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Ahoy!
It's CRUISE WEEKEND this weekend at Barrhead Travel with Exclusive Offers, Huge Price Reductions and Fantastic Cruise Holidays to be had!
Come along to our Glasgow Superstore to meet cruise experts from Royal Caribbean, NCL, Thomson Cruises and more or call any of our branches and speak to our own expert, friendly consultants to get some of the very best cruise offers on the market!
It's Cruise Weekend this Saturday and Sunday at Barrhead Travel ... Don't miss the boat!
More info @ http://www.barrheadtravel.co.uk/events/
Friday, 22 January 2010
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Barrhead Travel Destination of the Week: Mayan Mexico
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A question often heard in Mexico and Central America is, “Whatever happened to the Mayans?” They are surely one of the most hyped-up of all the ancient civilisations, with Mel Gibson’s 2006 film Apocalypto stoking the myth that the Mayans were a bloodthirsty race. What is for sure is that the highly advanced Mayan civilisation went into sudden decline around 1200 AD, when great stone cities such as Chichen Itza and Uxmal were abandoned.
But the Mayans didn’t simply disappear (or fly off to the moon as some fantasists believe). They melted away into the jungle, and you can meet their descendants today all over the region including the Yucatan peninsula in the south-east of Mexico. This is where Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Tulum (near the major resort of Cancun) and other lesser known Mayan sites are located, and many more are believed to be still covered by dense jungle. While these sites are the focal points of a Yucatan tour, there’s much else to see – and opportunities to meet modern-day Mayans.
Many still live in traditional thatched huts with earthen floors, sleeping in hammocks just like hundreds of years ago. Don Antonio, is a little old man who shows visitors around a traditional hut at Sotuta de Peon, a hacienda (country estate) an hour’s drive from the Yucatan state capital, Merida. Don Antonio spent his working life cultivating sisal, a spiky plant used in basket and carpet manufacture until man-made fibres replaced it. Sisal was a lucrative trade, and you can see the 19th-century luxury home of the estate owners before touring the fields in a horse-drawn tram. He is cheerful and down-to-earth, and says (in Mayan) that he still lives in a hut, cooking simple corn-based meals in a stone pot.
Many visitors are keen to make a spiritual connection with the Mayans, and this has created a new industry of Mayan-themed spas. You can also seek refuge from the tropical heat and swim in underground lakes called cenotes, which ancient Mayans believed were the gateway to the underworld. Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Tulum are now major tourist attractions, with Uxmal running a cheesy sound-and-light show and Chichen Itza being so popular you can no longer climb the pyramid. But you still marvel at the mathematical precision with which the pyramid was built, without use of the wheel or metal tools. Much is still being excavated, and a new area opens to visitors this year.
Ek Balam (Black Jaguar in Mayan), roughly halfway between Merida and Cancun, is a relatively unknown ancient city excavated as recently as 1987. Here you can still scramble up the pyramid to admire the intricate carvings, and many of the mounds in the jungle surrounding you are believed to hide pyramids as impressive as this one. Alfonso Morales, an expert archaeologist working for ground handler Catherwood Travels, offers private and group tours of the Mayan world. He cheerfully debunks some of the myths that have grown up around the Mayans, such as their love for chopping people’s heads off. No headless skeletons have been found. Alfonso also reveals that he has to employ guards to watch the guards who mind the excavations, such is the lure for bounty hunters.
Another place to meet the Mayans is the old town of Izamal (Mist from Heaven in Mayan), where all the buildings in the centre are a deep shade of yellow. It has a pyramid, and you can watch traditional jewellery makers at work. Fortunately the Mayans are still going strong, but get off the beaten track to discover them properly.
Set off on your Mayan adventure today by contacting Barrhead Travel. Call one of our friendly consultants on 0871 226 2673 or visit www.barrheadtravel.co.uk
A question often heard in Mexico and Central America is, “Whatever happened to the Mayans?” They are surely one of the most hyped-up of all the ancient civilisations, with Mel Gibson’s 2006 film Apocalypto stoking the myth that the Mayans were a bloodthirsty race. What is for sure is that the highly advanced Mayan civilisation went into sudden decline around 1200 AD, when great stone cities such as Chichen Itza and Uxmal were abandoned.
