Hammamet and
Yasmine Hammamet
The happening resort on the sun-soaked Cap Bon peninsula is Tunisia’s “St-Tropez”
Hammamet has come a long way since its days as a sleepy fishing village adopted by a Bohemian clientèle. What would the likes of painter Paul Klee or writer André Gide think of it now? Chances are they’d still want to come, for the nice thing about Hammamet is that change has boosted rather than blandified its core attractions. It is still very much “the garden resort”, lush with shady ficus, lemon trees, bougainvillea and oleander – just a little larger than it used to be.
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All our hotels have wonderful sub-tropical gardens, and so has the beautiful Moorish villa of the late George Sebastian, a Romanian aristocrat and patron of the arts who declared no building in Hammamet should be higher than a palm tree. The spare style – almost Arts & Crafts – of his former home, now part of the International Cultural Centre, is a perfect foil for exhibitions of contemporary art and craftwork. A treat to visit. Hugging the walls of the old medina with its castle by the sea is the new Sidi Bou Hdid café. Borrowing the exotic ambience of traditional Tunisian cafés, this is the latest hub, tourists and locals alike relaxing against its vivid cushions to sip mint tea with pine nuts or drink freshly-squeezed orange juice as the apple-scented smoke of hookah pipes fuses with the sea breeze.
Bright, off-duty fishing boats laze upon the harbour beach. Along the new promenade, palm trees are already sprouting. Other cafés, snack bars, restaurants and ice-cream parlours waylay passers-by. Hammamet has charm in spades. It is also smart – smart enough, above all, to preserve the romance of its past and remain individual. There is still bargaining to be done in the souk – never under pressure, but it’s an expected ritual – for carpets, Berber jewellery, leather slippers, fluffy toy camels with even fluffier eyelashes, and the colourful Nabeul pottery. To get around, you can hail a horse-drawn calèche, hop on a pink petit train or call for a taxi. It couldn’t be easier. The exciting new Yasmine Hammamet development with its custom-built medina and new marina is worth a visit even if you’re not staying there. A gentle sophisticated spin has been put on classic Moorish style, incorporating covered-bazaar shopping arcades, blue latticed shutters and balconies, courtyard cafés and trickling fountains. Enormous fun. There’s also a casino and Carthageland children’s theme park.
With safe swimming, stunning hotels and lots to see and do, Hammamet has absolutely everything for the perfect family holiday – plus, if you want to explore further, some of Tunisia’s most interesting sites. Tunis, Dougga, Sousse and Kairouan are all within easy reach, either by hire car or on an organised excursion. Even a short drive out into the surrounding countryside can be a pleasant diversion, meandering through a landscape covered, just as it was in Punic times, with the rustic embroidery of olive and citrus groves.
2 or 3-centre stays
Combine Hammamet with other resorts or with Tunis - we can be as flexible as you wish and still offer you an inexpensive package with added value.
Excursions
Private tours can be organised by your representative in the resort, or you can join one of the group excursions. The full programme of these will be available on your arrival, but here are some examples:
Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Saïd. Visit to the capital, including the Medina and the Bardo Museum (famous for its Roman mosaics), the Roman ruins at Carthage and the pretty artists’ village of Sidi Bou Saïd.
Full day: £35
Kairouan, Sousse and Port El Kantaoui. Tour to Kairouan, fourth most important city of pilgrimage in Islam, visiting the Grand Mosque, the Barber’s Mausoleum, souk and carpet factory. Return via Sousse to see the Ribat and Medina, and Port El Kantaoui.
Full day: £35
Cap Bon. Visit to the Cap Bon area including the stone-carvers’ workshop at Dar Chaabane, the Punic site of Kerkouane and the Roman quarry of El Haouaria.
Full Day: £30
Mini Safari. Overnight stay at Douz in the Sahara, on the way taking in the Roman Colosseum at El Jem and the cave dwellings of Matmata. Return via Chott El Jerid, Tozeur, Metlaoui and Kairouan.
Two days: £85
All excursions, which are subject to availability, must be booked on arrival and paid for in dinars. Prices are approximate. Full-day excursions include lunch.
