Tunisia
North Africa’s gateway to adventure, blending ancient medinas, desert landscapes, and Mediterranean beaches.
Best Deal of Tunisia
Overview
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Travel Guide
Tunisia is North Africa's most accessible and varied beach holiday destination, sitting on the Mediterranean coast just 2 hours 30 minutes from the UK — closer than many long-haul alternatives. Located between Algeria and Libya, with the Sahara Desert to the south and the Mediterranean to the north, Tunisia combines all-inclusive beach resorts at Hammamet, Sousse and Monastir with Roman archaeology, ancient medinas and genuine Saharan landscape within a single country. The resort towns of Hammamet and Port El Kantaoui offer family holidays and couples holidays with the strongest all-inclusive hotel inventory in North Africa, while Djerba island provides a quieter beach holiday alternative. Inland, the UNESCO medina of Tunis, the El Djem amphitheatre and the Sahara dunes at Douz add cultural depth rare in beach destinations at this price point. Johnson Holidays offers ATOL-protected Tunisia holidays and North Africa package holidays from multiple UK airports.
✨ Why Visit Tunisia
- The closest Sahara Desert experience from the UK — the dunes at Douz are reachable from Hammamet in 4 hours by road; no other North African beach destination puts desert and sea within the same short break.
- Roman archaeology that rivals Italy at a fraction of the cost — El Djem's amphitheatre, the Carthage ruins and the Bardo National Museum's mosaic collection are among the finest Roman sites in the Mediterranean world.
- All-inclusive value that undercuts Turkey and Egypt — Tunisia's resort corridor consistently offers some of the lowest all-inclusive prices available from the UK, with four-star beachfront properties from £349pp including flights.
- Hammamet and Sousse deliver genuine Mediterranean beach quality — wide sandy beaches, clear water and a well-developed resort infrastructure make Tunisia's north coast comparable to mid-range Spanish or Turkish resorts at lower cost.
- A living Arab and Berber culture immediately behind the resort strip — the medinas of Tunis, Sousse and Sfax are working markets, not heritage displays; the food, craft and daily life visible within 30 minutes of any resort is genuinely specific.
- Year-round warmth with a peak season that aligns with UK school holidays — average highs of 17°C in January rising to 33°C in August; the shoulder months of April–May and September–October offer the best combination of warmth and lower prices.
? What Makes It Special
Unlike Morocco, Tunisia is primarily a beach destination that happens to have extraordinary cultural depth behind it — the all-inclusive infrastructure is more developed and the resort experience more straightforward for first-time visitors to North Africa. Unlike Egypt, the Mediterranean coast here delivers genuinely clear, swimmable sea alongside the archaeological heritage rather than a Red Sea resort corridor disconnected from the country's history. Unlike Turkey, Tunisia is significantly cheaper at equivalent resort quality and offers the Sahara — a genuinely unique addition to a beach holiday — within a day trip. The combination of Mediterranean resort, Roman archaeology, Arab medina and Saharan landscape within a country smaller than France, at under 3 hours' flying time, is found nowhere else.
? Key Areas to Explore
- Hammamet — Tunisia's premier resort town on the Cap Bon peninsula, with the highest concentration of UK-facing all-inclusive hotels and a restored medina within the resort itself.
- Sousse & Port El Kantaoui — the central coast's main resort hub, with a UNESCO-listed medina in Sousse town and the purpose-built Port El Kantaoui marina resort 8km north.
- Monastir — a smaller, quieter resort town built around the historic Ribat fortress and the mausoleum of Tunisia's founding president; the most historically atmospheric of the central coast resorts.
- Djerba — Tunisia's largest island, connected to the mainland by a Roman causeway, with 150km of beach, a Jewish heritage quarter in Hara Sghira and the most relaxed resort atmosphere in the country.
- Tunis & Carthage — the capital city and its northern suburbs, where the UNESCO medina, the Bardo National Museum and the Carthage ruins occupy the same day-trip radius from any northern resort.
- Douz & the Sahara (Southern Tunisia) — the gateway town to the Grand Erg Oriental dune sea, 4 hours south of Hammamet; the most accessible Sahara experience in North Africa.
- Tozeur & the Chott el-Jerid — the desert oasis town beside a vast salt lake in western Tunisia, famous as a Star Wars filming location and the base for 4WD excursions into the Saharan interior.
From Roman amphitheatres and Saharan camel treks to medina souks and Mediterranean reef snorkelling, Tunisia spans more categories than its beach-resort reputation suggests.
?️ Nature & Outdoor Activities
- 4WD desert excursion from Douz (Douz, Southern Tunisia) — full-day tours into the Grand Erg Oriental dune sea with a Bedouin guide; from €60pp including lunch at a desert camp.