But the Mayans didn’t simply disappear (or fly off to the moon as some fantasists believe). They melted away into the jungle, and you can meet their descendants today all over the region including the Yucatan peninsula in the south-east of Mexico. This is where Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Tulum (near the major resort of Cancun) and other lesser known Mayan sites are located, and many more are believed to be still covered by dense jungle. While these sites are the focal points of a Yucatan tour, there’s much else to see – and opportunities to meet modern-day Mayans.
Many still live in traditional thatched huts with earthen floors, sleeping in hammocks just like hundreds of years ago. Don Antonio, is a little old man who shows visitors around a traditional hut at Sotuta de Peon, a hacienda (country estate) an hour’s drive from the Yucatan state capital, Merida. Don Antonio spent his working life cultivating sisal, a spiky plant used in basket and carpet manufacture until man-made fibres replaced it. Sisal was a lucrative trade, and you can see the 19th-century luxury home of the estate owners before touring the fields in a horse-drawn tram. He is cheerful and down-to-earth, and says (in Mayan) that he still lives in a hut, cooking simple corn-based meals in a stone pot.
Many visitors are keen to make a spiritual connection with the Mayans, and this has created a new industry of Mayan-themed spas. You can also seek refuge from the tropical heat and swim in underground lakes called cenotes, which ancient Mayans believed were the gateway to the underworld. Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Tulum are now major tourist attractions, with Uxmal running a cheesy sound-and-light show and Chichen Itza being so popular you can no longer climb the pyramid. But you still marvel at the mathematical precision with which the pyramid was built, without use of the wheel or metal tools. Much is still being excavated, and a new area opens to visitors this year.
Ek Balam (Black Jaguar in Mayan), roughly halfway between Merida and Cancun, is a relatively unknown ancient city excavated as recently as 1987. Here you can still scramble up the pyramid to admire the intricate carvings, and many of the mounds in the jungle surrounding you are believed to hide pyramids as impressive as this one. Alfonso Morales, an expert archaeologist working for ground handler Catherwood Travels, offers private and group tours of the Mayan world. He cheerfully debunks some of the myths that have grown up around the Mayans, such as their love for chopping people’s heads off. No headless skeletons have been found. Alfonso also reveals that he has to employ guards to watch the guards who mind the excavations, such is the lure for bounty hunters.
Another place to meet the Mayans is the old town of Izamal (Mist from Heaven in Mayan), where all the buildings in the centre are a deep shade of yellow. It has a pyramid, and you can watch traditional jewellery makers at work. Fortunately the Mayans are still going strong, but get off the beaten track to discover them properly.
Set off on your Mayan adventure today by contacting Barrhead Travel. Call one of our friendly consultants on 0871 226 2673 or visit www.barrheadtravel.co.uk
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
New Seabourn Luxury Yacht on sale at Barrhead Travel
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Barrhead Travel's Latest Cruise News
SEABOURN’S NEXT YACHT WILL BE NAMED SEABOURN QUEST
Luxury Line’s Third Intimate Cruising Vessel Set to Launch in 2011
The Yachts of Seabourn has announced that Seabourn Quest will be the name given to its newest vessel. Poised to become the third of three new ultra-luxury yachts launched by the award-winning, small-ship cruise line in as many years, Seabourn Quest will launch in June 2011.
Seabourn Quest will be the third iteration of the sleek and widely admired design that first appeared on Seabourn Odyssey in June 2009, hailed as a “game-changer for the luxury segment.” The second sister ship, Seabourn Sojourn, launches in June 2010 in London. Together, the three new vessels represent a capacity increase of over 200 percent for the line in a three-year period – underlining the company’s confidence in a burgeoning demand for ultra-luxury cruising. At 32,000 GRT and carrying just 450 guests each, the three new Seabourn yachts are the smallest cruising vessels being built by any major cruise company, in keeping with the line’s strategy of offering guests highly personalised service in a relaxed, sociable and luxurious environment.
“The selection of the name Seabourn Quest completes the triad of names we chose for these three new vessels,” noted Pamela C. Conover, Seabourn’s President and CEO. “Taken together, we believe that Odyssey, Sojourn, and Quest represent the passion for adventure and discovery that spurs our guests’ desire to travel in Seabourn style.”
The three new Seabourn yachts join another trio of small, 208-guest ultra-luxury vessels already in the fleet: Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend. All offer Seabourn’s award-winning combination of all-suite accommodations, personalised service, superb cuisine and exceptional itineraries in the world’s most desirable destinations. Innovative onboard features on the new yachts include Seabourn Square, which replaces the traditional reception lobby with a comfortable, relaxed, club-like room that combines a library, internet café and a discreet guest services centre with a social lounge and konditerei-style coffee bar. The 11,400 square-foot, indoor/outdoor spa facility is the largest on any luxury vessel. Four dining venues, six bars and lounges and a wide range of open decks and terraces provide venues to suit every mood, from sociable to secluded.
