Tunisia Offers Eco Holidays for the Environmentally Aware
Share
Most tourists to Tunisia spend their time around the pool or the beach slobbing out. But the country is now at the forefront of green tourism with a network of organic farms offering accommodation and food.
Tunis Medina
If you're not on a charter, Tunisair is the only airline licensed to fly direct from London to Tunis with a daily service from Heathrow. Twenty minutes from the airport is Gammarth with a number of high quality beachside hotels including the Ramada Plaza and the world famous Residence. There you can unwind by the pool or beach before making your first foray into the real Tunisia. The Medina in Tunis is a rambling labyrinth of narrow alleys lined with stalls with sellers trying to get you to buy everything from spices to sandals. Not just for tourists, it’s also a place where ordinary Tunisians do business and its worth exploring the tea houses and restaurants here. Half a sheep’s head was on some of the menus but we headed for the famous Dar el Jeldt, housed in a beautiful restored historic house. Shorts are frowned on here, so you have to don a flowing Djellaba to make yourself respectable but it’s worth it for the refined Tunisian cuisine. A mezze starter included delicate pasties stuffed with Spinach, Cheese and Tuna, a Seafood salad of Mussels, Octopus, Squid and Prawns, Cucumber salad with Ricotta and spicy Merguez sausages. Mains, apart from the Tunisian version of Haggis known as Osbéne, were fish, all sparklingly fresh from the market.
Green Tunisia
To get away from the hustle and bustle and find an ecological haven means travelling deep into the heart of the country to Ksar Ezzit about 60 km south of Tunis. This is one of the largest organic olive farms in the country and they’ve built seven self contained luxury villas, spread out across the property. Each one is individual and reflects the architecture and culture of different parts of Tunisia. All the food in the restaurant comes from the farm, is 100% organic, and includes honey, dairy products, eggs and chickens, fruit and vegetables and of course olive oil.. Trekking, horse riding are all on offer and this is a great place to spend a few days getting back to nature, particularly in the autumn when you can help harvest and process the olives. In the immediate surrounding area are the extensive Roman ruins of Uthina with a 10,000 seat amphitheatre partially dug into the ground and the remains of the 100 km aqueduct system which transported water from Zaghouan to Carthage.
Sousse – Pearl of the Sahel
After a few days of peace and quiet you may find yourself hankering for the bright lights and beaches. Sousse is Tunisia’s liveliest city, smaller than Tunis but still manages a Medina and Kasbah. It’s known as the “Pearl of Sahel” because of its location right on the sea and miles and miles of soft sandy beachfront. The coast is one long hotel strip but the new Movenpick Resort and Marine Spa is just a short walk from the heart of the city, ideal for exploring. Its three outdoor pools make it a great place to relax, and there are five restaurants providing anything from Sushi to Tapas as well as more traditional Tunisian fare. The Levant Grill and Jacuzzi is the perfect place to watch the sun go down as you eat.
Useful links
Kzar Ezzit
Movenpick Resort & Marine Spa, Sousse
Rama Plaza Tunis
Restaurant Dar el Jeld, Tunis
The Residence Hotel, Tunis
Tunisair
Email
Add to your Pocket Guide
