Even in December, Tunisia is a wonderfully warm and pleasant family holiday destination. After arriving home refreshed and calm from a week’s family holiday in this beautiful country, I can strongly recommend Tunisia as a perfect place for a family holiday, especially in this less busy, off-peak season!

Over the past five years that Hubby Dearest and I have been together, we have visited Tunisia over a dozen times and even have our own house on the outskirts of Monastir: one of Tunisia’s most prominent touristic towns. At this time of year, the weather is pleasant, a little like British springtime, and the streets are not so crowded with tourists which offers a far more enjoyable experience than the heated hustle and bustle of the peak summer months!

With our four children in tow, we enjoyed afternoons by the picturesque marina in Monastir, found some wonderful bargains in the Ribat (a market-style town surrounded by castle walls) and spend a wonderful day in Hammamet, about 90 minutes drive from the airport. Tunisia is very family orientated; our children were regularly fussed over whether shopping in the market or dining out in town. In fact, there are very few nightclubs and late bars, so you can be sure not to be distracted by large groups of twenty-something singles on a drinking binge!

I love the hotels in Tunisia: even three star hotels are beautifully decorated with marble floors and a hugely welcoming clientele of waiters, porters and staff. My favorite of all is the Amir Palace which resides on the main road across from Monastir airport; as soon as you set foot into thegrounds of this beautiful residence, you just know it was built with an eye for the prince of it’s namesake!

Most hotels will provide a buffet service of food for all meals, which will undoubtedly include Tunisian cuisine as well as traditional English and French dishes too so you can be sure there is something enjoyable for even the fussiest of family diners! Most holiday residences will feature both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, plus plenty of entertainment all year round, so even in poor weather (which I have to say seems fairly uncommon even in winter months!) you can always find something to amuse the children.

Shopping bargains

Besides the traditional array of Tunisian pottery, wall hangings and spices, there are a few things you should look out for as bargain souviners:

• Jeans: Tunisia has literally hundreds of jeans factories for brand labels such as Diesel, Levis and even Pepe. On market days, barter with the stall owners to buy your designer jeans at a fraction of the price you’d pay in the UK, and expect to see a much wider variety of styles than you would on the high street!
• Handbags and leather goods: Many of the touristic stores in the Ribat and around hotels will offer a variety of leather handbags purses and even coats which are of great quality leather. You will undoubtedly see many designer names, though very very few are the genuine article, so beware if shop owners try to persuade you otherwise! And unless you are shopping in a fixed price outlet, barter until your voice-box is sore! Most shop keepers will settle for between 60 and 80% of the originally stated price of you barter for long enough.
• Sunglasses: One of the first things you’ll notice is that most Tunisians wear sunglasses. And what a variety there is on offer, everything from Dior to Police and anything in between. Most shops will sell sunglasses (whatever the label or style) for around 5-10 dinars (approx £2-6), though you may be able to strike a bargain if you buy two or more pairs from the same place. Almost every time I visit Tunisia, I come back home with new sunglasses, as I really love the variety available.

If you’re planning a family holiday to Tunisia, I’d love to hear from you. For me and the kids, Tunisia is like a home from home for us now, and Hubby Dearest would even consider making it our permanant home if only I would agree! So please feel free to leave your comments or even contact me directly for advice on where to stay or visit during your stay in this beautiful country. And of course I know you will have a truly wonderful time

Family, Journal, Travel
abroad, Family, holidays, Monastir, Tunisia