With its expanded fleet, The Yachts of Seabourn is able to offer travellers an array of new itineraries throughout the year, including year-round sailings in Asia aboard Seabourn Pride, exploring Vietnam, Thailand, China, Korea and Japan. The new vessels will continue to offer popular itineraries such as Europe, the Mediterranean and the Americas, and will also add annual World Cruises to the line’s offerings.
To book call Barrhead Travel now on 0800 093 0622, visit www.barrheadtravel.co.uk or visit our specialist cruise website www.cruisedirect.co.uk and start planning your luxury Seabourn cruise with Barrhead Travel today!
Barrhead Travel's Latest Cruise News
SEABOURN’S NEXT YACHT WILL BE NAMED SEABOURN QUEST
Luxury Line’s Third Intimate Cruising Vessel Set to Launch in 2011
The Yachts of Seabourn has announced that Seabourn Quest will be the name given to its newest vessel. Poised to become the third of three new ultra-luxury yachts launched by the award-winning, small-ship cruise line in as many years, Seabourn Quest will launch in June 2011.
Seabourn Quest will be the third iteration of the sleek and widely admired design that first appeared on Seabourn Odyssey in June 2009, hailed as a “game-changer for the luxury segment.” The second sister ship, Seabourn Sojourn, launches in June 2010 in London. Together, the three new vessels represent a capacity increase of over 200 percent for the line in a three-year period – underlining the company’s confidence in a burgeoning demand for ultra-luxury cruising. At 32,000 GRT and carrying just 450 guests each, the three new Seabourn yachts are the smallest cruising vessels being built by any major cruise company, in keeping with the line’s strategy of offering guests highly personalised service in a relaxed, sociable and luxurious environment.
“The selection of the name Seabourn Quest completes the triad of names we chose for these three new vessels,” noted Pamela C. Conover, Seabourn’s President and CEO. “Taken together, we believe that Odyssey, Sojourn, and Quest represent the passion for adventure and discovery that spurs our guests’ desire to travel in Seabourn style.”
The three new Seabourn yachts join another trio of small, 208-guest ultra-luxury vessels already in the fleet: Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend. All offer Seabourn’s award-winning combination of all-suite accommodations, personalised service, superb cuisine and exceptional itineraries in the world’s most desirable destinations. Innovative onboard features on the new yachts include Seabourn Square, which replaces the traditional reception lobby with a comfortable, relaxed, club-like room that combines a library, internet café and a discreet guest services centre with a social lounge and konditerei-style coffee bar. The 11,400 square-foot, indoor/outdoor spa facility is the largest on any luxury vessel. Four dining venues, six bars and lounges and a wide range of open decks and terraces provide venues to suit every mood, from sociable to secluded.
With its expanded fleet, The Yachts of Seabourn is able to offer travellers an array of new itineraries throughout the year, including year-round sailings in Asia aboard Seabourn Pride, exploring Vietnam, Thailand, China, Korea and Japan. The new vessels will continue to offer popular itineraries such as Europe, the Mediterranean and the Americas, and will also add annual World Cruises to the line’s offerings.
To book call Barrhead Travel now on 0800 093 0622, visit www.barrheadtravel.co.uk or visit our specialist cruise website www.cruisedirect.co.uk and start planning your luxury Seabourn cruise with Barrhead Travel today!
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Barrhead Travel Christmas Greetings.
arrhead Travel wishes all our friends and customers a very Merry Christmas!Remember to make Barrhead Travel your first port of call for all your travel needs in 2010! Happy Travels!
Thursday, 17 December 2009
Barrhead Travel FlyGlobespan Customers
Any Barrhead Travel customers who are booked to travel with flyglobespan should contact our dedicated telephone helpline on 0141 242 1396.
We will be endeavouring to assist our own customers and those who now need alternative travel arrangements as best we can. Our thoughts go to all the flyglobespan employees and to those whose travel arrangements have been affected.
We will be endeavouring to assist our own customers and those who now need alternative travel arrangements as best we can. Our thoughts go to all the flyglobespan employees and to those whose travel arrangements have been affected.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Barrhead Travel Destination of the Week: Tunisia
This week's featured destination is in sunny North Africa.
