Low houses with white walls and a seafront where hotels and restaurants follow one another. And then a noisy center made up of narrow streets and craft and souvenir shops and a small port with hundreds of berths. All this is Port El Kantaoui, a small tourist town more or less halfway along the eastern coast of Tunisia, not far from the better-known Sousse and Monastir.
In any season of the year, more or less at any time, Port El Kantaoui it is animated by a coming and going of people, colors and voices. They are locals, traders of all types of merchandise and, above all, tourists. Lots of tourists. Of all nationalities. Suffice it to say that the town didn't even exist until about forty years ago, and was built in 1979 specifically as a tourist complex.
If Tunisia is the destination of your next trip and you love holidays full of sea, comfort and fun, then Port El Kantaoui could be for you. The beaches are those of the Gulf of Hammamet, with white sand and crystal clear water; there is no shortage of luxury hotels, restaurants, discos and bars, not even berths. And you certainly won't be bored.
It is not a town rich in history and traditions like the others in the country, it is true, but you will be fascinated by how its architecture, although modern, manages to recall that of the classic Tunisian-style villages. In the central of Port El Kantaoui, full of small shops, you will find the typical low buildings, colored white and blue, with a medina, narrow streets with cobblestones and arches. And then the waterfront, with the large hotels, condominium complexes and the U-shaped pier, with boats of all sizes.
Port El Kantaoui is perfect for sea lovers and families. The beaches are wide, up to 50 metres, with fine sand, bathing establishments equipped with all services and also stretches of free beach. Going south, then, the city's lido rejoins that of Sousse, less crowded and frequented mostly by locals.
For the more daring and tireless, there will be no shortage of opportunities for fun, with facilities offering sporting activities, especially aquatic ones, of all types, from snorkelling to diving, from water skiing to paragliding. But it's not enough. The fans of golf they will find a true paradise in Port El Kantaoui. In the area, in fact, there are several courses and there is even a 36-hole championship course, approved by the PGA Tour, an organization that manages the main professional golf tours in the United States.
The town of Port El Kantaoui is very welcoming, with a beautiful fountain in the main square and many restaurants and cafes, shops and bars. The central area is perfect for shopping, especially if you want to take home pieces of local craftsmanship and some souvenirs. Although everything is actually inexpensive, especially compared to European standards, don't forget that prices must always be negotiated, as Tunisian tradition dictates.
When you get tired of the sea and shopping and perhaps want to discover some new aspects of the history and culture of authentic Tunisia, take a trip to Sousse, about ten kilometers south of Port El Kantaoui. Its medina, the historic center of the town, with its souks, markets and narrow streets, was included among the UNESCO world heritage sites in 1988. There medina of Sousse stands on the side of a hill, right in front of the sea, and is crossed from one side to the other by souks, partially covered, in which artisan shops alternate with Moorish cafés. Among its narrow streets, closed between the medieval ramparts, it seems to breathe an atmosphere of times gone by.
Right at the top of the hill, dominating the entire medina, there is the Kasbah with its high square tower, the Tour Khalef, from which you can enjoy a splendid panorama of the city and the hinterland. The most curious will be able to admire the wonders of Kasbah Archaeological Museum, which houses beautiful Roman mosaics; and the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions, a sort of wax museum that tells the story of the daily life of the inhabitants of Sousse and its artisans. Also not to be missed in the city are the great mosque, the church of San Felice and then, not far from the medina, the catacombs, with 240 funerary galleries that extend for five kilometers.
Holidays in Port El Kantaoui, the tourist center of eastern Tunisia, among beaches, luxury hotels, golf courses and craft shops
Low houses with white walls and a seafront where hotels and restaurants follow one another. And then a noisy center made up of narrow streets and craft and souvenir shops and a small port with hundreds of berths. All this is Port El Kantaoui, a small tourist town more or less halfway along the eastern coast of Tunisia, not far from the better-known Sousse and Monastir.
In any season of the year, more or less at any time, Port El Kantaoui it is animated by a coming and going of people, colors and voices. They are locals, traders of all types of merchandise and, above all, tourists. Lots of tourists. Of all nationalities. Suffice it to say that the town didn't even exist until about forty years ago, and was built in 1979 specifically as a tourist complex.
If Tunisia is the destination of your next trip and you love holidays full of sea, comfort and fun, then Port El Kantaoui could be for you. The beaches are those of the Gulf of Hammamet, with white sand and crystal clear water; there is no shortage of luxury hotels, restaurants, discos and bars, not even berths. And you certainly won't be bored.
It is not a town rich in history and traditions like the others in the country, it is true, but you will be fascinated by how its architecture, although modern, manages to recall that of the classic Tunisian-style villages. In the central of Port El Kantaoui, full of small shops, you will find the typical low buildings, colored white and blue, with a medina, narrow streets with cobblestones and arches. And then the waterfront, with the large hotels, condominium complexes and the U-shaped pier, with boats of all sizes.
Port El Kantaoui is perfect for sea lovers and families. The beaches are wide, up to 50 metres, with fine sand, bathing establishments equipped with all services and also stretches of free beach. Going south, then, the city's lido rejoins that of Sousse, less crowded and frequented mostly by locals.