- Hike in Jebel Zaghouan (Zaghouan, Northern Tunisia) — a 1,295m limestone mountain 60km south of Tunis with marked trails through pine forest; day trips from Hammamet or Tunis from €30pp with a guide.
- Birdwatching at Ichkeul National Park (Bizerte, Northern Tunisia) — a UNESCO biosphere reserve and wintering ground for hundreds of thousands of migratory waterfowl; free entry, 60km from Tunis.
?️ Beaches
- Hammamet Beach (Hammamet, Northern Tunisia) — 12km of fine white sand with calm, shallow water and the resort's full hotel strip directly behind; the most developed and lifeguarded beach in Tunisia.
- Sidi Mahres Beach (Djerba, Southern Tunisia) — a 15km arc of white sand on Djerba's northern coast with calm turquoise water and the island's best beach club infrastructure.
- Raf Raf Beach (Bizerte, Northern Tunisia) — a remote, undeveloped sweep of fine white sand on the northern coast with clear water and almost no tourist infrastructure; 70km from Tunis.
- Kuriat Islands (Monastir, Central Tunisia) — two uninhabited islands 20km offshore accessible by day-trip boat from Monastir; important loggerhead turtle nesting sites with excellent snorkelling.
?️ Food & Drink
- Order Brik (breek) — a thin pastry parcel filled with egg, tuna, capers and parsley, deep-fried until crisp; Tunisia's defining street food, served everywhere from medina stalls to resort restaurants for €2–3.
- Try Lablabi — a thick chickpea soup poured over stale bread with harissa, cumin and a poached egg; the working Tunisian breakfast, found at local cafés in any medina for €2–3 a bowl.
- Drink Boukha — a fig eau-de-vie unique to Tunisia's Jewish community, served ice-cold as an aperitif; available in licensed resort bars and the Djerba heritage quarter from €3–4 a glass.
- Eat at a Dar (traditional house restaurant) in Tunis medina — several restored merchant houses in the UNESCO medina serve Tunisian-French set menus in courtyard settings; three courses from €20pp.
? Nightlife & Entertainment
- Port El Kantaoui marina bars (Sousse, Central Tunisia) — the purpose-built resort marina has the liveliest open-air bar and restaurant strip on the central coast; active from 20:00 nightly in season.
- Casino du Lac, Tunis (Tunis, Northern Tunisia) — the capital's main casino on the Lac de Tunis shores; open from 20:00, smart-casual dress code, passport required for entry.
- Hammamet resort hotel entertainment (Hammamet, Northern Tunisia) — the large all-inclusive hotels on the Hammamet strip run nightly entertainment programmes including Tunisian folklore shows, live music and themed evenings.
- Sidi Bou Said café culture (Sidi Bou Said, Northern Tunisia) — the clifftop village's famous Café des Nattes serves mint tea on raised traditional seating; the most atmospheric evening drink within day-trip range of Tunis.
? Instagram-Worthy Spots
- Sidi Bou Said blue-and-white lanes (Sidi Bou Said, Northern Tunisia) — the clifftop village's cobbled streets and doorways are among the most photographed in North Africa; best at dawn before the day-trip crowds arrive.
- El Djem amphitheatre interior (El Djem, Central Tunisia) — the 35,000-seat Roman arena photographed from the arena floor looking up at the tiered arches; a genuinely monumental image with no modern buildings in frame.
- Chott el-Jerid salt lake (Tozeur, Southern Tunisia) — the vast white salt flat at sunset, with mirages visible on the horizon and the desert light turning the surface gold and pink.
- The Antonine Baths from the sea wall (Carthage, Northern Tunisia) — the largest Roman baths complex in Africa photographed from the coastal path above the Gulf of Tunis.
Best Value Deals
? All-Inclusive Holidays
Tunisia offers some of the most competitively priced all-inclusive holidays available from the UK. The Riu Palace Hammamet, Iberostar Averroes (Hammamet) and the Sentido Bellevue Park (Port El Kantaoui) are among the most consistently booked four- and five-star properties by UK operators. Expect from £349pp including flights in shoulder season (May or October), rising to £599–799pp in July and August.
???? Family Holidays
Tunisia's resort towns are well set up for families — the beaches at Hammamet and Djerba are shallow, sandy and calm; the larger all-inclusive hotels have kids' clubs and dedicated pool areas; and the El Djem amphitheatre and Carthage ruins engage children aged 8 and above on cultural day trips. The Riu Palace Hammamet and the Iberostar Selection Kuriat Palace (Monastir) have the most comprehensive family facilities.
