Hammamet, Tunisia

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resort in the country. Its great attractions are its magnificent sandy beaches, with groves of oranges and lemons lying just inland, and its sheltered situation in the wind shadow of the long range of hills known as the Dorsale, an offshoot of which forms the backbone of the Cap Bon peninsula. In summer there are dramatic performances and other cultural events.

The town

The old town, the Medina, lies on a rocky promontory jutting out into the Mediterranean, dominated by the high walls of the Kasbah which once protected the little fishing Harbor. In spite of the influx of tourists it has managed to preserve its picturesque character and its charm.

North and south of the Medina are beautiful sandy beaches, fringed by well laid out parks and gardens in which are set the hotels built since the late sixties, now with a total of well over 16,000 beds. In spite of this rapid development, which is still continuing, the new buildings have taken account of traditional architectural styles and fit harmoniously into the landscape.

History

Hammamet occupies the site of a small Roman settlement named Pupput (Put Put), of which only scanty remains have survived. Although a fortress was built here in the 13th century, the town began to develop only two centuries later. In its early days it was a pirates' lair, but soon afterwards it fell into the hands of the Spaniards, who hunted down the pirates.

Thereafter Hammamet fell into oblivion, from which it emerged only in the late 19th and early 20th century, when the picturesque little fishing village was discovered by writers and artists, including Paul Klee, Gustave Flaubert, August Macke, Guy de Maupassant, Oscar Wilde and André Gide. They were followed after the First World War by wealthy British, American and French visitors, who built themselves luxurious villas in Hammamet. Then the real boom began in the late sixties, when mass tourism came to Tunisia. Hammamet is now Tunisia's principal seaside resort, which during the main holiday season has almost as many visitors as native inhabitants.

Access

Hammamet, 63km/39mi southeast of Tunis (70km/43mi from the Tunis-Carthage international airport), is linked with the capital by motorway and by GP 1. Rail connections with Tunis, Nabeul and Bir Bou Rekba (from which there are connections with Sousse and Sfax); the station is 1km/0.75mi outside the town. Bus services to and from Tunis, Nabeul, Sousse, Monastir, Mahdia, Kelibia and Kairouan.