For the more daring and tireless, there will be no shortage of opportunities for fun, with facilities offering sporting activities, especially aquatic ones, of all types, from snorkelling to diving, from water skiing to paragliding. But it's not enough. The fans of golf they will find a true paradise in Port El Kantaoui. In the area, in fact, there are several courses and there is even a 36-hole championship course, approved by the PGA Tour, an organization that manages the main professional golf tours in the United States.
The town of Port El Kantaoui is very welcoming, with a beautiful fountain in the main square and many restaurants and cafes, shops and bars. The central area is perfect for shopping, especially if you want to take home pieces of local craftsmanship and some souvenirs. Although everything is actually inexpensive, especially compared to European standards, don't forget that prices must always be negotiated, as Tunisian tradition dictates.
When you get tired of the sea and shopping and perhaps want to discover some new aspects of the history and culture of authentic Tunisia, take a trip to Sousse, about ten kilometers south of Port El Kantaoui. Its medina, the historic center of the town, with its souks, markets and narrow streets, was included among the UNESCO world heritage sites in 1988. There medina of Sousse stands on the side of a hill, right in front of the sea, and is crossed from one side to the other by souks, partially covered, in which artisan shops alternate with Moorish cafés. Among its narrow streets, closed between the medieval ramparts, it seems to breathe an atmosphere of times gone by.
Right at the top of the hill, dominating the entire medina, there is the Kasbah with its high square tower, the Tour Khalef, from which you can enjoy a splendid panorama of the city and the hinterland. The most curious will be able to admire the wonders of Kasbah Archaeological Museum, which houses beautiful Roman mosaics; and the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions, a sort of wax museum that tells the story of the daily life of the inhabitants of Sousse and its artisans. Also not to be missed in the city are the great mosque, the church of San Felice and then, not far from the medina, the catacombs, with 240 funerary galleries that extend for five kilometers.
Low houses with white walls and a seafront where hotels and restaurants follow one another. And then a noisy center made up of narrow streets and craft and souvenir shops and a small port with hundreds of berths. All this is Port El Kantaoui, a small tourist town more or less halfway along the eastern coast of Tunisia, not far from the better-known Sousse and Monastir.
In any season of the year, more or less at any time, Port El Kantaoui it is animated by a coming and going of people, colors and voices. They are locals, traders of all types of merchandise and, above all, tourists. Lots of tourists. Of all nationalities. Suffice it to say that the town didn't even exist until about forty years ago, and was built in 1979 specifically as a tourist complex.
If Tunisia is the destination of your next trip and you love holidays full of sea, comfort and fun, then Port El Kantaoui could be for you. The beaches are those of the Gulf of Hammamet, with white sand and crystal clear water; there is no shortage of luxury hotels, restaurants, discos and bars, not even berths. And you certainly won't be bored.
It is not a town rich in history and traditions like the others in the country, it is true, but you will be fascinated by how its architecture, although modern, manages to recall that of the classic Tunisian-style villages. In the central of Port El Kantaoui, full of small shops, you will find the typical low buildings, colored white and blue, with a medina, narrow streets with cobblestones and arches. And then the waterfront, with the large hotels, condominium complexes and the U-shaped pier, with boats of all sizes.
Port El Kantaoui is perfect for sea lovers and families. The beaches are wide, up to 50 metres, with fine sand, bathing establishments equipped with all services and also stretches of free beach. Going south, then, the city's lido rejoins that of Sousse, less crowded and frequented mostly by locals.
For the more daring and tireless, there will be no shortage of opportunities for fun, with facilities offering sporting activities, especially aquatic ones, of all types, from snorkelling to diving, from water skiing to paragliding. But it's not enough. The fans of golf they will find a true paradise in Port El Kantaoui. In the area, in fact, there are several courses and there is even a 36-hole championship course, approved by the PGA Tour, an organization that manages the main professional golf tours in the United States.
The town of Port El Kantaoui is very welcoming, with a beautiful fountain in the main square and many restaurants and cafes, shops and bars. The central area is perfect for shopping, especially if you want to take home pieces of local craftsmanship and some souvenirs. Although everything is actually inexpensive, especially compared to European standards, don't forget that prices must always be negotiated, as Tunisian tradition dictates.
When you get tired of the sea and shopping and perhaps want to discover some new aspects of the history and culture of authentic Tunisia, take a trip to Sousse, about ten kilometers south of Port El Kantaoui. Its medina, the historic center of the town, with its souks, markets and narrow streets, was included among the UNESCO world heritage sites in 1988. There medina of Sousse stands on the side of a hill, right in front of the sea, and is crossed from one side to the other by souks, partially covered, in which artisan shops alternate with Moorish cafés. Among its narrow streets, closed between the medieval ramparts, it seems to breathe an atmosphere of times gone by.
Right at the top of the hill, dominating the entire medina, there is the Kasbah with its high square tower, the Tour Khalef, from which you can enjoy a splendid panorama of the city and the hinterland. The most curious will be able to admire the wonders of Kasbah Archaeological Museum, which houses beautiful Roman mosaics; and the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions, a sort of wax museum that tells the story of the daily life of the inhabitants of Sousse and its artisans. Also not to be missed in the city are the great mosque, the church of San Felice and then, not far from the medina, the catacombs, with 240 funerary galleries that extend for five kilometers.
