Bizerte
(transfer time from Tunis Airport - 60 minutes)

Bizerte, a fashionable resort town in Roman times, was developed as an important naval installation by the French, seized by the Germans and bombed by the Allies. The French returned and developed the city and even stayed on after Tunisian independence. Today Bizerte is newly-created free-trade zone and set to develop once again. Divided into two parts the old and the new, modern Bizerte is full of sparkling white buildings, parks and palm trees. Along the Route de la Corniche you'll discover some delightful old buildings, a few comfortable hotels and Le Petit Mousse, a delightful seafront restaurant with excellent seafood and limited accommodation. The region is blessed with forests, lakes, sandy beaches and a rocky coastline.

What to see:

• The old port in the shadow of the battle-ruined 17th century Kasbah and Medina, where fisherman ply their trade as they have done for centuries.
• In the Medina artisans and tradesmen continue to trade from tiny workshops and of course there's the Great Mosque.

Where to go:

• Ichkeul Lake and the lagoon of the Ghar El Melh are protected as a natural reserve and an important site for wild bird-life. Ichkeul lake is designated by UNESCO as one of only two Wetland World Heritage sites (the other being the Everglades in Florida). To see the birds, visit this UNESCO site during the winter months.
• Raf Raf to the south, considered one of the four best beaches in Tunisia, is both beautiful and tranquil.
• Tunis, cosmopolitan and capital city of Tunis is just fifty minutes away on a newly opened highway.