24 Hours in Tunis by Stephen Emms
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The Residence Tunis
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Afternoon
Tunis and its environs are a land-gobbling metropolis, so pack lightly and be prepared to cover some ground by (very cheap) taxis, ideally before you check in to the hotel.
Hit the medina first, the heartbeat of the city founded by the Arabs in the 8th-century, and stroll round the maze of atmospheric souks, where parrots chirrup, men in Fez caps squat smoking, elderly ladies sew rhythmically, and the smoky smell of merguez sausages wafts through narrow alleyways. Visit the 9th-century mosque for some welcome open space with its tranquil porticoed courtyard blinking in the glare of the sun.
Grab a late lunch at Dar El Jeld, a restored 18th-century glitterbox of a riad which is entered through a striking yellow door. Knock loudly, and you’ll be led through a series of antechambers into an open, galleried dining room with gleaming tiled walls and tables under elegant arches. Try mixed hors d’oeuves to start (order one between two otherwise they’ll charge twice), then go for kabkabou (whole fish in tomatoes, olives and leeks), and a decent Tunisian red like Jour et Nuit.
Whilst you sip a mint tea, ask the waiter to call a cab to take you to the world famous Bardo museum, which displays more Roman mosaics than you’ll ever glimpse in one place again, all adorning the rooms of a vast 13th-century palace. To avoid fatigue head to the top and work your way down, lingering on the first floor for the gilded music box rooms and colonnaded central gallery, with its eerie statues.
Evening
You’ve worked hard for your money today, so cab it to the ultra-glam 5 star Hotel Residence for one night of colonial splendour. From your private terrace, drink in the view of migrating sparrows ducking and diving over the palm-filled gardens adjacent to the Med, before taking a dip in the domed indoor sea water pool, heated to a limb-soothing 31 degrees. This is Tunisia, remember, so a post-swim sauna and hammam at the spa (modelled on ancient Roman baths) is a must.
Dinner could be one of several restaurants attached to the hotel: The L’Olivier does excellent grills (try a plate piled high with sardines and red mullet), whilst the traditional El Dar is more sensuous, with bottlegreen and burgundy pillars, shimmering lanterns and delights such as mosaic of stuffed peppers and courgettes (with plenty of chilli-fuelled harissa) followed by Bedouin skewers and, yes, Merguez sausages. L’Imperial Magnus, a little like a good Burgundy, is the wisest choice for the oenophile.
After the feast, if you can move, down a digestif such as Sarab (fig liqueur) at the bar, or grab a cab to people-watch at Café De Paris on Tunis’ central street, Habib Bourguiba. For a nearer slice of nightlife, head to Villa Didon, a minimalist hotel lounge heaving with the jetset and local fashionistas, or the alfresco Plaza Corniche club, on the Tunisians’ coastal playground La Marsa. (And if you’re looking for trouble, the seafront promenade could be the place for a late night cruise, but don’t say we didn’t warn you.)
Morning
After breakfast, a grand affair (try the Berber bread with eucalyptus honey), hire a cab to tick off two must-sees in the area: the ruins of Carthage, and chic village of Sidi Bou Said. The latter is a fifteen minute hop which, on a Sunday morning will feel your own, all cobbled streets, white houses with municipal-blue grills, and colourful reams of bougainvillea.
The cab will wait whilst you climb on foot to the top of the hill where, if the yolk of sun breaks through the clouds, you’ll be rewarded with a magnificent view over the sea, as the chanting of the voices in the mosque below rises over the hum of traffic. Afterwards, pop into Dar El Anaabi, a traditional 18th-century family home, with elegant furnishings, crisp tiled walls and panoramic views from its terrace.
Your final stop is the sprawling ancient ruin of Carthage, founded in 814 BC by the Phoenicians and conquered by the Romans, Vandals, and French. It’s now Tunis’ swankiest suburb, but, midst the Beverly 90210-style houses, lies a wealth of history, with Byrsa Hill its heart.
At the summit (which can be reached by road) stands the Musee de Carthage, with its unmissable Punic quarter, a grid of residential streets in which you can imagine, like a ghost, how the city must have looked in its prime, the scent of pine trees heavy in the air, the spectral mountains shimmering across the azure sea. Bottle that as you speed back to the airport.