth. Today, Hotel Sidi Driss, which was the cantina in Star Wars, still stands, and visitors can spend the night in Berber-style accommodation as part of the whole experience.

It seems a shame to come to Tunisia without getting a taste of the dramatic desolate horizons that make up the country’s southern half. A number of companies organise Sahara trips, which range from a couple of hours on a camel to a full-on voyage into the sands.

Spend a day in Sousse, formerly one of the Phoenicians' great coastal cities, falling to Arab invaders in the seventh century. Of the new city, constructed by the Arabs in AD790, several remnants remain, including the Great Mosque and its Ribat.

Shaped over the centuries by a mixture of Ottoman, Arabic and colonial influences, the capital offers a diverting taste of the contrasts of modern Tunisia, where henna-dyed old men puff on shisha and cafés brim with bright young things chattering into on-trend mobiles.