Holidays to Sousse take you to a city packed with exotic food and culture. Oh, and there's a massive sandy beach, too.

Old meets new

Set on the east coast of Tunisia, the city of Sousse has been around for nearly 3,000 years – so it’s an old hand at putting on the sights. If you like medinas, mosques and bustling souks, you’ve got them all here. The resort also comes with a lively nightlife scene.

Beach life

Sousse comes with a whopping 10-kilometre stretch of white sand that runs all the way up to Port el Kantaoui. The hotels along here have grabbed their own patch, though there are plenty of other public beaches if you want them. Watersports pretty much come as standard here, with parasailing, windsurfing and jet-skis all at your disposal.

Ancient city

The star of Sousse is its medina. It’s a 1,000-year-old tangled web of narrow alleys just bursting with sights, sounds and aromas – the place was completely irresistible to UNESCO, so they put it on their list. Within its walls you’ve got a bustling souk, and there’s the Great Mosque and the Mosaic Museum to explore, too.

Easy day trips

It’s an hour to El Jem, one of the world’s best-preserved Roman amphitheatres. This place used to hold 35,000 spectators, so it’s a biggie. If it looks like something out of Gladiator, that’s because it is – they filmed the movie here. And you’re only a short drive from the Sahara. If you’re keen to see the desert, your hotel can organise a jeep safari tour.

At a Glance

  • Explore the Mosaic museum
  • Have a night out on the Esplanade
  • Visit the Sunday market