Korbous

A few kilometers beyond the little fishing village of Sidi Rais, the Roman settlement of Carpi, the road comes to Korbous, Tunisia's leading spa. The town huddles in a narrow valley opening on to the sea. Its hot springs (44-60°C/111-140°F) were already frequented in Roman times, when the place was known as Aquae Calidae Carpitanae. They were rediscovered in 1801 by Ahmed Bey, who established the spa, which was further developed by the French. The town is now concerned not only to cater for visitors who come to take the cure but also to develop the wider holiday and tourist trade. It is planned to turn this quiet and idyllic little resort into a seawater therapy center with a luxury hotel and a yachting Harbor and to increase its bed capacity to 5,000. The water, containing calcium, sulfur and sulfates, is recommended for the treatment of skin conditions, affections of the respiratory passages, rheumatism and arthritis. The Etablissement Thermal (Spa Establishment) occupies the former Bey's Palace.