Mediterranean Beach Escape: Hammamet & Sousse

Today you enjoy the beautiful resort of Hammamet at a relaxed pace. In the morning you might unwind on the long golden beach and swim in the calm, warm sea, or enjoy your hotel's pool and spa. Later you explore Hammamet's whitewashed old medina, wandering its lanes and souks and climbing the little 15th-century kasbah that rises above the sea, its ramparts giving lovely views over the bay and the old town. You could stroll the lively marina of Yasmine Hammamet, lined with cafes and boats, or visit the beautiful gardens of Dar Sebastian, set among orange groves and cypresses. The beaches, sea and relaxed charm are delightful. As the day ends, you savour the coastal atmosphere. This evening, enjoy fresh seafood by the sea. Rest well, ready for a flexible day tomorrow.

Today is yours to relax or explore as you wish. You might spend a full, restful day on the beach and by the pool, swimming, sunbathing and enjoying gentle water sports and spa treatments. Alternatively, you can take an optional excursion along the beautiful Cap Bon peninsula, a region of vineyards, orchards and whitewashed towns, visiting the pottery town of Nabeul with its lively market, or venturing to Tunis and Carthage for a day of history and the blue-and-white village of Sidi Bou Said. The choice between relaxation and gentle discovery is yours. The flexibility is delightful. As the day ends, you return to your hotel in Hammamet. This evening, savour the resort's relaxed atmosphere and perhaps a seafood dinner by the water. Rest well, ready to continue down the coast to Sousse tomorrow.

This morning, after a final beach stroll in Hammamet, you travel south along the coast to Sousse, a lively port city with one of the finest medieval medinas in Tunisia. On arrival and settling into your beach hotel, you begin to explore this UNESCO World Heritage city. You climb the mighty ribat, a fortified monastery whose watchtower gives sweeping views over the sea of rooftops and the harbour, take in the great kasbah and the Grand Mosque, and wander the atmospheric souks of the walled medina. You may also relax on Sousse's long sandy beach and swim in the warm sea. The blend of history and seaside pleasure is delightful. As the day ends, you settle into the rhythm of the coastal city. This evening, savour fresh seafood by the sea. Rest well, ready for El Jem tomorrow.

Today you take a spectacular day trip inland to marvel at one of the greatest Roman monuments in the world. You drive a short distance to El Jem, where a colossal amphitheatre rises astonishingly from a small country town, one of the largest and best-preserved in the Roman Empire and a UNESCO site. You climb its mighty tiers of golden arches for sweeping views, walk the arena floor and descend into the underground passages where gladiators and wild animals once waited before combat, and visit the excellent local museum with its fine mosaics. The scale and grandeur are breathtaking. As the day ends, you return to Sousse on the coast. This evening, savour the seaside atmosphere and reflect on the ancient splendour you have seen. Rest well, ready for a relaxed final day in Sousse tomorrow.

Today you enjoy a relaxed final full day in Sousse, blending culture and beach. In the morning you might visit the Sousse Archaeological Museum, housed in the great kasbah, home to one of the finest collections of Roman mosaics in Tunisia after the Bardo, with vivid scenes of gods, the sea and daily Roman life. You could take a further wander through the souks of the medina for last souvenirs, or take an optional excursion to nearby Monastir, with its beautiful ribat and mausoleum by the sea. The rest of the day is yours to relax on the beach and swim in the warm Mediterranean. The mix of history and relaxation is delightful. As the day ends, you savour the coast. This evening, enjoy a final seafood dinner by the sea. Rest well ahead of your departure tomorrow.

After a final morning by the warm Mediterranean in Sousse, perhaps a last swim or a stroll along the beach, you are transferred to the airport (Enfidha-Hammamet or Tunis-Carthage) for your onward international departure. You leave having enjoyed a warm, easy escape along the beautiful coast of Tunisia, the golden beaches and whitewashed medina of Hammamet, the UNESCO city of Sousse with its mighty ribat and peerless mosaics, and the colossal Roman amphitheatre of El Jem. The images stay vivid long after you land, the calm turquoise sea, the ramparts of the kasbah above the bay, the golden arches of El Jem, and the mosaic scenes of the Sousse museum. Tunisia offers warm beaches, atmospheric medinas and spectacular history in abundance, and you depart relaxed and already dreaming of a return to this welcoming coast.