Sousse & Port El Kantaoui
(transfer time from Tunis Airport 1.5 hours and Monastir Airport 35 minutes)

Tunisia's third largest city Sousse is a large, entertaining, beach city. It's a great place to be if you want to get around Tunisia using public transport and suits the independent tourist seeking both a vacation and access to many places of interest. There's a working port right in the centre and a Medina steeped in history surrounded by its own fortifications. Tourists mingle with locals on the public beach. Rail connections to north and south provide vacationers with an easy escape to other tourist sites. Sousse is the capital of the Sahel area and the beginning of an olive grove covering more than 600,000 acres, a natural treasure and very important to the economy of the whole country.

You'll find many of the hotels are on the Route de la Corniche along with the best places to eat. Don't miss the Sunday market where you can buy anything from a mule to a motorbike. To the north and enroute to Port El Kantaoui is the suburb known as Hammam Sousse with its own beach, shops and cafes. After having taken in the history, join the throng of people haggling for a bargain in the many souks which form part of the rich life to be found in this superb Medina.

What to see

Sousse is a city full of things to do with most of the major attractions in and around the Medina with its ancient ramparts. Here you can find the Khalel Al Fata Tower a lighthouse erected in 859 AD and the 8th century Ribat— a fortress that was part of a chain of similar coastal buildings whose job it was to defend the country from foreign invaders.

• The Great Mosque where horseshoe arches surround a stately courtyard was built by the Aghlabid Emir Abou El Abbes Mohammed in 850AD. It is a surprisingly tranquil place despite its location in the middle of the city. 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.
  
  
• The Sousse Museum, with a pleasant garden in its midst, contains a collection of Roman mosaics which rival those in Bardo. The exhibits are dominated by mosaics, but there are many other objects like vases, masks, statues and whole burial tombs. The epoch covered here is mainly Roman Tunisia, and 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 3 miles, and contain 15,000 graves. The area open to visitors, has only about 300 feet of tunnels, but you can see through iron gates into continuing tunnels.
  
  
• Aqua Park: A new water with many different types of water rides and fun things to enjoy. With area to suntan, pizzerias, a restaurant, a buffet restaurant, coffee, bars, solarium, a kids paddling area with water games, and a relaxing jacuzzi on top of all the exciting rides.
  
  
• Hannibal Park: 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: Another amusement park with a mini zoo down by the race tracks.
  
  
• Oasis Botanic Park: 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: This 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. Please ask us for our excursions to Friguia Safari Park.
  
  
• Nightlife: 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), cafés, and casinos.
  
  
• Shopping: Two of the biggest shopping centers are Tej Marhaba and Slim Center. There is also plenty of shopping along the corniche in central Sousse.

 

Where to go

• Just 15 minutes away by Noddy train or taxi is Port El Kantaoui.
• Not far away is Monastir, the birthplace of the former leader President Bourguiba with its famous family mausoleum of the same name.
• Take the train north to Tunis and spend a day in Tunisia's capital city from where you can visit the Bardo Museum or make connections to Carthage and the pretty fishing village of Sidi Bou Said.
• Traveling south the train can transport you to El Jem an important Roman amphitheatre, the maritime oasis of Gabes and Sfax Tunisia's second largest city.
  

Port El Kantaoui

Tunisia's first purpose-built tourist town has now established itself as the country's most popular resort city. With its own beautifully appointed 300-yacht international marina, Port El Kantaoui has just about everything one would expect for a family holiday: fine beach, shops, bars, cafes and restaurants and just enough evening entertainment to keep the tourist happy. From April to November you can enjoy water sports on the beach including sailing, windsurfing, jet-ski and water-skiing.

From the marina you can take sea trips in glass-bottomed boats, motorized sailing vessels and catamarans or go scuba diving. Other activities available within the resort include quad biking, horse riding, tennis and golf.

What to see and do

Just 15 minutes away from Port El Kantaoui by tourist 'Noddy train' or taxi is Sousse, Tunisia's third largest city after Tunis and Sfax. Here you will find a working and resort town where you can haggle for tourist souvenirs in the old Medina or shop in modern fixed price stores like the Soula Centre.

Play Golf

The 36-hole El Kantaoui course is now home to the end of season Seniors tour. Built in 1973 on 103 hectares of hillside, El Kantaoui's golf course with holes alongside the famous beach dominates the resort and provides a useful challenge from novice to experienced golfers. Tee-off times and green fees can be arranged prior to your departure.