Family holidays in Tunisia

The coast of northern Africa is often overlooked when thinking about Mediterranean destinations, but family holidays in Tunisia can put you on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea itself. At its furthest north-easterly point, Tunisia is actually quite close to the island of Sicily, with Malta away to its east, and from this position on the southern shore, the country reaches inland towards the interior of the African continent, with its geography and climate changing dramatically along the way.

All points north

The influence of the Mediterranean is quite apparent during cheap family holidays in Tunisia, as the country's capital city, Tunis, is close to the north-east corner as well. Only slightly further north than this, right on the coast, is Ras ben Sakka, Africa's most northerly mainland point of all. The area is a leading destination for family breaks, and in Tunis at the Bardo Museum you can get the rare experience of seeing Roman floor mosaics that have been uncovered but otherwise left in place, even to the extent of allowing visitors to walk on some of the exhibits.

The best of Tunisian cuisine

Like other locations in the north of Africa, Tunisia has a local cuisine that combines African flavours with Mediterranean ingredients. This means that on family holidays to Tunisia, you're likely to encounter a combination of quite heavy stews that have been cooked long and slowly to develop the flavours of the meats and the spices, but also much lighter, more simply prepared seafood, even to the extent of eating fish that has just been oiled and grilled, with few other flavours added to it, if any. It's a patchwork of different influences that creates a distinctive cuisine overall, with something to please all tastes.

Down in the desert

From the refreshing Mediterranean coastline, there couldn't be a much starker contrast than the Sahara Desert at Tunisia's southern border. This gives the south of the country a very dry, very hot continental climate. However, the further north you travel, the more Mediterranean and mild it becomes, creating the kind of conditions most people are looking for from cheap family holidays in Tunisia. Sunny days, mild winters, warm summers and balmy swimming waters all combine for a very pleasant experience at any time of year in Tunisia's far north-east.

Why is Tunisia so great for families

Tunisians have a real affection for younger visitors, which is why they always go out of their way to make sure that kids' are just as well looked after as adults. Family holidays in Tunisia are all about swimming, sunbathing and building sandcastles. There's also a variety of fantastic, family-orientated attractions to explore. All of this, coupled with Tunisians' distinctly relaxed approach to life, ensures that tired families can quickly unwind and make the most of everything this unique destination has to offer.