Fly to Tunis

Although Tunis sits on the Mediterranean, it has little to offer in terms of prime shorefronts; this is more of a blessing since the Tunisian capital has enjoyed solace from the influx of packaged tourism, a travel norm in the northern and southern cities. You might even feel it at the airports; the quarter-million population makes Tunis a relatively decongested and compact city. Unfortunately, there are few must-see places here apart from the almost-mythical ruins of Carthage, as well as one of Northern Africa’s more authentic souqs. Low-cost flights are easy to secure in Tunis, considering the relative lack of tourist hotspots. Tunis is split into the old city (medina) and the new (villa nouvelle), and the latter accommodates fairly efficient airports. There is also a well-equipped light metro system which can ease your travel between destinations, four lines managed by the Société des-Transports des-Tunis. The main junction for all four lines lies in the town center, at Place de Barcelone. You may also find several booking agencies near the facilitated junctions if you’re looking for low-cost flights bookings during your stay. The city’s suburban rail also starts from the metrorail hub, and connects to Carthage and the Marsa shorefront. The Tunis-Carthage Airport is merely eight kilometers from the city center, and is compact but efficient, with all the usual amenities. A notable plus: you can change currency here at reasonable rates, and there are travel agencies nearby which also offer low-cost flights. The airports are fairly accommodating, but you might want to keep your guard with the taxis at the terminals. ‘Deal’ trips are common and usually insisted, so make sure that you’ve agreed upon using the meter with the driver. Standard flag-down fares cost about three to five dinars. Buses are also available for a fraction of the fare price, but these serve only during the daytime.