Hammamet

Tunisia has six international airports: Tunis (Carthage), Enfidha, Monastir, Tabarka, Djerba, and Tabarka, with Tunis as the capital. When you arrive at one of the airports and do not have a pre-arranged coach transfer, be strong; there are several individuals ready to carry your trolley for you (for which you will be paid!) Say NO and retain all of your possessions. You may take a private cab from Monastir or Tunis to Hammamet in about an hour for between 50 and 80TD, or from Enfidha for around 30TD. You may also take an airport taxi (no need to haggle; just request that the meter be switched on) to the intercity bus terminal or the intercity collective (shared 9-seater) cab station. These solutions would cost around 3-4 dinars per person and would almost certainly be an overcharge if you had large, heavy bags.

Numerous trains stop at Bir Bou Regba (Rekba) from Tunis (about 4.5 DT), which is located along the major railway route and is just 6 kilometers from Hammamet. From the Bir Bou Regba (Rekba) station, you can simply take a cab to anywhere in Hammamet. There are fewer direct trains between Tunis and Hammamet.

Due to Hammamet’s expansive sandy beaches, the city was really Tunisia’s first tourist destination. The expansive beaches run for kilometers, and despite the high volume of summer visitors, they seldom grow too crowded. For the majority of the year, the water remains pleasant and clear, and is tranquil enough to swim, wade, snorkel, and participate in a variety of other water activities. Tunisia’s beaches are completely open to the public, with the exception of those designated as private by coastal hotels for their guests. Generally, hotel beaches are off-limits to the public.

Good Beach or Bad Beach

The long golden beaches that curve around the Gulf of Hammamet’s shore lack distinct names or borders. The whole beach area is indistinguishable. Obviously, certain beach stretches are superior than others. There are a few guidelines you may follow to select the ideal locations. Regions near bars and cafés tend to have more waste than other areas owing to the negligence of their patrons, while somewhat more isolated areas are more likely to have camel dung laying about on the sand, which may be rather unpleasant due to its pungent stench.

Safety

Regrettably, wherever you relax on Hammamet’s beaches, you will be hassled by relentless merchants hawking their items and seeking to get you to withdraw your foreign money. Generally, as long as you demonstrate complete lack of interest, they will leave you alone after a time. As with any other nation, use caution with your valuables and avoid leaping in the ocean or leaving them unattended on the beach. You really never know when a thief is around.

Water safety is not a major worry. Generally, the ocean is quiet, with gentle waves lapping against the smooth beach. If you have tiny children, just keep a close check on them.

Tourists

Throughout the majority of the year, Hammamet is densely packed with European visitors, which detracts from the indigenous Tunisian culture and customs and diminishes the sense of being in an unusual environment. That is one of the disadvantages of visiting such a tourist location. However, it is a pleasant beach town ideal for sunbathing, sight-seeing, and swimming, and you should avoid letting the crowds mar your enjoyment of Hammamet’s beaches.

Bardo Museum

This museum is situated in the city’s central business district and is easily accessible by taxi. The Bardo Museum is open daily except Mondays and is a must-see for every visitor visiting Hammamet. The museum is well known for its extraordinary collection of ancient Roman mosaics. Additionally, it has a variety of exhibits from Tunisia’s prehistoric, Islamic, Punic, Roman, and early Christian periods. Tourists should plan on spending at least a couple hours exploring the whole area.

Raqqada Museum

Although the Raqqada Museum is not located in Hammamet, travelers can easily reach it from the city, and it is well worth a visit. This is Tunisia’s biggest museum of Islamic art, located near the Kairouan archeological site. The museum has an extensive collection of pottery dating from the ninth, tenth, and eleventh centuries, as well as some from Syria and Egypt. Additionally, visitors will have the opportunity to see a vast collection of Islamic coins in the medal room. The museum also has a glass and bronze room, as well as a manuscripts area.

Dar Ben Abdallah

Located in the heart of Medina, Tunisia’s ancient city, this museum is great for travellers interested in learning about the country’s traditional traditions and arts. The museum is housed inside an 18th-century mansion that was previously a private residence. Each of the palace’s chambers depicts a rite of passage associated with significant life events such as birth, marriage, and engagement. Furniture, pottery, and jewelry from top Tunisian households from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are also on show here.

Hammamet, Tunisia, is a town located on Africa’s northernmost peninsula, only a few kilometers short of being considered the continent’s northernmost city. Hammamet is a seaside town located in an alcove along the Mediterranean Sea known as the Gulf of Hammamet. It is home to around 50,000 persons. Thousands of European visitors flock here each year to soak up the sun and romp along the magnificent beaches. Hammamet has benefited from tourism, and during its peak tourist season, the population may easily quadruple. Food, shopping, and recreational opportunities are as abundant as the variety of travelers. Hammamet offers an abundance of sights and experiences.

