Tunisia
In North Africa and facing Sicily, which is only 93 mi / 150 km away, Tunisia is one of the favourite destinations for spa and thalasso holidays.
Tunisia is undoubtedly a welcoming country where you immediately feel at home. Close to Europe and nevertheless very different, it provides visitors with a wonderful destination and a surpising change of scene, just a few hours flight from Europe.
In spite of its small size, Tunisia comprises a myriad of different landscapes: kilometres of sandy beaches, mountains, desert plateaus, olive groves and palm groves, and endless deserts gives visitors the feeling infinity sprawls right before their eyes. Even though it is the smallest country in the Maghreb, you will be taken away by the deep contrasts that make Tunisia such an interesting place to explore. Indeed, the mountainous North of Khroumirie, the relief in the South with flat and arid countries running into the sands of the Sahara, the Sahel region strewn with olive trees and fruit trees, have the sole common feature of being swept by strong winds and mild weather along the coasts.
Cradle of the wonderful Carthage and at the crossroads of civilizations, Tunisia also boasts a very rich cultural heritage, made of 3,000 years of foreign invasions. Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines and eventually Arabs left countless traces of their influence on the country, remnants of a past that is all yours to discover in most of Tunisia’s towns. The archaeological sites scattered all over Tunisia, are a testimony to the crucial role the country used to play between Africa and Europe, Orient and Occident. This historical legacy, alongside the sumptuous landscapes, are essentially what seduce tourists today. This is especially true as the country enjoys a Mediterranean cliamte ,with warm and generous sunshine almost all year round. Winters are colder and wetter in the North and yet remain dry and mild in the South, even if nights spent in the desert can prove to be a chilling experience! Autumn is one of the most pleasant seasons, especially on the seaside, although days are then shorter. Temperatures may range from 11°C/ 52°F in average in January in Tunis or Sousse to 26°C / 79°F in July. As for the sea, its temperature averages between 20°C / 68°F and 23°C / 73.4°F from June to November, which is the ideal period for bathing, lounging and lazing on the Mediterranean coast.
If we were to introduce you to a few symbols that best embody Tunisia and its culture, the Medinas would most probably top this list. Organised in full respect of religion and family relations, they constitute districts organised around Mosques in accordance to a pre-established organization. Tradesmen specialized in the fields of luxury goods, such as perfume makers or jewellers, would settle in the heart of the district, whereas less prestigious guilds, like tanners and dyers, would be left to populate the town’s suburbs, near the city walls. Houses built in the Medina do not open their windows towards the outside, in order to better preserve the family intimacy from nosy neighbours. They are built around patios, and it is only once you have walked through their doors that you are allowed to witness the wonders of their architecture. You should not miss the Medina in Tunis which is swarming with teeming activities and boasts stunning Mausoleums, Mosques and Medersas. You can go there by walking through the old town’s famous souk and the Central Market.
As for flora, the date palm is the sacred tree, alongside the olive tree, which is a recurrent symbol of Mediterranean countries. But these are only 2 species among all those that Tunisia compises in its midst: Alep pine trees, green oak trees, eucalyptus, thyme, rosemary, jujube tree, pistachio tree and prickly pear. In Tabarka, for example, in North Tunisia, you will find a picturesque village nestled in a forest surrounded by mimosas. As for fauna, the dromedary must be the most representative animal in Tunisia and you often see them in the desert.
The Tunisian Spa centres are strewn all along the country’s coasts. In fact, thalassotherapy is by definition a special water therapy, which makes the most of seawater’s benefical effects. Tunisia developed its spa and thalasso activities quite recently, following the French example. And if France remains the world leader in this field, Tunisia has become an excellent bet for your holidays, as it very often surpasses France in some of its most prestigious spa centres.. In the Tabarka, Tunis, Sousse, Hammamet or Djerba thalasso spa centres, you will be given a delightful taste of Orient, as far as decoration and welcome are concerned. These elements make Tunisia an ideal spa destination, and give it a comparative advantage over France, and more generally an invaluable asset. Treatments often last longer and programmes often include more massages, which tends to prove the skills and quality care the Tunisians display in the field of spa holidays.
In Tunisia’s luxury hotels, where marble and Oriental architecture meet, and where treatments make the most of steam baths and exotic products, you will forget all about the tiled corridors and cold atmosphere which prevailo in too many spa centres in France.
Our team visits all spa centres in Tunisia on a regular basis, which therefore ensures a careful selection of the sites, according to a certain number of criteria. So just relax and we will be pleased to recommend you one of our destinations: the Robinson Club in Tabarka if you are looking for an authentic and peaceful seaside holiday, Hasdrubal or Riu Park el Kebir in Hammamet for a teeming and modern seaside resort, Sousse for the charm of its yachting port and its gardens, or eventually Djerba for its exotic feel, at the Yadis or at the Moevenpick.