The thing you less desire to happen in any place you visit for the first time is to get lost there. There are some places where visitors can easily get lost. One of these spots is the huge ever-busy area around the Zaytouna Mosque in Medina which is densely crowded by both locals and tourists wandering around or buying souvenirs. Same thing happens if you wander around close to the Mosque of Sidi Mehrez and out to Place Halfaouine or around the Sidi Bou Said backstreets. You can easily lose you way if you dive into olive-and-harissa (chilli paste) central - the buzzing area around Tunis Central Market. Also avoid walking from a place to another in Carthage.



Meandering Around the Medina If you think to tour the medina's main sights, here is one of the suggestions to satisfy your desire for adventure. You can have a seat in the area's best cafes and stop for breaks on the way.

If you start at the Bab Bhar, you can see, to the left of the road, the former British Embassy once used for filming scenes from the English Patient. Walk along Jemaa Zaytouna Street and enjoy a shopping tour where you find a wonderful variety of jewelry, ceramics, glassware, eager shopkeepers and other things that can not be missed.

On your way, you will pass by the National Library which was built in 1814 by Hamouda Bey to be home for the Berber soldiers. Moving a little forward, you will find yourself before the great Zaytouna Mosque surrounded from all corners with souqs (markets) selling almost all you could have in mind.

Nearby are some of the worth seeing attractions in Medina including the extravagant Mosque of the Dyers, Dar Othman, the Dar Ben Abdallah Museum, the Tourbet el-Bey, Medersa Mouradia and the Mosque of M'sed el-Kobba, aka Kuttab Ibn Khaldoun (a kuttab is a Quranic primary school).

If you like, turn north along Souq el-Berka to pass by the Mosque of Youssef Dey and enjoy a fabulous collection of gold accessories jewelry shops. Next, you will see the Place du Gouvernement side by side with other government buildings. On the south side, there is the Bar el-Bey. Head down from Dar el-Jeld to reach rue Sidi ben Arous then turn right to see the Hamuda Pasha Mosque. Pick one of the traditional red-felt hats displayed at the shops nearby. Now you are very close from Palais Khereddine, continue straight and pass Dar Lasram on your left. If you like, you can discover the distinct decoration of the Zaouia of Sidi Ibrahim Riahi, who was a Sufi teacher from Testour, on to the west of Sidi Brahim Street.

Keep wandering around until you reach rue Sidi Mahres then turn left to find yourself into a street packed with busy local souqs surrounding the Mosque of Sidi Mahrez and Zaouia of Sidi Mahrez. Coming out of the medina onto Bab Souika, then take Halfaouine Street as far as Sahib EI-Tabia Mosque. Now, you got yourself away from the tourist busy spots in the wonderful local streets of Medina. Now it is time for doing some aimless wandering around.

Ville Nouvelle Tunis, the largest city in Tunisia, combines the European-style Ville Nouvelle (New City) with an orderly European, vibrant, atmospheric old town. It was founded by French colonials in the 19th century. Its palm-lined boulevards are packed with shops, cafes, restaurants, and banks. It also has the midrange, faded-colonial French hotel. A story by itself, the lush hotel is famous for its distinct tall ceilings and balconies.Things to Do in Tunis Tunis is a glorious sophisticated modern city that offers culture, history, stunning handicrafts, fine dining and great beaches. To go there means you have the chance to view one of the best in the Arab world that had been classified as a World Heritage Site.

Try to wander around the medina's main sights and satisfy your desire for adventure. You can have a seat in the area's best cafes and stop for breaks on the way. Be prepared for a great number of significant houses, mansions and palaces; hammams; mosques; mausoleums; narrow streets, alleys and tunnels; national museums; madrasas; fountains as well as other stunning monuments that date back to various very important eras in the history of Tunisia.

You can also meander around the medina's markets including: the ninth-century Ez-Zitouna Mosque (Mosque of the Olive Tree), which is surrounded with a huge number of souqs including: the Souq el Attarine, the Souq el Trouk (the Turkish Souq), Souq des Libraires (the Booksellers' Souq), Souq de la Laine (the Wool Souq), and Souq el-Grana (the Livornese Jews' Souq). From there you can buy fine souvenirs, colorful hand-made carpets, hand-crafted jewelry, copper and brassware, pottery and exotic spices among other things.

You can also try attending one of the festivals at medina, Carthage, or Sidi Bou Said which feature live traditional music. Check out the classical music concerts at the Dar Ennejma Ezzahra in Sidi Bou Said and at L'Acropolium in Carthage. You can have a seat at one of the plentiful cinemas that show Egyptian films, Bollywood-style action movies or recent Hollywood offerings. For lovers of artistic performances, there are a number of theaters to enjoy the Tunisian showings. The Theatre de I'Etoile du Nord shows regular plays (in French and Arabic) and concerts (from reggae to heavy metal). The Theatre d'Art Ben Abdallah has theatre and cinema performances in French and Tuni¬sian and a small cafe. Look out for any of Tunis clubs which are always packed with wealthy Tunisians and tourists entertaining themselves with DJs till l am. The best clubs are to be found in the northern suburb of La Marsa.

Sport in Tunis Five of the 14 football teams in the Tunis first division are from Tunis. Soccer matches are mostly held in Stade Olympique in El Menzah and the teams are referred to by their initials. The Tunisia national football team is known as Les Aigles de Carthage (The Eagles of Carthage). It is officially controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. Among the teams that enjoy a great popularity are Club Africain (CA), Esperance Sporti de Tunisie (EST), Stade Tunisien (ST), Club Olympique de Transports (COT), Avenir Sportif de La Marsa (ASM) and Club Sportif de Hammam (CSHL). You will find fixture details in the Tunisian Saturday press. ;