Sousse: A Gem in the Mediterranean

When it comes to ancient monuments then Tunisia can rival the glory of Rome. The Coliseum at El Jem is breathtaking and is only slightly smaller than its famous cousin in Rome. I took a train ride from Sousse to visit the ruins and experienced a trouble free one hour trip, stopping within 500 meters of the spectacular ruins. It really is magnificent, built around 230-240 AD with an estimated seating capacity of 30,000. It still stands proud and in a remarkably good state of preservation. As I climbed to the top tier I looked down on the arena below - little imagination was required to envisage the spectacle of the gruesome gladiatorial fights.

Another outing took me to ancient Carthage. I opted for a guided coach tour from the hotel to visit the famous ruins. Carthage was eventually crushed by Rome and became the third largest city in the Roman Empire. En route, the tour visited the renowned Bardo museum with its incomparable collection of giant marble statues and incredible mosaics. From there we meandered up the hilly street of the delightful blue and white village of Sidi Bou Said with its breathtaking views across the Bay of Tunis.

Here I had a chance to catch up on my shopping as I wandered the narrow street packed full of gift shops offering their merchandise. This included camels - no matter where you go or where you look in Tunisia you see stuffed camels, they come in all shapes and sizes - and all prices! I fell in love with the "singing" camels and had the battery confiscated by my friend back home as the incessant high pitch "whine" drove him mad! No holiday is complete without one or two! Look out again for local silver jewellery, pottery, and leatherwork and of course rugs and carpets. Unfortunately most are too heavy and cumbersome to carry home on the plane, but many shops do offer a delivery service.

To sum up, Sousse was an enjoyable holiday destination with nonstop sunshine, clean beaches, a choice of hotels offering facilities for single travelers' right through to large family parties. The nightlife is as hectic or quiet as you want and it is possible to get away from the madding crowds that appear in the high season. There is a large choice of extra activities including diving, golf, local excursions and 4x4 tours to the desert.