Sands of Time – Tunisia
On the map it’s just a nugget of a country clinging to a crag at the top of a vast continent, but on the ground the reality turns out to be something quite different.
It’s certainly Africa, but the architecture has overtones of Moorish Spain, the history has associations with ancient Italy, the language originates from the Middle East and the flavours are redolent of France, along with groves of olives, yards of vines, miles of beaches and swathes of Sahara. Yes, Tunisia packs a surprisingly big punch for a tiny country.
In fact, this little slice of North Africa is far more bewitchingly exotic than most other winter sun destinations, despite being closer to the UK than many at under three hours’ flying time.
A factor which, when combined with the increasing desire among travellers to avoid the eurozone, means Tunisia has done steady business of late, attracting holidaymakers who might otherwise have been tempted by the likes of the Canaries or Cyprus. Tunisia represents particularly good value, especially if you’ve an interest in thalassotherapy, history, desert landscapes, empty beaches and/or golf.
Summer visitors tend to be on two-week family holidays and stick to popular resorts like Hammamet, Port el Kantaoui and Djerba. Winter visitors typically go for a shorter duration and will favour more cultural experiences, sampling the desert oases and ancient cities, and are becoming increasingly interested in the country’s growing stock of boutique hotels.
The shoulder season, particularly autumn, can be very busy while the sea is still warm.
The big news in recent years has been the completion of upscale resort Yasmine Hammamet and the opening of a golf course attached to The Residence, Tunisia’s top hotel. Golf is earmarked for further development, with the present 10 courses expected to double within the next decade.
There is also the imminent opening of Enfidha Airport, 50 miles south of Tunis in Tunisia’s main tourist resort area, built in expectance of a substantial increase in visitors.
Sousse
The Tunisian equivalent of Barcelona comfortably combines business and tourism, with a port and a promenade at the heart of the city. There are bright lights as well as a 1,000 year old medina protecting a maze of narrow pedestrian-only streets. From the tower of the Ribat, a fortified monastery built in 827, you look across a townscape of tiny coloured pieces like thousands of carefully arranged eggshells. Proximity to the giant mosque at Kairouan and the amphitheatre at El Jem make this a good focal point for culture. If you don’t want to stay in town – and there’s a spanking new Moevenepick hotel to encourage you to do so – then the purpose built marina resort of Port el Kantaoui is only six miles north. Developed in 1979 in traditional Tunisian style, the resort is made up of brilliant white buildings, cobbled streets and narrow walkways.
Hammamet
There’s a variety of beach resorts to choose from up and down Tunisia’s coast, but Hammamet remains a perennial favourite. Its beaches are, of course, excellent, particularly south of the old town, and have all the usual watersports on offer. Hammamet also boasts a medina of its own, with an old fortress now largely populated by funky cafes and surrounded by craft and souvenir shops. The town is a well-balanced mix of traditional Tunisian style and international resort, and the proximity to Tunis 40 miles away makes the big city easily accessible for a day trip. Southern Hammamet has been recently rebranded as Yasmine Hammamet, named after the jasmine that grows in profusion and the resort now hosts a range of five-star hotels and upmarket shopping centres. The town’s location at the food of Cap Bon gives access to a small peninsula with miles of unblemished sand and unspoiled coastline. There are caves full of bats at the falconer’s village of El Haouaria, a Spanish castle and fishing port at Kelibia, and a hinterland covered in vines and wild flowers.
Tunis
Tunis is where Paris meets Tales from the Arabian Nights. The centre is charming and traffic-free and you can buy a baguette or café au lait with the aid of your schoolboy French in the wider, post-colonial city. In the intricate maze of narrow lanes of the 1300 year old walled medina, the ancient centre where a lot of people live out their lives, you won’t want to do much more than wander through the souks, rich with smells of leather and perfume. The variety of merchandise and haggling is the norm. While in the medina, pop you head into the Great Mosque, sip mint tea in a café and try the wonderfully named brik a l’ouef, effectively an egg fried in pastry.
Carthage
Back around 200BC, the Carthaginians dominated the Mediterranean. The remains of their capital city is now part of the northern Tunis suburbs and there’s an extensive museum both on the site and in the Bardo a short drive away. Equally interesting at Carthage is the Punic Port, where a secret lagoon was excavated and a massive circular hangar erected, large enough for 250 warships. Here there’s a nifty Oceanographic Museum and a scale model of what it all must have once looked like. If you’re heading to Carthage on the metro – as most visitors do – then it would be foolish not to continue a couple of stops afterwards to Sidi Bou Said, the charismatic village suburb on a hill overlooking the sea, where Tunisian and international celebrities live.
