Welcome to Hammamet

Hammamet, some 60 Km southeast of Tunis, is clearly among finest Mediterranean beach resorts. Here the fine beaches turn the right way, to the south, allowing you to sunbathe and watch the sea at the same time

At the beginning of last century, Hammamet was a small fishing village making some extra money by selling lemons from its dense citrus groves to Sicily for export to America. It was not until the 1920’s, with the arrival of Romanian millionaire George Sebastian, that the town found its true vocation. Sebastian built a fabulous villa just above the beach, described by Frank Lloyd Wright as the most beautiful house he knew. Others followed, and today with more than 100 hotels and around 40.000 beds, Hammamet is a well-adjusted port to Tunisia for many people. Many tourists go for comfort and fun, and then Hammamet is among the best choices of Tunisia. And if anyone would like to go on excursions, Hammamet is close to many things: Tunis, Kairouan, and many small towns out on the Cap Bon.

Hammamet's beaches go on for kilometres and kilometres, and there is virtually no point along the coast that doesn't allow swimming. That is, of course, with exception of the beach strips fenced off by the better hotels. Therefore, despite the many tourists coming here, Hammamet's beaches rarely becomes very crowded. And they are clean and inviting too.

The medina (old city) dates back to around 1500, when the Hafsids erected the present walls, allowing safe living and trade here. The site had earlier been an Aghlabid stronghold.

Definitely easy to overlook for visitors without a good map in their hand, the walk along walls of the medina offers many nice views of white-washed houses mushrooming above you. Late afternoon is the time when colours cascades into yellow and orange, matched by the blue sea.

As with other medinas of Tunisia, Hammamet's becomes almost mystical at night. Few light sources allow shapes usually hidden in flat sunlight, to reveal themselves. Another advantage at night, is that most tourists are gone, draping these traditional streets in an unreal silence.

There are more than enough places to eat in a town like Hammamet. You will have no problem finding places with both charm and good food. Value for money is very good. Also, Hammamet has a selection of bars and discos, where any traveller, also females, can go and feel safe.