Hi, I'm gonna go to tunisia next month, and I am gonna go alone, I've never actually travelled alone and I've never been to Tunisia before. So, I'd really appreciate it if someone who lives there or has been there would tell me about the things I could do there. The most important thing to me is SHOPPING (as any other girl :) ...... so, I'd even appreciate it muchhhh more if you tell me about the names of malls there were shopping could go on endlessly...thx in advance, and 10 points for the best answer ;) I'll go to tunis and sousse
thx alooot! First off, Sousse is one of the older cities in Tunisia, and possesses an authentic medina, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.
PORT EL KANTAOUI a tourist complex 10 kilometers north of Sousse. It is a modern marina for over 300 boats & several golf courses, as well & a full array of other sporting activities from water skiing to paragliding. The 36-hole PGA approved championship course makes Port El Kantaoui a popular destination for golfing.
AQUA PALACE. There is a new water has many different types of water rides and fun things to enjoy. There are green spaces, beaches, pizzerias, a restaurant, a buffet restaurant, coffee, bars, solarium, shady spots, a children's paddling area with water games, and a relaxing jacuzzi on top of all the exciting rides.
HANNIBAL PARK. It's an amusement park that has a famous roller coaster and has many souvenir shops. Fairground rides set in a fairy tale landscaped park including a merry go-round, trampolines, walk ways, bouncy castle and swings.
HERGLA KARTING PARK. It is another amusement park and offers lots of fun. There is one ride on there that is extremely fun, but not for the faint of heart! I've been on it - it takes you high in the air, and turns you every which way, and even stops and let you dangle for a bit. It also has a mini zoo down by the race tracks.
OASIS PARC BOTANIQUE. A botanic park with over 25,00 aromatic and medicinal plants and birds including ostriches, parrots and various rare chickens, and a bird style circus with clowns and magicians.
FRIGUIA SAFARI PARK. The Park runs a breeding program for threatened species and you can take a drive to see the lions, giraffes and elephants and various other African wildlife that now live there.
GREAT MOSQUE. It is a surprisingly tranquil place despite its location in the middle of the city. Built around 850 AD, the mosque is simple and done in the Aghlabite style; no decoration whatsoever aside from a string of angular Arabic and curved arches. Even the prayer room is covered in reed mats instead of the usual carpet. You must be properly dressed to enter, but green wraps can be rented for a token fee to cover up.
MOSAIC MUSEUM. Located in the gently crumbling old kasbah on the edge of the medina. It has what is clearly Tunisia's second most important collection of mosaics; second only to the Bardo museum in Tunis. The exhibits are dominated by mosaics, but there are many other objects too, like vases, masks, statues and whole burial tombs. The epoch covered here is mainly Roman Tunisia, which are the centuries around year 0. To this period also belong objects from Christian catacombs in the Sousse region. Just look out for objects and mosaics with the 'XP' symbol. Another great attraction are found with the mosaics showing scenes from amphitheaters.
THE TRADITIONAL TUNISIAN HOUSE. This charming little museum is located within the old city walls some 200 yards north of the main bus terminal is the home of a long standing Tunisian family that has now become a museum with the passing of the last family member. The property centers on a open courtyard from which access to all the rooms can be gained, including bedrooms for the first and second wife and, in turn, to the children's rooms. All are delightfully fully furnished, with some curtains dating back 200 years, and with German clocks imported from the 1800's. The house is complete with a tower, originally used to watch the stars for the onset of Ramadan, from which views over Sousse can be gained.
CATACOMBS. Many believe that catacombs were built as hiding areas for Christians during time of persecution under the Romans. And even more are unaware of Tunisia's past as a Christian country.The catacombs were not shelters for the living, but rather for the dead. The tunnels originally stretched for more than 5 km, and contains 15,000 graves. The area open to visitors, has only about 100 metres of tunnels, but you can see through iron gates into continuing tunnels.