Pupput’s Site is an ancient city of ruins that may be visited for only three DT. The site dates from about 168 A.D. Numerous significant discoveries have been made, including a highly detailed mosaic tile that borders the pavement and is considered to indicate an extremely wealthy lifestyle. At the Pupput Site, visitors may examine several other ancient artifacts, including portions of dwellings, waterworks, funerary ornamental features, and numerous architectural decorative elements. At the Site of Pupput, there is a souvenir store, a museum, and restrooms.

Medina Hammamet might be intimidating for foreigners owing of the vendors’ tenacity, but if you get beyond that and take in the noise and bustle of the market, you will quickly find your flow. The Medina is a bustling souvenir market; almost every business caters to visitors. You’ll discover several wonderful discounts here, including vibrant textiles, silks, leather, ceramics, and a variety of local crafts that make terrific keepsakes from your stay in Hammamet. In the market, haggling is encouraged, and you must be ready to bargain in order to get a fair deal. Women may feel uneasy approaching the market alone, therefore it is advisable to go with a fellow tourist to reduce the strain of being accosted by local males. The Medina is completely free to attend and is an excellent location for people watching.

The Great Mosque is another must-see sight in Hammamet. This meticulously built architectural masterpiece, which dates all the way back to the 1500s, will leave you speechless for a while. Adjacent to the Great Mosque is the Sidi Abdel Kader Mosque, which dates all the way back to the late 1700s and is presently utilized for Koranic instruction.

The Sinbad Hotel Bar is a prominent bar in Hammamet. There is an excellent outside terrace with some quite spectacular views of the region. The bar offers a fantastic selection of appetizers and is an excellent spot to begin your evening.

After dark, the clubs and discos are the places to be. The Latino Disco, situated near the Le Paradis Hotel, is one of the most well-known clubs. Here, a variety of music is performed, from Arabic to salsa.

The Manhattan Club and the Havana Club are two further renowned clubs in this area. Both of these locations are also close to the Latino Disco and are readily accessible through instructions obtained from your hotel’s front desk.

Visitors will observe that the majority of clubs here are dominated by males rather than women, as well as a large number of guys dancing together. Women often go out with their boyfriends or husbands, thus there is little interaction between the sexes at clubs and cafés.

Hammamet is densely packed with charming little sidewalk cafés. Offering coffees, teas, and a variety of modest meals, tourists will appreciate the chances for people watching and the diversity of delicacies available at these various cafes.

One of Hammamet’s most prominent cafés is the Cafe Sidi Bou Hdid, which is situated in the Medina’s northwest corner, between the sea and the wall. The population here is a mix of locals and visitors, and the menu is extensive. This is the ideal spot for a relaxed evening watching the sea while sipping a cup of the cafe’s famous mint tea. Shisha is also offered here, as it is in the majority of cafes, and the cafe’s ambience and design are impeccable.

Numerous cafés are spread across the city. At the very least, a simple stroll around your neighborhood or Medina will yield one. If you’re looking for a quiet evening away from the hustle and bustle of a party, a café is the place to go in Hammamet.

Hammamet’s shopping is comparable to that of other Tunisian towns. This destination is well-known as one of the finest beach resorts in North Africa. Due to its popularity as a tourist destination, the shopping is wide, and the shopkeepers are ardent in their efforts to get you to purchase their items.

Visiting the Medina Area

The tiny Medina district is the ideal spot to purchase crafts and souvenirs. In Medina, you’ll discover ceramics, jewelry, and rugs, among other things. All shops will want to herd you into their establishment, so be tough and only go where you choose. If you like wandering and inspecting everything before making a purchase, spend a morning in the Medina. There are several side streets to discover, so get lost for a bit while shopping.

Fella is a boutique neighborhood near to the Medina. This business has a lengthy history and features embroidery, Tunisian djellabas, beautiful jewelry, and very unique kaftkans. Take time to see this location when in the Medina. Make certain you arrive prepared to barter, since this is the norm in the majority of marketplaces, with the exception of the most formal of establishments.

Shopping at the Bazaar

The bazaar is where you’ll find traditional products and souvenirs, and hubbly-bubbly pipes, as well as olive wood and leather goods, are popular. If you need to replenish travel essentials such as shampoo, you will need to visit more sophisticated retail areas. If you’re primarily seeking for souvenir shops, enter the Yasmine Hammamet resort, since this neighborhood has fixed-price boutiques.

