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Tunis, Tunisia

Alan Parker

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Compared with most mega-cities elsewhere in the world, Tunis comes across as little more than a large country town. The city centre is compact and easy to navigate, with almost everything important to travellers within the medina and the compact ville nouvelle.

The medina is the historical and cultural heart of modern Tunis and a great place to get a feel for life in the city. Built during the 7th century AD, it lost its status as Tunis Central when the French took over and raised their ville nouvelle around the turn of the 20th century. One of the oldest of the medina's sights, the Zitouna Mosque was rebuilt in the 9th century on the site of the original 7th-century structure. Its builders recycled 200 columns from the ruins of Roman Carthage for the central prayer hall. Modestly dressed non-Muslims are allowed in as far as the courtyard. Your nose will help you translate the name of the nearby Souq el-Attarine - the Perfume Makers' Souq - where the shops are full of aromatic oils and spices. To the west, the Mosque of Youssef Dey was the first Ottoman-style mosque to be built in Tunis (1616). The nearby Souq el-Berka is where slaves were sold by Muslim corsairs.

Also in the medina, the Tourbet el-Bey is a huge mausoleum that houses the remains of many Husseinite beys, princesses, ministers and advisors - the caretaker is a keen tour-giver. Not far off, the Dar Ben Abdallah Museum houses the Centre for Popular Arts & Traditions, where the exhibits seem almost lacklustre when seen against the building's majestic backdrop. The medina was added to the UN's World Heritage List in 1981.

The streets of the ville nouvelle are lined with old French buildings replete with wrought-iron railings and louvred windows, lending it a very European feel that's heightened by a number of sidewalk cafés and patisseries. After ogling the colonial architecture, don't skip a visit to the Cathedral of St Vincent de Paul. Incorporated in its design are an extraordinarily bizarre collection of clashing styles - Gothic, Byzantine, and North African.

One not-to-be-missed sight outside of central Tunis is the Bardo Museum, housed in the former Bardo Palace, the official residence of the Husseinite beys. Inside, the collection is broken down into sections that cover the Carthaginian, Roman, early Christian and Arab-Islamic eras. The Roman collection contains one of the finest collection of Roman mosaics and statuary anywhere. The museum is located about 4km (2mi) west of the city centre, an easy taxi or tram ride.