Mahdia

The white houses of this small peninsula overlook the sea as they always have. This port has always been important, ever since its foundation in 916 AD. Nowadays it is its beaches - the best in the country according to many - that draw the greatest praise. But the attractions of the sea are only a part of its charm. Added to the genuine enchantment of one of Tunisia's most beautiful medinas are the Roman coliseums and holy cities that rise up in the midst of the surrounding arid countryside.

Mahdia beach

Many describe this beautiful beach as one of the best in the country. The Mediterranean breezes refresh you nearly all the time, helping one cool down in the heat of the summer months.
The Hotel Riu El Mansour, set on the sea front, offers diving lessons to enable you to discover the treasures of the seabed here. You can also have fun in the sea with water scooters, windsurfing or sailing.

Diving

Aside from the numerous water-based activities you can practise near the hotel, you can also dive here. This industry is undergoing a period of expansion in Tunisia. Some people have even compared Tunisian waters to those of the Red Sea, although this may be something of an exaggeration. In the Riu hotel you will be able to take lessons and explore the different immersion points in the area. There is an abundance of groupers, octopi and moray eels, and if you're lucky, you may well come across the odd turtle.

Horse riding

There are several riding centres in the region where you can book up treks, both inland and along the beach.

Specialities

Mahdia market is always well stocked with fresh fish and this is noticeable on local tables. Don't miss the gilthead bream, red mullet, mackerel, sardines and octopus, grilled with lemon, in soup or in couscous.

You will also be able to find the typical dishes that are common to the whole country:

Couscous: Tunisian couscous consists of a combination of vegetables and wheat semolina with merguez sausages, fish and lamb or beef.

Tajines: The succulent tajines - very different to the Moroccan ones - are an egg loaf with lamb, vegetables, potato, maluska leaves and cheese, cooked over a low flame.

Condiments: Both the tajines, couscous and other local specialities are accompanied by harissa, a pepper paste that can be extremely hot and adds a little more flavour - if indeed that is possible - to the dishes.

Desserts: The patisserie highlight is the small, extremely sweet cakes made using natural products such as dates, almonds, pistachios, sesame, etc. Many of them have honey and lots of sugar sprinkled on them.

Mint tea: As in the whole of North Africa, this aromatic drink served with plenty of sugar is the delight of both locals and tourists.

Juices: Get ready to try some excellent juices. The orange juice, and above all the fig juice, are outstanding.

Shopping

Whilst the medina of Mahdia is much quieter than many others, there are also interesting souks supplied with local products. The tapestries made in Kairouan can be of a very high quality indeed, although the best ones can be quite expensive. As in all the tourist towns you will also be able to find pottery, leather goods and jewellery.
In Place du Caire, in the centre of the old town, there is a small but interesting art gallery with local watercolours and wooden sculptures.

Mahdia medina

The domes, minarets and whitewashed houses overlooking the Mediterranean are connected to the rest of the country by a small isthmus. As well as being extremely photogenic, the residential streets of the medina are one of the most pleasant places for a stroll in Tunisia.

The gateway to the town - formerly the only one there was - is the imposing Skifa el-Kahla fortress. It opens up onto Ali Bei, the narrow, cobbled main street. Although it still contains the hustle and bustle of a bygone age, when it was the main souk, the food and spice stalls have been replaced by others that focus more on tourists.

One of the most beautiful walks one can go on is through the narrow streets that surround the town. In them you will find yourself between the azure of the sea and the picturesque houses lined up facing the Mediterranean.
 
In Place du Caire you will be able to try a juice or a tea in the shade of trees and vines. At one end of the square lies the Mustapha Hamza Mosque, Turkish in origin and decorated with a beautiful arched entrance.

The Great Mosque, constructed in 1965, is a replica of the original which was destroyed by Spanish troops in 1554. It is a simple yet elegant building. Non-Muslims may enter the courtyard outside of prayer times.

Heading for Cape Africa, on the tip of the peninsula, you will pass by the fishermen's cemetery, with its dazzlingly white tombs; and the old fortifications and port.

El Djem Roman amphitheatre

This enormous construction will start to amaze you even before you reach it, as it can be seen from a distance of several kilometres from the town. There can be few monuments as impressive as this one, the dimensions of which are similar to that of Rome. The structure is in an excellent state of conservation and towers complacently over the small houses nearby, giving rise to a surprising contrast.

The coliseum was completed in 238 AD and currently holds 30,000 people, more than the total population of the town. In summer it is the venue for concerts and other cultural events. When it's not in use, one can go up to the upper stands and observe the arid landscape that surrounds it. You can also explore the two underground passages that were used by gladiators, lions and prisoners condemned to a certain death in the arena.

This monument - one of the most valuable of the African Roman Empire - is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the authorities are currently making a huge effort to conserve it.

Kairouan holy city

The city was founded by the Arab conquerors in the 7th century, and it is the fourthmost holy city of Islam after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. For Muslims, seven trips to Kairouan is the equivalent of one visit to Mecca.

Non-Muslims are not allowed to penetrate the interior of the Great Mosque, although if you hire a long white robe you may gain access to the patio, where you can contemplate the forest of marble columnsthat support the temple. There are nearly a thousand of them and they come from the El Djem coliseum and the Roman ruins of Susa and Carthage.

The city exudes religiosity and puritanism, but some streets in the medina are also open for the sale of rugs, water pipes and souvenirs. The best idea is to leave the commercial streets and wander around, discovering the residential area. Even though it's a little shabby, it still retains the elegance of an important town.

Another interesting place is the mausoleum of Abu Zama El Belaoui, also known as the Barber because he always carried three hairs from the beard of the Prophet around with him. Even though non-Muslims may not access the tomb, it is delightful to walk around the corridors decorated with cedar coffering, stuccoed walls and coloured tiles, leading to a beautiful patio.