Tunisia is perhaps a location that you haven’t thought about visiting with the family, but with 1,1260 km of Mediterranean coast, and over over 3,000 years of history, it might be worth thinking again. There are iconic locations to visit, that families will love, including the amazing film settings and unique landscapes which were used for the Star Wars Episode IV and The English Patient.
Alongside this, there are plenty of sneaky treats for parents too, with dozens of Thalassotherapy centres throughout Tunisia making it a place for health treatments alongside family fun.
Tunisia and Tatooine
Tunisia is definitely known for Star Wars, and the stunning locations for the first firm (A New Hope, the fourth in the trilogy), and it would be remiss to cover the country without mentioning this, particularly for those families that are Star Wars nuts, but there is more to Tunisia than Tatooine.
Tunisia: Stunning vistas for the family
The landscapes within Tunisia are worth a second glance, some of the best ways to see them are by foot, horse, bicycle and even camel!
There is some incredible diversity of landscapes for your family to discover, including rocky coves surrounded by pine forests, rugged mountains dominating immense plains or lakes surrounded by thick oak forests.
Some of the not-to-miss locations that your family might enjoy are provided below.
Mountains: Mount Ichkeul
The magnificent scenery of Mount Ichkeul. which is actually a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, is covered with mastic trees & wild olive trees. You can experience the particular atmosphere of the desert in all its variety, sand dunes, mountains, rocky plains and dried out salt lakes.
For train fanatics: The Red Lizard
Kids LOVE trains – the Red Lizard (Lezard Rouge) is something a little different for the slightly older child OR for the true train fans in the younger generation. The views from the track, and the 1hr 45min trip is not to be missed if you are in the region. The tunnels are fun for the kids, and the views as you dip in and out the heart of the mountain are simply stunning. Check it out with the kids if you have time.
Oases and canyons
In the south canyons and oases dominate the local landscape like in Chebika, Tamerza or Mides form a dazzling beauty with each oasis being different. Dizzying canyons, such as Tamaghza, offer a striking prospect and spectacular views.
Rural holidays: Maison d’hôtes/Gites Ruraux
A key recommendation that we have for families visiting Tunisia, is to take advantage of the government encouraging sustainable, echo friendly, tourism. This goes along with the backbone of touristic activities like beach holidays.
There are plenty of all inclusive resorts in Tunisia, but why not try something a little different instead when you visit?
The “Maison d’hôtes/Gites Ruraux” (rural lodging/guest houses/Saharan encampments) as they are fondly called can be found all over the country. Locations for them include Ain Draham/Tabarka in the North to Tozeur down South. They are well adapted to local architecture like the one in Tozeur oasis called Abou Habibi where the bedrooms are designed among the palm trees (echo friendly) a couple of meters from the ground.
Hotels like this typically have a number of excursions for people to take part in too, so don’t be put off by the remote locations, you are kept connected to be able to experience some of the wildlife and culture within the country too.
These are just some of the ideas for Tunisia, why not pop along to Discover Tunisia for more ideas?
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Helen
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine! Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time. KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10. It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania. Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on. Get in touch TODAY!