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The breathtaking beaches of Tunisia

octubre 26th, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in DESTINATIONS | Snapshots - (0 Comments)

Tunisia boasts some of the Mediterranean’s most spectacular beaches, and whatever time of year you choose to visit, you’ll be amazed by these stretches of golden sand, bathed by intensely blue waters and blessed with sunshine practically 365 days a year.

To the north you’ll be enchanted by a coastline of crystal-clear waters and beaches backed by lush vegetation and majestic mountains with sheer cliffs. The southern coastline forms a sharp contrast: here the fascination lies in the desert landscapes of the surrounding area.

Whichever beach you choose, Tunisia offers countless delightful spots where you can swim and dive with complete peace of mind. Many also offer the infrastructures necessary to try your hand at a wide range of water sports.

The beaches of Mahdia: Mahdia is a picturesque coastal city; indeed, its stunning beaches have turned it into a bustling holiday resort during the summer months. However, it is the ideal choice for a winter holiday, when the coastline regains its tranquil, laid-back pace.

The beaches of Hammamet: These are the best-known beaches in Tunisia, lying some 60 minutes’ drive from the capital. These superb stretches of fine white sands are bathed by warm waters. The wealth of marine life makes them particularly popular among lovers of scuba-diving.

The beaches of Monastir: Monastir is one of Tunisia’s most popular cities, offering a wide range of accommodation options. Its beaches are famed for their spectacular beauty. The city has an international airport where hundreds of flights land each day.

The beaches of Sfax: Sfax has one of the largest populations in Tunisia. It stands on an impeccably clean coastline and the surroundings are dotted with modern shopping malls. There is also a large number of accommodation options close to the beachfront.

The beaches of Tunis: Tunisia’s capital city is noted not just for being one of the most modern in the country and its wide range of hotels, but also for the beauty of its beaches. There is also an international airport situated just a few kilometres outside the city centre. La Goulette and Pedruchillo are two of the most highly-recommendable beaches in this area. The latter is considered to be an ecological centre of major importance due to the vegetation that surrounds it.

The beaches of Melloula: The city of Melloula stands on the border with Algeria. Its beaches include Serrat, which stretches out along the coast for 7 kilometres, making it one of the longest in Tunisia.  Melloula is also famous because its coastline is dotted with beaches of varying types: whilst some are rocky, others boast fine white sands. In addition to Serrat, in this region we also strongly recommend the beaches of Jebara and Berkoukech.

The beaches of Djerba: The Island of Djerba, situated off the east coast of Tunisia, is considered to be a prime tourist destination. This is due to the large number of hotel complexes that line its coasts. Djerba is also noted for its variety of shopping malls and because its beaches are suitable for scuba-diving and many other water sports. The best beaches on Djerba are Sidi Mahrez and Seguia.

Dejrba’s stunning beauty has inspired many of the great poets, including Homer, who described it as the island of ten thousand palm trees. It is easy to see why this writer was captivated by the island, and we guarantee that you too will be enchanted by its fabulous year-long climate and amazing beaches of fine white sand.

“The outstanding location of the hotels that IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts owns in Djerba, Hammamet, Mahdia, Sousse, and Zarzis is an excellent opportunity to discover the secrets of a country of outstanding natural beauty and culture”.

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Albert Memmi’s Book on Tunisia

abril 19th, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Local Characters - (0 Comments)

Tunis

 

Situated in the heart of Tunisia, the capital city of Tunis is a metrópolis that straddles between the past and present. From the city’s old medina to the suburbs of Carthage, colonial architecture and traditional Arabic edifices are on full display. In the new town, or Ville Nouvelle, modern skyscrapers run along the grand Avenue Habib Bourguiba – a stark contrast to the historical quarters. As the capital city of the country, Tunis is the country’s political and administrative hub.

Past vs Present

While the city’s new town is rapidly expanding due to modernization, the country and its people continue to hold on tight to its past. One of these people include Albert Memmi, a distinguished Tunisian author who has written numerous titles on life in Tunis during its days as a French colony. His first novel, The Pillar of Salt, published in 1953, was particularly recognized.

Born in 1920 into a poor Jewish family living in the Jewish ghetto of Tunis, Memmi wrote about his childhood, growing up in a whirling world of contrasts and the effect of these contrasts on the protagonist who subsequentlys flee the realities. Memmi writes with a searing honesty of his struggle to attain a sense of identity. This quote from his book is a great descrption of how he feels, “I’m a Jew! My home is in the ghetto, my legal status is native African. I come from an Oriental background. I’m poor’. But I had learnt to reject these four classifications.”

In addition to all the problems he grew up with, Memmi plunges the reader deep into the chaos and tragedy of World War Two and the effects of the German presence on the Jewish community in Tunisia. In the concluding chapters of The Pillar of Salt , he describes the hardships endured in the German labor camp and the final escape back to Tunis.

The Present Tunisia

Luckily, Tunisia has come a long way since those days. Having gained independence in 1956, Tunisia has since developed into a safe and historically-rich country. Besides the intriguing capital city of Tunis, there is also a whole world to explore around the country: from the fascinating island of Djerba to the beaches of Hammamet and the Star-Wars-inspired Tozeur. Wherever you choose to go in Tunisia, you’ll be surprised to find a country extremely rich in history and culture.

Photo |Tab59

Whether you’re looking for an adventure vacation or a relaxing break, Tunisia has enough history and diverse natural beauty for everyone. If you want to visit this amazing country book your room at one of the Iberostar Hotels!

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Tunisia’s Ancient Glory: The Ruins of Mighty Carthage

enero 18th, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Snapshots - (0 Comments)

Chances are you’ve heard of Hannibal, and maybe even that he and his army tried to invade Italy by crossing the Alps with elephants. The city-state he fought for, Carthage, was classical Rome’s biggest rival in the Mediterranean, and one of the big kahunas of the entire ancient world. Even if you’re coming to Tunisia mainly for a warm beach vacation, you owe it to yourself to not miss this important UNESCO World Heritage Site (especially if you’re staying in Hammamet, less than an hour’s drive away).

Just across the bay from the modern capital Tunis, “Kart-hadasht” was founded even earlier than Rome, in the 8th or 9th century BC, as a colony of Phoenicians from farther east along the Mediterranean coast, under a queen that history most commonly knows by her Greek name Dido; eventually the city became a commerce-oriented republic rich and powerful enough to rule over hundreds of other Phoenician (aka Punic) cities along the coast, as well as coastal areas of what are now Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and Spain. But its rivalry with Rome led to what are called the Punic wars, and Rome finally defeated, invaded, and refounded Carthage in 146 BC. It was later overrun by the Vandals, then became part of the Byzantine Empire until it was conquered by Arabs in 698 AD. So the ruins you’ll find here today include various and sundry cultural and historical influences.

The sprawling and utterly fascinating modern-day archaeological site includes ports, an acropolis, necropoles (cemeteries), an amphitheater, temples, baths, residential areas, early Christian churches, Islamic mosques, and more (there are also several nearby archaeology, oceanography, and history museums). There’s a lot of ground to cover, so bring a hat, water, sunscreen, and good walking shoes!

Photo | Unitopia

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