Sousse also has great nightlife with many restaurants, discos (both in and out of hotels - there's a pretty good outdoor disco called Bora Bora), caf茅s, casino, and plenty of shopping! Two of the biggest shopping center are Tej Marhaba and Slim Center, and they are very close together. There is also plenty of shopping along the corniche in central Sousse. The coast has good beaches and a clear turquoise sea - perfect for swimming. You can also take carriage rides throughout the city which is always a fun way to sight-see!
In Tunis:
THE BARDO MUSEUM. 4 km/2.5mi west of Tunis is the suburb of Le Bardo, famed for the Bardo National Museum, which has the world's largest collection of Roman mosaics and other antiquities of interest from Ancient Greece, Carthage and from the Arab period, and it ranks with the Egyptian Museum in Cairo as one of the two great museums of North Africa.
CARTHAGE. It is the famed capitol of the ancient world and is located on the eastern side of Lake Tunis across from the center of modern Tunis. Now there is a museum there where you can view the ruins and ancient artifacts.
SIDI BOU SAID. The town is a tourist attraction because it is known for the extensive use of blue and white colors (the traditional colors of Tunisia) all over the town. All kinds of souvenirs can be bought in the main street. There is the traditional High Coffee there which is worth a look. My favorite is a coffee that overlooks the marina. It has fantastic views and a wonderful ambiance.
THE MEDINA. Just going there you can feel the history come to life. The streets are buzzing with shoppers and sellers. The medina itself contains around 700 monuments, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas and fountains dating from the Almohads and the Hafsids periods.
DAR BEN ABDALLAH. A small but interesting museum within an 18th-century palace in the medina, covering the everyday life of a rich merchant in the Ottoman era.
ZITOUNA MOSQUE. The largest mosque in Tunisia. This Aghlabite mosque dates back to the 9th century. Modest dress is essential, and non-Muslims can only enter the courtyard, not the mosque itself.
PORT DE FRANCE. It is comprised of architecture and decoration from many different styles and periods and is believed to stand on the remains of a Roman theater as well as the tenth century palace of Ziadib-Allah II al Aghlab.
CATHEDRAL OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL. It is located in downtown Tunis. It is a grand church situated in between shops and coffees.
DOWNTOWN TUNIS ITSELF. Here you can see the French influence on Tunisia as many of these old buildings are built in French style. It also is home to a beautiful giant clock tower that is illuminated at night.
LA MARSA. It is a coastal town not far from Tunis. It is a popular vacation spot for many middle class Tunisians, being one of the only accessible beaches in the capitol.
BIZERTE. I know it's not in Tunis, but it's only about a 45 minutes to an hours drive away, and it is gorgeous! This is where many of the residents of Tunis come for their summer escape to the beach. It is the northern most point of Africa and because of that, the majority of the city is bordered by the Sea. The beaches are pristine, and it offers some great restaurants and peaceful moments.
For shopping there are plenty of places. The most common ones are Carrefour, Lac Palace, and Phuckets. Tunis is a very big city with a lot of suburbs, so you will be able to find plenty of shopping no matter what part you are in. They are easily visable.
No matter which city you are in, remember to try your hand at the local markets (the souks) and in the medina!
Feel free to take a look at my blog and pictures online for more of a feel.
Blog: http://360.yahoo.com/jamie_hassen
Pictures: http://flickr.com/photos/jamie_hassen/se...
If I can be of any more help or assistance, please feel free to contact me. I suppose you could listen to the song Night in Tunisia. A jazz favorite of mine, so I really couldn't resist.
Good luck! hi,im in tunisia right now! my favorite place to shop is in sousse the old mendia. or souk! its an old outdoor/indoor market. with lots of cool stuff, from clothes to meat! which part of tunisia are you coming to?
feel free to contact me! Well i have to tell you i have never seen the amount of shoe shops in my life that i have seen in Tunis. Honestly if you love shoes leave plenty of packing space in your luggage. Every second shop is a shoe shop and the prices are fabulous. The market is great too, great if you like jewelery and the people are so nice. |