Visiting workshops on Main Street

Another prominent shopping center is on the city’s main thoroughfare, near the Grand Mosque. On Friday mornings, a weekly market is held, including some of the more exotic products for sale, such as cattle and belly dance costumes. Throughout the week, you may visit retail stores and workshops where artisans make exquisite works of art such as weaving, woodworking, and jewelry.

Get Ready to Haggle

The majority of tourists purchase at the souks, but use caution since most of the items is exorbitantly priced. It is critical that you only negotiate for products you want to purchase, since a shopkeeper may get enraged if you haggle for a long and then decide not to purchase the item. Before venturing out for a day of shopping, it’s a good idea to have an idea of what you want to purchase and a ballpark pricing in mind.

Hammamet, appropriately dubbed the ‘Pearl of the Mediterranean Sea,’ has a laid-back approach to vacationing, with just a few big festivals spaced throughout the year. Tunisia’s cities and small towns have a variety of everyday events. However, they will not be found in Hammamet. What you will undoubtedly notice is that the locals take their primary festival attraction extremely seriously.

The International Festival of Hammamet

The International Hammamet Festival attracts a large number of visitors from throughout the globe, particularly French-speaking Europeans and other English-speaking ethnic groups. The event runs from mid-July until the third week of August. Simultaneously, the similar event in Tunis is bustling. However, as you shall see, the celebration is much larger here. Until 2008, the primary major draw was live music, but that has changed. You may now witness a variety of French theatre productions. The festival’s musical sections are brimming with anticipation. Musicians perform a wide range of melodies, some of which are indigenous to Hammamet and other regions of Tunisia. Jazz is a more prevalent musical form during the event. Several shows incorporate more contemporary rock genres. Whatever your inclination, there are generally 30 bands performing for your amusement, in addition to 12 theatrical productions.

Islamic Holy Festivals

There are groups of Muslims that observe their faith’s traditional festivals. Ramadan is celebrated in the ninth month of the year. This Muslim custom stipulates that fasting will be observed throughout daytime hours, but eating and partying will commence after sunset. Additionally, you will observe these individuals set up tables with food for the city’s destitute. Another event, which is seen among Hammamet’s Muslim population, occurs around the end of November. Eid-al-adha, or the ‘Feast of Sacrifice,’ is a religious holiday observed in this country. It is essential to them because it encompasses two components of their worship on this day. They observe this day to commemorate Abraham’s willingness to offer his only son in obedience to God. Additionally, this day commemorates the conclusion of the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. This is regarded to be one of their most sacred and significant feasts.

As you take in the last rays of the sun setting over the Mediterranean in the early evening, a stir in the air occurs as Hammamet’s nightlife comes to life. True to Hammamet’s tiny resort vibe, it does not become drunken and crazy all night. Nonetheless, it is a time to spend with friends or family. Alternatively, possibilities may present themselves for you to meet new and fascinating individuals.

Night Clubs, Cafés, Pubs and Bon-Fires

Even though Hammamet’s nightlife only lasts until little after midnight, the streets are packed with people seeking for a good time. You may find entertainment by following them to pubs, cafés, restaurants, and discos. Visitors congregate in the town center at cafés such as the Kashbar and Canary. You may try a native tea or perhaps the famed shisha at these businesses (water pipe). There are also nightclubs and taverns around the town that provide frequent entertainment, ranging from music concerts to belly dance. Several teams have big sporting events broadcast via satellite TV for sports enthusiasts. A considerable number of restaurants and pubs along the cool beachheads have open-air music entertainment on their back patios. The music in these places spans a wide range of genres, from traditional Arabic to upbeat salsa. Large flames are lit at regular intervals along the beach, facing outwards toward the sea. At the ‘bon-fire,’ you have the opportunity to mingle with strangers. This open-air gathering is the most well-known and provides the most enjoyable nightlife social gatherings in Hammamants.

Hotels and Discos

Although there are no true all-night swinging and drinking establishments, some five and four star hotels provide dining, discos, and entertainment. These establishments have a more contemporary look than the majority of the other options. The Sindbad Hotel Bar is a famous hangout. You’ll be able to sample some local snacks and a beverage while enjoying a stunning view of the seaside from an outside table. The Latin Disco is a popular hangout where you can listen to music ranging from Arabic to salsa. The Havana Club and the Manhattan Club are two additional favorites among Europeans. Clubs are often more male-dominated than female-dominated. The intriguing aspect of Hammamet is that you may select from a variety of venues to have fun while relaxing and refreshing yourself in lovely Hammamet.