? Luxury Holidays
Tunisia's luxury tier is smaller than Morocco or Egypt but improving. The Four Seasons Tunis — opened 2021 on the Gammarth peninsula north of the capital — is the country's benchmark five-star, with beach villas and a clifftop infinity pool. The Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa in Port El Kantaoui and the Djerba Plaza Thalasso & Spa represent the spa-and-thalassotherapy end of the upscale market.
⏰ Last-Minute Deals
Tunisia consistently produces strong last-minute availability outside the school holiday peak — the large all-inclusive resort supply relative to demand means savings of 25–35% within 3 weeks of departure are realistic in May, June and October. July and August tighten significantly as UK family demand peaks; book summer travel at least 3 months ahead. The FCDO Tunisia travel advice should be checked before booking; most resort areas carry no specific advisory.
Why Book with us:
? Low deposits from £49pp
? Flexible payment plans with balance due 6 weeks before travel
?️ ATOL Protected — your money and flights are fully safeguarded
✏️ Free amendment window on selected packages
? UK-based customer support, 8am–11pm every day
? Best Time to Visit Tunisia
April to June and September to October are the finest months — temperatures of 22–28°C, calm Mediterranean sea and lower prices than the summer peak. July and August bring reliable heat of 30–33°C on the coast but intense heat inland and in the south (40°C+ at Douz and Tozeur); beach resorts remain comfortable with sea breezes. November to March is the coolest period (14–18°C on the coast) with occasional rain; not ideal for beach holidays but perfectly workable for cultural trips to Tunis, Carthage and El Djem. Ramadan (dates shift annually) affects restaurant and café opening hours outside the resort hotels; check dates before booking.
? Where to Stay
- Families: Riu Palace Hammamet, Iberostar Selection Kuriat Palace (Monastir)
- Couples: Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa (Port El Kantaoui), Djerba Plaza Thalasso & Spa
- Luxury seekers: Four Seasons Tunis (Gammarth), Hasdrubal Prestige Thalassa (Port El Kantaoui)
- First-timers: Hammamet hotel strip — best infrastructure, easiest cultural day trips, widest flight choice
- Culture & adventure: Tunis city hotels for medina, Carthage and Sahara access
? Getting Around
Tunisia's main resort airports — Enfidha-Hammamet (NBE), Monastir Habib Bourguiba (MIR) and Djerba-Zarzis (DJE) — all receive direct UK flights from Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham with TUI, Jet2 and Thomson. Taxis from Enfidha to Hammamet cost €15–20 (30 minutes); transfer coaches from tour operators are included in most package bookings. Within the resort towns, yellow taxis are metered and inexpensive — most journeys under €5. Grand taxis (shared long-distance) connect resort towns; Hammamet to Sousse costs €4pp. Car hire from €20/day is the most practical option for cultural day trips to El Djem, Tunis and the Sahara. The Tunis–Sfax rail line connects the capital to the central coast in 2 hours (€8pp).
? Travel Tips
- Plug type: Tunisia uses Type C and E (two round pins, 220V). UK adaptors required.
- Currency: Tunisian Dinar (TND). As of 2025, £1 buys approximately TND 3.8. Dinars cannot be exported — exchange leftover currency before departure at the airport.
- Tipping: Expected — round up taxi fares, leave TND 3–5 after a restaurant meal and tip tour guides TND 10–15 per person per day.
- Alcohol: Available in licensed hotels, resort bars and some restaurants; not available in the medina or traditional Tunisian cafés. All-inclusive guests face no restrictions at their resort.
- Dress modestly away from the beach — cover shoulders and knees when visiting medinas, mosques and inland towns; beachwear is acceptable only at resorts and beaches.
- FCDO advice: Check the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office Tunisia travel advice at gov.uk before booking; most resort areas are unaffected by any specific advisory but the border regions with Libya and Algeria carry restrictions.
Map Of Tunisia
Top Experiences
Exploring the Medina of Tunis
A UNESCO-listed medieval city of 700 monuments, souks and mosques; the most intact Arab medina in North Africa.
Sahara Desert Overnight Camp at Douz
Camel trek to a Bedouin camp at the Sahara's edge; stars overhead and sand dunes at dawn from £35pp.
The Roman Ruins of El Djem
A 35,000-seat Roman amphitheatre, third largest in the world and better preserved than Rome's Colosseum; entry €6pp.
Sidi Bou Said Village
A clifftop village of blue-and-white architecture above the Gulf of Tunis; 20 minutes from Tunis city centre.
Djerba Island Beach and Medina
Tunisia's largest island with 150km of coastline, a historic Jewish quarter and the most developed resort infrastructure outside Hammamet.
The Ancient City of Carthage
UNESCO-listed ruins of the Phoenician and Roman city that once rivalled Rome; the Antonine Baths and Byrsa Hill within a single site.
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