Imagine you have 48 hours to enjoy all the delights of this Tunisian city. Would you waste time searching the web for the top attractions? Or wander the streets without a definite plan? All you need to do is follow our advice…
First of all, you need to charge up your batteries and get kitted out to face the sightseeing marathon that awaits you. So take a stroll down Avenue Habib Bourguiba, Hammamet’s main thoroughfare, where you’ll find the best restaurants, shopping centres, galleries and shops in the city.
If traditions are more to your taste, and you want to dive straight into the Arab sights, sounds, aromas and flavours that are all around you, your next destination has to be the medina. The best way to enter it is via Bab el-Souk, its monumental main gate. Inside, you’ll find scores of colourful stalls displaying local crafts of every description, from rugs to jewellery, teapots and heavily-scented spices.
But before you make your way through the streets and alleyways, take a few minutes to go up to the top of the Kasbah, the wall that encloses the medina. The original structure dates back to the 15th century, and offers spectacular views, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop. This is Instagram paradise…
Once inside, head right into the heart of the medina to admire the majestic Abu Am Othmar Mosque, an architectural complex built in 1236. Close by stands the Sidi Abdel Kader Mosque, an equally beautiful building that dates to 1798, today home to the town’s School of Koranic Studies.
Late afternoon is when the city streets really come alive. The cafes begin to fill up with locals, and a few hours spent chatting with them is the best way to appreciate the cheerful, easygoing Tunisian character.
Over the next 24 hours, we recommend trips to the nearby towns of Ain er-Rahma, where you can visit the Roman ruins at Pheradi Majus, or Bir Bou Regba, where it’s worth taking the time to enjoy the natural beauty of the Faoura River waterfall. Another interesting excursion takes you to the neighbouring town of Pupput (only 6km from Hammamet) where you can discover the remains of the Roman settlement at Popput (2nd century AD).
The hours are ticking away. Now it’s time to relax, and the ideal place is Yasmine, the town’s main tourist resort. This might not be the best time of year to enjoy its magnificent beaches, but the facilities and services at Le Royal Hammamet Hotel by BlueBay***** are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. A smile that will seal a promise to revisit this corner of the Mediterranean during the summer season.
