Tunisia

Book Synopsis: Written by long-term resident, adventurer and experienced travel writer Oscar Scafidi, this brand new Bradt publication is the most up-to-date, comprehensive travel guidebook to Tunisia produced by a mainstream publisher. Taking account of this North African country’s recent political and social flux, and covering each of the nation’s 24 governorates, the book’s listings for hotels, restaurants and activities cater for all types of travellers and budgets. Complemented by 80 detailed maps and advice on navigating bureaucracy, this guide provides all the practical information you need to visit or explore here.

The birthplace of the Arab Spring in 2010, Tunisia is readily accessible from European cities. From relaxing on Mediterranean beaches to camel-trekking or quad-biking in the Sahara Desert and marvelling at the moonscapes of Chott el Djerid salt lake, this fascinating nation crams much excitement and interest into a small area. In the 2,000-year-old capital of Tunis, originally a Berber settlement, you can haggle in the ancient Medina, browse artefacts at the Bardo National Museum or enjoy fresh seafood at waterfront restaurants. Archaeology aficionados will hardly know where to begin in Africa’s fourth-richest country for UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the remnants of Ancient Carthage, perhaps, or superbly preserved Roman ruins, such as the world’s second-largest amphitheatre of El Jem? Djerba, where Berbers, Muslims and the world’s oldest Jewish community have co-existed for centuries, is a world-renowned kitesurfer’s paradise. Sunseekers have over 1,000km of coastline on which to bask – why not sip cocktails at the upmarket resort of Gammarth, just north of Tunis – while hedonists can party at a mammoth 30-hour rave in the desert at Ong Jmal. Meanwhile, film buffs can make pilgrimages to sets used in the Star Wars movies or explore canyons used by Steven Spielberg’ for an Indiana Jones film, and culture vultures can visit Islamic sites such as the Ribat of Monastir fort or 7th-century city of Kairouan. With a language appendix covering Tunisian Arabic and French, detailed context that helps visitors travel with awareness and sensitivity, and in-depth travel information, Bradt’s Tunisia is an indispensable practical companion to exploring this exciting country.