The warm country

BEFORE last Christmas I'd never been to Tunisia. Now I've been twice and found the country to be a semi-hidden holiday gem, despite the dodgy weather first time around.

My partner and I made the trip in December hoping for winter sun, but freak blizzards were battering the southern Mediterranean and north Africa.

When I stepped off the plane at Tunis airport in late May on this Cadogan Holidays trip, it was to nothing more than a rush of warm air and an equally warm Tunisian greeting.

Our host was to be Abdel Ben Ali, a man with a great sense of humour who assured us that anything we wanted, we only had to ask. A dangerous thing to say to a crowd of journalists, as we instantly rubbed our hands and thought "booze."

Our first trip was to the ancient ruins at Carthage. We drove from our base, the five star Riu Oceania Palace, Hammamet, through the Cape Bon region also known as 'The Garden of Tunisia.' For a dry, desert country the greenery in this area makes for a striking contrast.

Carthage was built by the Phoenicians in 814BC, destroyed and rebuilt by the Romans between 146 and 121 BC. The place is very impressive, but not breathtaking. It just seemed to lack the magic you'd want from a place that's seen so much. Still well worth checking out, if only as part of a trip to the charming Sidi Bou Said, a nearby town known as the Tunisian St Tropez.

While there, we enjoyed the first of several formal meals with members of the Tunisian tourist board.

I won't discuss them all, but will take this opportunity to mention the amazing Tunisian food.

We were on five-star service throughout, but in December I was on a budget and you can eat just as well whether rich or skint. It's not the food that changes, more your surroundings.

Starters are usually many and varied tapas-type dishes, followed by brik, a local speciality, which is egg and tuna fried into a crispy pancake. The main course is usually a simple grilled fish, with beautifully fresh fruit a popular dessert. If you don't like fish, or are vegetarian, there are alternatives.

Tunisia is so cheap the posh restaurants are still affordable, but watch where the locals eat and you can't go wrong.

If you are in the north, try Restaurant du Port at Sousse. It doesn't look much but is fantastic for flavour, price and atmosphere.

After a late night on the local brew it was up early and off to El Jem, a stunning place. This small town would be inconspicuous if it wasn't towered over by a huge, stunning Roman amphitheatre.

The attitude towards ruins and monuments is relaxed in Tunisia, as you can go more or less where you like. What this does for preservation is anyone's guess - though everything appears to be in excellent nick - but it does let you get an amazing feel of the place. El Jem is a must.

From there we went on a whistle-stop tour of Monastir (clean with stunning mausoleum) and Port el Kantaoui (attractive but built almost exclusively for tourists) before stopping in Sousse.

Sousse isn't a typically beautiful city, but it has style and is brimming with Tunisian city life. Its souk, or market, is huge, maze-like and intimidating, but you can pick up bargains.

Before venturing in, check prices in the Government, or ONAT shop. In the souk, you should pay about at least a third less than the shop's price. Decide on a price and stick to it, and be prepared to have your arm grabbed, be chased down the street and be bombarded with emotional blackmail such as cries of "are you trying to ruin me?" With a bit of nerve you'll get what you're after, at a nice price.

Kairouan, the holy city, came next. Though the fourth most important city in the Muslim world, Kairouan feels relaxed. As well as the Great Mosque and the many smaller mosques, the city's souk is excellent. It has similar stalls to Sousse, but more space. This makes it easier to plot a route between the traders, who will pounce if you stray within two metres of their shops. It also lets more light in, giving the place a relaxed, less threatening feel.

The final evening was spent in "traditional" Tunisian fashion at a club called Pacha, in Hammamet.

Quite how authentically Tunisian the snake charmers, contortionists and belly dancers were I don't know, but it was a good laugh and the meal was decent enough.

The final morning's itinerary included spa treatments at the Royal Azur five-star hotel. The place is a beauty, and you can choose from massage, Turkish baths, mud treatments and more. You feel amazing at the end.

So it was time to go, but I'm sure I'll be back. I've described the place as semi-hidden, as compared to the traditional Brit destination, hardly anyone goes. Take advantage while you can.

The country has fantastic people, food and weather, and you'll be welcomed like a king or queen.

Fact file:

Holiday company: Cadogan, ring 02380 828300 for inquiries.

Trains: GNER York to London Kings Cross, ring 08457 484950 for times and prices. Savings available through Apex tickets, must be booked at least seven days in advance.

Thameslink services to Gatwick, station less than five minutes walk from Kings Cross. Information on 0845 3306333.

Flight: with GB Airways, who fly to Tunisia from Gatwick five times a week. Information on 0845 7733377.

Airport accommodation: A handy hint for travellers driving down to Gatwick is to stay overnight beforehand at the Arora International Hotel, in nearby Crawley.

The hotel is just an eight-minute train ride to Gatwick (the station is less than 60 seconds from the hotel), and both the staff and facilities are excellent.

But the real bonus is that if you pay for a room for one night, at just £43.50, you get up to 15 days free parking, a considerable saving on airport prices.

Rooms can be booked either through York-based Superbreak Mini Holidays, ring 01904 679999, or direct, ring 01293 530000.

Updated: 09:32 Saturday, June 22, 2002