Just two and a half hours flying time from the UK, Tunisia is a small North African Country in the heart of the Mediterranean which is blessed with a stunning coastline, gorgeous sandy beaches, an abundance of historical sites and the magic of the Sahara desert. Whether you choose to simply relax, visit the sites, enjoy watersports, play golf, tennis and bowls Tunisia is a year round holiday destination with something for everyone. A mix of African, Arabic and French cultures ensure you are in for a real treat and the natives are friendly and welcoming.

Faces of Tunisia

Just 77 miles south-west of Sicily is Tunisia. A country which, by reputation, is more Mediterranean than African. The climate is mild, the trees always green and the oranges ripen in sunshine throughout the year. Golden sandy beaches stretch for some 800 miles along Tunisia's Mediterranean coastline. The food which has a distinctly French influence is mixed with typical Tunisian specialities like Koucha Fil Kolla, fresh lamb sprinkled with rosemary and spices and baked in a clay pot. Locally produced wine is even grudgingly admired by the French.

Fancy a round of golf? Then you need not travel far, there are championship courses in Tabarka, Tunis, Hammamet, Port El Kantaoui, Monastir and Djerba. When you're tired of the beach you can take in some shopping and haggle for souvenirs in a traditional souk for curly-toed slippers, filigree birdcages, an embroidered Kaftan or hand-woven carpets.

If history is your scene then take in one of 250 historic sites left behind by the Romans who occupied the country for 600 years. The Coliseum at El Djem is considered better preserved than the one in Rome and at Dougga or Sbeitla you can wander among villas, temples and amphitheatres surrounded by wild flowers and olive trees. Before the Romans Tunisia was the birthplace of the Carthaginian Empire that included Spain. From there, Hannibal set out across the Alps with 59,000 men and 40 elephants to crush the Romans in an epic campaign. Unfortunately Rome took revenge in 149 BC, when Scipio left the city of Carthage in ruins, but the site is still worth a visit today. There are stories that Tunisia's first tourist was Ulysses, who apparently could not bear to leave the island of Djerba and of Queen Dido and her love for Aeneas. For 70 years before independence Tunisia was a French protectorate and this influence gave the country's capital Tunis its typical cosmopolitan feel.

Today's travellers will find that tourism has developed alongside tradition. Modern hotels have been built to blend in with the local surroundings. Purpose built resorts like Port El Kantaoui and Hammamet Yasmine have been constructed on sites identified for their natural beauty, embracing rather than destroying local culture and are free of the commercialism associated with other popular holiday destinations.