"TUNISIA" a Tunisia Travel Page by Umea6

Tunisia has long been in travel brochures as one of top "all year round" destinations for Slovenians. It offers variety, diversity, culture as well as sea and sun.
Although Tunisia is located in northern Africa, this is way off being a "black " Africa. There are some black people in the south, but mostly it is a meeting place of middle Eastern and Mediterranean people. The children are especially beautiful, due to having mixed blood in their vains.
Each of the invadors - starting with Phoenicians, followed by the Romans, Vandals, Byzantins, Arabs, Spanish, Turks and finally the French, left their legacy. This is a country with such rich historical sites that can not be found anwhere else in Africa.

GEOGRAPHY:
Tunisia is a small country, the size of UK without Scotland. Eastern part is mainly low Mediterranean coast with three large gulfs: Gulf of Tunis, Hammamet and Gabes. Believe it or not, the Italian island of sicily is so close to Tunisia, that on a clear day it can be seen from Cap Bon. On the west it borders Algeria and is more mountainy with the Atlas mountains. The highest peak being Jebel Chambi.
A special part is also Sahara which starts with the chotts on the south western inner part of the country. Chotts are salt - flats. Close to them are usually oasis - islands of palms, waterr, camels and ideal sands surrounding their beauty.

CLIMATE:
Warm Mediterranean climate on the east coast , and hot in Sahara. The climate is great because coastal areas have sea breezes that are so wellcoming to all sun-bathers.
If you are a nature lover, the best time to visti Tunisia is in May or June, when the temperatures are not too high and the flowers are blooming all over. July and August are getting some serious sun-tan months and autum is nice and warm, but there can be windy and rain starts, also all the spring greens are gone, burnt under the hot sky.

Although Tunisian flag uses white and red colour, the more representative clors would be white and blue, often used on buildings - white for the fasade, to keep the heat outside the house and blue windows to keep the insects away. A typical Mediterranean style.

Tunisia is a republic. It gaind independence of France in March 1956. The first president was Habib Bourguiba, now it is ruled by Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali since 1987.

The capital of Tunisia. Busy city, something completely different from other cities.
Tunis is a well balanced mix between different influences - Arabian, African and European.

Tunis is not the kind of city you would want to spend a week long holiday. Bare in mind that Tunisia offers great holiday places. One day trip to Tunis should be enough.

Take plenty of time to go to the SUUQ (Arabic name for the market). This is the best place to shop for souvenirs. Don't forget to bargain!