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- Destinations
- Africa
- Tunisia
- Hammamet
Hammamet
On the coastal motorway sandwiched between the Mediterranean and
the Sahara desert, 40 miles (64km) south of Tunis, lies the pride
of the 'Tunisian Riviera': the sophisticated holiday resort town of
Hammamet with its perfect sweep of beach, ancient and exciting
medina, healing mineral baths and renowned top class modern hotels.
Once a sleepy fishing village, Hammamet (the name comes from the
Arabic
al-hammamat, meaning 'the baths') was awakened to its
tourist potential back in the 1920s when a flock of wealthy and
arty American and European holidaymakers decided to make the
beautiful bay their playground.
Today it has become a destination mainly for middle-to-upper
range package tours from Europe, the streets abuzz with scantily
clad holidaymakers speaking Swedish, German, English and French.
Despite its modern architectural and human incursions, Hammamet
retains its sense of exotic history, dominated by its 15th-century
medina and souk (bazaar), where donkeys and bargain-hunters
navigate the labyrinth of Aladdin's caves packed with treasures
like carpets, brass ornaments, jewellery, traditional kaftans,
pottery and leather goods.
The narrow winding alleys also conceal bright, whitewashed
windowless houses behind splendid ornate doors. The town's baths,
famed since Roman times, are also situated in the crowded medina,
alongside ancient mosques and over-shadowed by the medieval castle
or kasbah. The big attraction of this seaside town, though, is its
six-mile (10km) stretch of palm-fringed shore, boasting beautiful
sandy clean beaches, decorated with colourful fishing boats.South
of the old town, along the beach, a plethora of attractive Moorish
style low-rise resort hotels, set in stunning lush gardens, has
mushroomed, offering visitors luxury accommodations, watersports,
entertainment, gourmet restaurants and all the trappings of a
perfect holiday.
Information & Facts
Language
The overwhelming majority of people in Tunisia speak
Arabic and French. English is taught in all schools and is
increasingly spoken especially by younger people. Some German and
Italian is also spoken.
Money
The unit of currency is the Tunisian dinar (TND), divided into
1, 000 millimes. Travellers cheques are widely accepted. Banks and
some hotels provide foreign exchange. ATMs are found in most towns
and at all the tourist resorts; almost all will accept Visa cards
and many will also accept Maestro (Switch) cards. Visa, Diners
Club, American Express and MasterCard are accepted for payment in
souvenir shops, upmarket hotels and restaurants, although Visa
encounters the least problems. All Tunisian currency must be
exchanged before departure.
Time
Local time in Tunisia is GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday
in March to the last Sunday in October).