- Destinations
- Africa
- Tunisia
- The East Coast
- 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
Activities
Most holidaymakers come to Hammamet for the beach and sea, and
there are a host of watersports on offer from water-skiing to
snorkelling for those who want to do more than just laze in the
sun. On top of the water, boat trips to view dolphins are a popular
past time. On land there are some good golf courses, tennis courts
and the chance to go horse riding or, more exotically, explore on
camelback. Hammamet is well situated for a variety of excursions,
offered enthusiastically by local operators. Most popular among
these are shopping trips to Tunis, expeditions to the ruins of
Carthage, desert safaris and outings to nearby Nabeul, headquarters
of the ancient but still thriving local pottery industry.
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.
Negatives
Care is required when swimming in the sea, as there are some
unexpected deep patches near the shore. Vendors of souvenirs in
Hammamet can be irritating and an annoyance to holidaymakers on the
beach, and some find shopkeepers in the medina a little too pushy
and overbearing.
Night Life
Nightlife in Hammamet is low-key, with no all-night hot clubbing
experiences on offer. Most hotels offer dancing and entertainment,
and there are numerous bars and discos catering for visitors, most
closing by midnight however.
Restaurants
Most hotels catering for holidaymakers in Hammamet have their
own restaurants, but the town itself overflows with a variety of
eateries and pavement cafes where it is possible to find anything
from fish and chips to pizza. No visit to Tunisia is, however,
complete without sampling the renowned local dishes, though they
can be overly spicy. Among the specialities to sample are Couscous
(steamed semolina grains mixed with vegetables, fish, chicken or
meat), Brik (pastry filled with egg, herbs and tuna), Chorba
(thick, creamy tomato soup), and Makroudh (a syrup-soaked honey
cake stuffed with dates). The top restaurant in Hammamet, by
reputation, is the Chez Achour, but for authentic Arabic cuisine
you cannot beat La Brise on the Avenue de La Republique.
Shopping
Shopping in the medieval souk (bazaar) in Hammamet is one of the
most memorable holiday experiences for most people, who go home
laden with attractive souvenirs. A treasure-trove of irresistible
goods like exotic carpets, embroidered kaftans, glittering
'hubbly-bubbly' pipes, brassware, jewellery, leather goods and
pottery are on offer to delight avid shoppers, who are expected to
haggle over prices. Those needing to buy more practical goods will
find what they require in the modern shopping centre
Time
Local time in Tunisia is GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday
in March to the last Sunday in October).