I'm open to alternatives - please explain your reasons. I'm looking for a mixture of relaxing and sightseeing. I'm going with my mate who doesn't like lying on a beach all day (where as I do) so we're trying to get the best of both.
2006-09-06 22:45:43 · 15 answers · asked by Mr G 2 in Travel ➔ Africa & Middle East ➔ Tunisia
I would definately suggest Tunisia! There are so mant things to do here that I can't even possibly begin to explain them all to you in the small space. So many places here meet the qualifications that you listed, but I am going to give you information for the capitol, Tunis, because I think it wil be more cultural and historical.
First off, things in Tunisia are cheap. You can get a meal (drinks and dessert included) for 4 people, for around 20TND -that's about 8£. Pretty cheap.
I found an interesting place for me was Carthage. It is the famed capitol of the ancient world and is located on the eastern side of Lake Tunis across from the center of modern Tunis. Now there is a museum there where you can view the ruins and ancient artifacts You can spend a day walking through the ruins and visiting the museum. Because you are still in Tunis, the are many other interesting things to see as well. There is:
THE BARDO MUSEUM. 4 km/2.5mi west of Tunis is the suburb of Le Bardo, famed for the Bardo National Museum, which has the world's largest collection of Roman mosaics and other antiquities of interest from Ancient Greece, Carthage and from the Arab period, and it ranks with the Egyptian Museum in Cairo as one of the two great museums of North Africa.
SIDI BOU SAID. The town is a tourist attraction because it is known for the extensive use of blue and white colors (the traditional colors of Tunisia) all over the town. All kinds of souvenirs can be bought in the main street. There is the traditional High Coffee there which is worth a look. My favorite is a coffee that overlooks the marina. It has fantastic views and a wonderful ambiance.
THE MEDINA. Just going there you can feel the history come to life. The streets are buzzing with shoppers and sellers. The medina itself contains around 700 monuments, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas and fountains dating from the Almohads and the Hafsids periods.
DAR BEN ABDALLAH. A small but interesting museum within an 18th-century palace in the medina, covering the everyday life of a rich merchant in the Ottoman era.
ZITOUNA MOSQUE. The largest mosque in Tunisia. This Aghlabite mosque dates back to the 9th century. Modest dress is essential, and non-Muslims can only enter the courtyard, not the mosque itself.
PORT DE FRANCE. It is comprised of architecture and decoration from many different styles and periods and is believed to stand on the remains of a Roman theatre as well as the tenth century palace of Ziadib-Allah II al Aghlab.
CATHEDRAL OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL. It is located in downtown Tunis. It is a grand church situated in between shops and coffees.
DOWNTOWN TUNIS ITSELF. Here you can see the French infuence on Tunisia as many of these old buildings are built in French style. It also is home to a beautiful giant clock tower that is illuminated at night.
LA MARSA. It is a coastal town not far from Tunis. It is a popular vacation spot for many middle class Tunisians, being one of the only accessable beaches in the capitol.
BIZERTE. I know it's not in Tunis, but it's only about a 45 minutes to an hours drive away, and it is gorgeous! This is where many of the residents of Tunis come for their summer escape to the beach. It is the northern most point of Africa and because of that, the majority of the city is boardered by the Sea. The beaches are pristine, and it offers some great resteraunts and peaceful moments.
That's just to name a few of the highlights. Once you get to the city yourself I'm sure that you will find many things that fascinate you. Tunisia is a land filled with much culture and history. And keep in mind that what interests one person, may not interest another, so everyone gains a different experience. Visitng the places I have named above sould be able to occupy your vist.
I don't have any personal pictures of Tunis (I need to do that soon!) but I do have pictures of where I live in Monastir. You are welcome to view those, and any other pictures I have to get a feel for the beauty of Tunisia. Here are a few of those links:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jamie_hassen/album?.dir=44a4&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jamie_hassen/album?.dir=44a4&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jamie_hassen/album?.dir=44a4&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jamie_hassen/album?.dir=4351&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jamie_hassen/my_photos
If you have any other questions, or need more help, please feel free to contact me!
2006-09-06 23:36:04 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Morocco would be the cheapest probably, in fact almost certainly, and there's a lot of sightseeing to do. The only thing is don't pay the asking price for anything they expect you to barter its the culture. Don't get talked into going into a place selling carpets and plying you with lovely mint tea (free and lovely) because its so hard not to buy a carpet or rug you probably don't want as they are very persuasive.
If you have a guide at any time they are good and do speak English (they have to be registered to be a bona fide Guide) they are not expensive (again barter) and they'll take you to places you won't find on your own.
2006-09-07 06:02:41 · answer #2 · answered by Barry G 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Ok I tell you that the north of Portugal and Lisbon are cheap. You can fly in a cheap company and in Portugal sleep in a Rural House. A good web to book: http://www.toprural.com (Rural Houses in Portugal, Spain and France). Portugal has a lot of beautiful willages in the cost and in the border with Badajoz (A province in Spain). Lisbon is a very beautiful city.
Other options are Morocco or Tunisia. ok Tunissia is cheaper than Morocco but only has a few villages, desert and beach...
You choose!!!
2006-09-07 06:11:54 · answer #3 · answered by acualeo 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Hey, head to Morrocco. Marrakesh you can get to now for less than a hundred with BA/Ryan Air and Thomson I think and just book the riads (big houses, now hotels) yourself first. Check out www.travelintelligence.com for some as well as just seaching on yahoo. I stayed at a place called Riad les Oliviers www.riadlesoliviers.com which was great. You can eat street food in the main square for a couple of pound but the tanjines are only £4/5 in restaurants. Other than that I went to Essauoira on the coast which is a two hour A/C ride away. Great for kite surfing and wind surfing plus it has the battlements that they filmed Kngdon of Heaven on in the Medina with some great shopping and restaurants too. Dont forget to haggle, especially in Marrakesh...
2006-09-07 06:40:55 · answer #4 · answered by andrewjmcinnes 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It depends on what you want from your holiday, if you want a hotel based holiday where you dont go out much then morocco or tunisia, otherwise if you wish to go out then why not go to portugal, if you want it to be warm though i would look at Egypt (hotel based) costs a bit more bt would be all inclusive for about £500.00pp sou you wouldnt really need any more spending money, or you could look at the canaries (tenerife, lanzarote, fuerteventura, gran canaria)
2006-09-07 05:54:19 · answer #5 · answered by damien r 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You can travel one month in Morocco with 150$... But must use hostels of cource... The hostel price is about 3$, the bad hotel is 5$... The food is good and cheap... The trains are good... But not too accurate:)) But some places must be avoided... The suc`s are full of criminals... Be Quite!
2006-09-07 05:55:37 · answer #6 · answered by borislav 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Moroco is the bast it has all kind of entertement chose the destian importent to
Tunisia is not bad it has the same but chapeer
i have not been in Portugal
have a nice vacation
2006-09-07 05:54:17 · answer #7 · answered by abotarqsa 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
budget flight to malaga bus to tarifa try kitesurfing ferry to tangiers 35 minutes overnight train to marrakesh about £20 marrakesh is stunning at night
2006-09-07 06:44:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Morocco for sure - its fantastic!!
Life culture music food scenery - Marakesh is a feast for all the senses and it is very reasonable to
have fun
2006-09-07 05:54:55 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I go to the Canneries. Never spend more than that in total.
2006-09-07 05:53:16 · answer #10 · answered by thecharleslloyd 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