Tunisia Guide
Kairouan and the Sahel
Kairouan – the Holy City – is the most obvious attraction in the Sahel, an area that is central in every way to Tunisia. The Arabic name "Sahel" means "coast" or "margin" and, in the case of the sub-Saharan Sahel, the edge of the desert. Ranging back from the east coast, the Sahel's fertile plains have long been the heartland of the country's agriculture, and a focus during each shift of power. The Romans planted millions of olive trees throughout the region, and under Arab rule it was the base of the great Aghlabid dynasty, which launched a successful invasion of Sicily from the port of Sousse in the ninth century.
Monuments from this and ensuing dynasties grace most of the Sahel's larger towns. Kairouan, the first Arab capital in North Africa, is pre-eminent – above all for its Great Mosque, justly Tunisia's most famous building as well as its spiritual centre. But Sousse, Sfax, Monastir and Mahdiaare each highly rewarding for their architecture, while El Jem shelters what is arguably the Roman world's finest surviving amphitheatre. Add to this an impressive series of beaches and it's easy to understand the region's popularity – and why the coast around Sousse and Monastir has become the country's most highly developed for tourism. Yet there are still places – in particular, parts of the Kerkennah Islands off Sfax – where you can find virtual isolation. For naturalists, too, the area is interesting, with marshland, mud flats and saltpans all the way down the Sahel coast and around the bay of Gabès, attracting large numbers of wading birds and associated species.
Highlights
1 Sousse Tunisia's liveliest resort, with a historic Medina and an excellent archeological museum, as well as beaches and nightlife.
2 Monastir More good beaches and a magnificent fortress with a Monty Python connection.
3 Great Mosque at Kairouan The most important religious site in the country, powerful in its simplicity.
4 Mahdia The prettiest town on the east coast, its Medina poking out to sea along a narrow, rocky peninsula.
5 El Jem The amphitheatre here is the single most impressive Roman monument in Africa – a match even for the Colosseum in Rome.
6 The Medina in Sfax With a thriving community within its massive walls, this unspoilt (and untouristy) Medina is refreshingly different to any other in the country.
7 Kerkennah Islands For a few days of peace and tranquillity, these flat, sleepy islands are hard to beat.