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Hammamet, Tunisia : Travel Guide

Hammamet is clearly among North Africa's finest beach resorts. Here the fine beaches turn the right way, to the south, allowing you to sunbathe and watch the sea at the same time.

The result is that it is so much a tourist resort, that you can for long hours get a feeling that Tunisia has disappeared, and all that is left are zealous shop keepers. Hammamet has about 50,000 inhabitants and 40,000 hotel beds!
German, French, Swedish are spoken at all sides of you. Silly European men walk around the streets in just shorts and sandals. Whole families eat ice cream at the same time and the same speed. Female tour guides in orange dresses talk without a stop while being followed by a crowd of camera-ornamented tourists, pretending to be specialists on Tunisian culture and history. And then suddenly a Tunisian Casanova changes the image, but just slightly, where he walks towards you with his hand around the waist of a ten years older Finnish woman confused by all the sudden attention she gets Most of the year, there seems to be more Europeans here than in Marseilles. This makes many travellers stay away from Hammamet, especially if they know a bit of the distinct charm that the city had just a few decades ago. But Hammamet is a well-adjusted port to Tunisia for many people. Many tourists go for comfort and fun, and then Hammamet is among the best choices of Tunisia. And if anyone would like to go on excursions, Hammamet is close to many things: Tunis, Kairouan, and many small towns out on the Cap Bon.

The tiny medina

Live goes on even with the tourists all around. A group of fishermen mend their nets in the afternoon.

The medina dates back to around 1500, when the Hafsids erected the present walls, allowing safe living and trade here. The site had earlier been an Aghlabid stronghold. Its condition is excellent, but few streets offer much authentic experience, since souvenir stalls fill most streets. But yet, there are some areas without, especially in the southern residential district.
Some local economic activity is still visible, mainly dealing with small-boat fishing. The fish caught here, can be enjoyed in some of the many local restaurants. Should you wish to go shopping, Hammamet is neither better nor worse than any other. Check our page on shopping in Tunisia to prepare.

Plenty of beaches

Hammamet's beaches go on for kilometres and kilometres, and there is virtually no point along the coast that doesn't allow swimming. That is, of course, with exception of the beach strips fenced off by the better hotels. Therefore, despite the many tourists coming here, Hammamet's beaches rarely becomes very crowded. And they are clean and inviting too.

Cafe Sidi Bou Hdid

Start by admiring this little zawiyya (shrine for a holy man) turned cafe from the Kasbah, then spend the last ours of the day in the cafe itself. If you find a free table. This is as good as commercial tourism gets in Tunisia!

Shores of the medina

Definitely easy to overlook for visitors without a good map in their hand, the walk along walls of the medina offers many nice views of white-washed houses mushrooming above you. Late afternoon is the time when colours cascades into yellow and orange, matched by the blue sea.

Kasbah

The Kasbah of Hammamet is certainly best enjoyed from the outside, where it watches over the ocean and the beach. Even walking along its base in the medina is enjoyable, but inside there is sadly little to intrigue a visitor. The Kasbah dates back to the 12th century, and has been extensively restored. Head for the views, and take in the Golf of Hammamet and look down on the beautiful Cafe Sidi Bou Hdid, one of the most used motifs in Tunisian tourism brochures.

Modern town

Hammamet's modern town is truly all about tourism, with pedestrian-friendly streets and boulevards lined with restaurants and shops. The centre is rather small, located along two avenues, which start right at the gates to the medina before they lead up the hill. There is nothing special to look out for, architecture isn't worth mentioning until you get out to the best hotels.

Dancing children

These two kids were dancing and singing in a quiet medina street one day in September 1996.

Sebastian's villa

The famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright has allegedly said that the villa of George Sebastian from the 1920's was the most beautiful house he knew of. Today it is a cultural centre, and open for visitors. Most noted are the arcaded swimming pool and the baptistry-like bath which could seat 4 persons (second photo).

The entire house was a perfect place for parties, and it was under such circumstances that Lloyd Wright came to see it. Entrance fee is 1.5TD, daily 8.00-18.00. It lies 3 km from town centre, and is best visited by a taxi (1TD from town centre).

Medina at night

As with other medinas of Tunisia, Hammamet's becomes almost mystical at night. Few light sources allow shapes usually hidden in flat sunlight, to reveal themselves. Also, a few places, coloured light is used. Green is the common colour of Islam, but seemed to me that this was not used exclusively here (see second photo). Another advantage at night, is that most tourists are gone, draping these traditional streets in an unreal silence. Just out of the medina walls the sounds of the busy nightlife reappear.

Sunset

Sunset on the Golf of Hammamet early in June 2005.

Roman ruins of Pupput

The main reason for visiting Pupput is that it offers a little glimpse into the ancient lifestyles for those staying in Hammamet, but not wishing to much travelling. The site itself is truly modest, but not all without interest. It is noted for its fine collection of mosaics, and there are a couple of baths around as well as a residential quarter. The finest structure is the House of Figured Peristyle (third photo), where there are some columns still standing and almost all floors have their mosaics intact. Many do find the tomb mosaics displayed on the walls, dating back to Byzantine times (lowest photo).
Opening times are 8.00 to 19.00 in summer and 9.00 to 17.00 in winter. Entrance is 1TD.

Practicalities

Hotels and Alternatives

For independent travellers, the best time to get a fair deal in a hotel is in late spring and early fall. Through summer, most hotels are filled up with package tourists, and through winter, many hotels close.
Hammamet has a wide offering of hotels, but the best selection in in the middle range. Rock-bottom-budget travellers will have problems finding an acceptable offer on hotels. For people wanting comfort at any price, Hammamet has many good alternatives. Hammamet has two camping grounds, where one actually is in town centre! But it is still good.

Restaurants and Alternatives

There are more than enough places to eat in a town like Hammamet. You will have no problem finding places with both charm and good food. Value for money is quite good.

Nightlife

Hammamet has a selection of bars and discos, where any traveller, also females, can go and feel safe.

Change Money

No problems. Banks, ATMs and many shop keepers accept credit cards like VISA and MasterCard. Hotels of 2 stars and up will normally be able to change money.

Transport

Hammamet have OK connections with other cities, but you will normally have to take a taxi to get to the station you want. There are more than one station for shared taxis, the train station is about 1,3 km up from town centre. The bus station is in town centre, next to the station for taxis that go to Nabeul.