Northern Tunisia
 

Although by-passed by most British holiday-makers, the area north of Tunis and along the northern coast is a delightful part of the country with dozens of quiet beaches and one of the most fascinating towns in the country.

The region can be quite cold in winter with occasional snow flurries. In summer, it provides a welcome escape from the heat of the capital.

BIZERTE: Easily visited on a day trip from Tunis, Bizerte has been a major port since Phoenician times when it was known as Hippo Zarytus. Under French rule in the late 19th century, it became a naval base and has remained Tunisia’s biggest military centre ever since.

At the heart of the town is the wonderfully picturesque Vieux Port (Old Port) surrounded by shops and cafes and usually dotted with dozens of multi-coloured fishing boats.

Despite its Byzantine appearance, the Kasbah dates mainly from the 17th century. Within its walls is a mini-town of narrow, winding alleys.

On the southwestern approach to Bizerte is the Monument of the Martyrs commemorating the Bizerte Crisis of 1961 when French soldiers clashed with Tunisian troops leaving more than 1300 dead.

JEBEL ICHKEUL NATIONAL PARK: About a 40-minute drive from Bizerte, it is one of only two water-based conservation areas in the world to be designated by UNESCO as Wetland World Heritage Sites (the other is the Florida Everglades).

The Park is an important bird sanctuary and between October and February provides a major stopping point for waterfowl migrating between Europe and Africa. It is also home to one of Tunisia’s most colourful birds, the purple gallinule, and among its animal life are water buffalo, wild boar, jackals and otters.

TABARKA: Situated in northwest Tunisia close to the Algerian border, Tabarka was supposed to be Tunisia’s flagship resort on the north coast.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, the Tunisian government ploughed millions of pounds into creating a purpose-built holiday town with its own international airport. Although it is quite popular in the peak summer months with Continental visitors, it has still to win favour with the British market and is completely dead in autumn and winter.

Its future may lie in promoting itself as a diving destination. It offers some of the most exciting dive sites in the Mediterranean including Tunnels Reef – an extraordinary complex of caves, caverns and gullies.