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- Destinations
- Africa
- Tunisia
- Tunis
Tunis
The capital city of this North African gem is Tunisia's largest
city and stretches along the coastal plains and surrounding hills
of the Gulf of Tunis. Steeped in a rich and fascinating history,
Tunis is home to the famous Roman ruins of Carthage, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site and popular tourist attraction, dating back to the
fourth century BC. Tunis has witnessed the passage of the
Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Turks, Spanish and French
over the last 3,000 years. Other attractions in the city include
the National Museum of Bardo which tells the stories of Tunisia's
history from the Phoenicians right through to modern-day times,
while the old Medina in the centre of Tunis co-exists with the
modern architecture of the new city (Ville Nouvelle), linked by
labyrinths of alleys and covered passages infused throughout by the
magical aromas, vibrant colours and sounds of bustling souks. The
modern city of Tunis is located just through the Sea Gate which has
remained unchanged since it was erected in 1848 and is also known
as the
Bab el Bahr,where the Champs- Élysées of Tunisia - the grand
Avenue Habib Bourguiba - crosses through the middle. Colonial
architecture can be found here illustrating the history of this
culturally diverse and historic city. The spicy foods and flavours
of local dishes may blow the socks of some tourists, but to others,
the fragrant heat of the fiery red chilli paste known as
harissais an essential accompaniment to ones'
Tunis experience while the Tunisian coffee, much like the Turkish
variety, is world-renowned for its rich flavours and energising
properties.
Information & Facts
Climate
Tunis experiences a warm Mediterranean climate with two distinct
seasons; a hot and dry period running from May to September and a
cold and wet season from October to April. Winter is the coldest
time of the year in Tunis with heavy rainfall and temperatures
dropping to 6°C (43°F), while summer months experience an average
of 10 hours of sunshine a day. The hottest months are from June
through August when average daytime highs can climb as high as 40°C
(104°F) and thankfully the sea breezes off the Mediterranean Sea
tend to alleviate the heat.
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).