I stayed in Sousse, which turned out to be an excellent base for getting out and about in Tunisia. However, if all you want is to relax on the beach and wander the shops then Sousse is ideal as everything is at hand. The long golden beaches, shaded by palm sunshades, provided by the hotels, are very relaxing. Some hotels provide free sun loungers, others charge; either way, if you want to spend the day on the beach or beside a hotel pool you need, particularly in the high season, to get down early to stakeout your spot. Water sports are offered by most of the hotels and the more intrepid of holidaymakers can paraglide from the beach, jet-ski or even take a camel ride along the sands. There are a few beach touts trying to sell their trinkets, some are quite determined but will disappear eventually if totally ignored!

The majority of the hotels are on the outskirts of the town, but a cheap and efficient taxi and bus service takes you quickly into Sousse itself, or you can take a more relaxed ride into the town on the “Noddy” train. Sousse is centered on the Medina, a walled inner City packed with a maze of narrow streets overflowing with small shops and stalls - a real shoppers dream! Haggling and bartering are the order of the day and everyone has great satisfaction when an agreeable price is struck. If you don't like haggling then there are stores with fixed prices for goods. It's often a good idea to pop into one of these first to check out the prices before entering upon a tough stint of bargaining. Leather handbags and purses were good value. Local ceramic ware was cheap but jewellery needed care as quality was at times questionable. One of the best buys without doubt were local carpets however you need a will of steel to get away from the carpet touts if you dare to hint you might be interested in purchasing. For a fun experience it is worth listening to the sales pitch!

The oldest monument in the Medina is The Ribat, built at the end of the 8th century AD. A flight of stairs leads to the top of the watchtower giving wonderful views over the ancient Medina. The inner courtyard is the only part of the Great Mosque opened to non-Muslims but is worth visiting for that incredible feeling of history. Cafes and restaurants are dotted all over the Medina and city offering everything from burgers to couscous. The local food is excellent and worth trying particularly for quick snacks. Try the "Brik", a triangular envelope of crispy pastry usually stuffed with runny, lightly cooked egg and tuna.

Sousse has a thriving commercial and fishing port and there is a pleasant walk along the front to view the boats but take care, as you have to walk across the main railway line before reaching the harbor side. A small museum, full of Roman Mosaics and artifacts is a fascinating and delightful cooling place to visit on a hot Tunisian afternoon. It is a haven of peace and tranquility after the noisy confines of the Souk!

Not far from Sousse is the modern, purpose built, lively Marina complex of Port El Kantaoui crammed full of expensive yachts. Apartments, shops offering traditional handicrafts, numerous cafes and restaurants vying for your business, surround it. The seafood here was superb - so fresh that it nearly leapt off the plate! As the owner of one restaurant told me, “No fish landed then no menu!” The Port was, I thought, pricey and very crowded but with the sun shining and the clatter of halyards on the chic yachts all could be forgiven. From here boat trips can be taken in a variety of craft galleons, a yellow submarine or a more sober catamaran for the less adventurous. Port El Kantaoui also boasts a fine golf course and a plethora of up market hotels.

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.