Hammamet

There are 11 tourist attractions in Hammamet

The village of Hammamet has a wonderful idyllic position nestling around a bay on the Cap Bon Peninsula. The city' s sand and beautiful, well-preserved old city are the most important sights, and the city itself is a soft initiation into the cultures and customs of North Africa. Sight-seeing here usually comes second after lounging and absorbing the never-ending sunshine, but if you feel the need to leave the shore, Hammamet is the perfect place to discover the cityscape.

Encircled by its pristine wall dating from the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, Hammamet's labyrinth of alleys and alleys within the old city centre houses a cornucopia of well-preserved Tunean tradition. Several of the alleys are roofed over, so that the place stays cold and shaded even in the hot summers - which makes exploring the area a nice way to relax from the hard rays.

You will find many possibilities for buying embroideries, pottery, leather goods and rugs, although the goods in the madina stores are rather expensive. The cultural centre is located in Hammamet's southerly area ("Hotel Continental") in the magnificent Villa Sebastian. The building was constructed in the 1920s by George Sebastian, a rich Romanian who was the first of many rich Europeans to move to Hammamet at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Hammamet International Festival of Music and Drama, the largest of Hammamet's yearly events, takes place in the wonderful mansion garden every year in July and August. When you get to the city at this hour, don't miss it. When you have come to visit the mansion and are interested in the past, continue along the coastline (between the Samira Club and the Tanfous Hotel) to find the site of the Pupput archaeological site.

There are few remains of the village (Hammamet's first settlement), so they are probably only interesting for the most enthusiast of all. It is full of beautifully renovated specimens of ancient tuna architectural styles, but two of the most important structures in the area are the Great Mosque and the Sidi Abdel Kader Mosque, which border each other.

This mosque was constructed in the fifteenth centuary and renovated in 1972. Sidi Abdel Kader Mosque was erected in 1798 and today works as a madrasah (Islamic school). Hammamet's thirteenth-concentury kasbah is not as well conserved or stunning as the Kasbah of Sousse, but it is still definitely a worthwhile place to visit, especially if you are looking for a side of the story that complements your seaside days.

Inside there is an interesting open-air exhibition explaining the colourful story of Hammamet's cave and the later occupying population. Don't miss the ascent to the top of the city wall to enjoy a splendid view over the Mediterranean and the scenic fishermen's port. The biggest city on the Cap Bon Peninsula, Nabeul is surrounded by a long sand strip that stretches around the Gulf of Hammamet.

Fabrics are available here at lower costs than in Hammamet. This is an outstanding introductory book to the Cap Bon story, with artifacts from punic and roman finds from nearby archaeological excavations (although the best finds are exhibited in the Bardo Museum in Tunis). It is a fishing and dyeing settlement demolished by the Romans during the Third Punic War and never reconstructed so that the initial plan of the city has remained unaltered.

It was a horseshoe-shaped city surrounded by a ring of dual wall with two doors. Archaeological finds have mainly shown the road system and the foundation of marbled house structures with marbled mosaics ( "red" and "white"), much of which has been conserved.

Dewatering gutters also exist, which show that the city had a sophisticated dewatering system. There is a small archeological and historical centre next to the site, showing the story of Kerkouane and the archeological works that have been done since 1966. Some kilometres to the north-east are the Roman caves of El Haouaria, built by the Carthaginians and later by the Romans by mining the rock.

Hammamet's small city of Kelibia, topped by a fort on a 150-metre-high cliff, is one of Hammamet's best excursions for lovers of historical treasures. Constructed by the Byzantines, it was extended and reinforced during the Hafsid family. Its thick fortifications have been superbly maintained, and when you go up into the bastion, you are awarded with a splendid view over the Mediterranean.

Historical visits to the warm water sources of Corbous date back to ancient Rome, when the area was known as Aquae Calidae Carpitanae. The Hamma el Átrous wells are beautifully situated, with swimming pool that drop into the ocean and reach a temperature of up to 50°C. Situated in a beautiful old part of the city, this small village is characterized by an unmistakable Andalusian style architectural style.

Malikite Mosque from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, covered with semicircular bricks, and Hanafite Mosque, with its eight-sided miniature mosque, are two of the most interesting monuments that can be visited as you walk through the alleyways of the médina.