Djerba
In summer it’s a popular beach destination and in winter it’s far enough south to have a better climate than the majority of Tunisia’s beach resorts, but the island of Djerba – connected to the mainland by a causeway – also has its own distinctive cultural appeal. For a start, it’s low-slung architecture is indicative of the varied ethnicities living here and it has several charismatic funduqs in Homt Souk, its main town ,which were once caravanserais (roadside inns) offering food and shelter to itinerant merchants. All are reminders of Djerba’s long history as a key meeting and trading place on the Med. The island is also far enough south to give access to some of the extraordinary landscapes of the Ksour, including the surreal village of Matmata, where many people still live in cave houses under the ground.
The Sahara
The southernmost third of Tunisia is mainly desert, but desert with great variety. Beside the dunes, there are arid mountains, salt lakes and oases, and all have something to offer tourists. Most choose to base themselves at Tozeur, an oasis with an airport and a labyrinthine old quarter, with walls of delicately patterned brickwork. In the palmeraie itself, the filtered light under the canopy of palms, twitters and rustles, distant voices argue over irrigation and old men lurch down foot-hardened paths, seeking fresh grass for their donkeys. The second most popular oasis, Douz, compensates for its lack on intrinsic charm by providing all sorts of desert activities, from go-karting to ballooning and camel trekking. The nomadic Adhara camelteers gather at the village of Zaafrane, from where, if you wish, you can negotiate a five-day desert crossing to Ksar Ghilane.
Thalassotherapy
The Carthaginians knew about the benefits of bathing in warm seawater even before the Romans built their thermal baths in the Cap Bon region. Today, seawater cures and treatments that maximise the therapeutic effects of marine minerals are huge in Tunisia and second only to France – but at a lower price. Mostly they take place in the larger hotels and especially in purpose-built recent resorts like Yasmine Hammamet. Typically they will offer a proper medical assessment followed by a course of treatments which are particularly good for joints, muscles and skin. Most will have a seawater pool and offer the likes of seaweed wraps, massage and even traditional hammam, Turkish baths.
For all of your Tunisia travel needs be sure to make Barrhead Travel your first port of call. Phone one of our friendly consultants today on 0871 226 2673 or visit www.barrheadtravel.co.uk and start planning your holiday to Tunisia today!
Sands of Time – Tunisia
On the map it’s just a nugget of a country clinging to a crag at the top of a vast continent, but on the ground the reality turns out to be something quite different.
It’s certainly Africa, but the architecture has overtones of Moorish Spain, the history has associations with ancient Italy, the language originates from the Middle East and the flavours are redolent of France, along with groves of olives, yards of vines, miles of beaches and swathes of Sahara. Yes, Tunisia packs a surprisingly big punch for a tiny country.
In fact, this little slice of North Africa is far more bewitchingly exotic than most other winter sun destinations, despite being closer to the UK than many at under three hours’ flying time.
A factor which, when combined with the increasing desire among travellers to avoid the eurozone, means Tunisia has done steady business of late, attracting holidaymakers who might otherwise have been tempted by the likes of the Canaries or Cyprus. Tunisia represents particularly good value, especially if you’ve an interest in thalassotherapy, history, desert landscapes, empty beaches and/or golf.
Summer visitors tend to be on two-week family holidays and stick to popular resorts like Hammamet, Port el Kantaoui and Djerba. Winter visitors typically go for a shorter duration and will favour more cultural experiences, sampling the desert oases and ancient cities, and are becoming increasingly interested in the country’s growing stock of boutique hotels.
The shoulder season, particularly autumn, can be very busy while the sea is still warm.
The big news in recent years has been the completion of upscale resort Yasmine Hammamet and the opening of a golf course attached to The Residence, Tunisia’s top hotel. Golf is earmarked for further development, with the present 10 courses expected to double within the next decade.
There is also the imminent opening of Enfidha Airport, 50 miles south of Tunis in Tunisia’s main tourist resort area, built in expectance of a substantial increase in visitors.
Sousse
The Tunisian equivalent of Barcelona comfortably combines business and tourism, with a port and a promenade at the heart of the city. There are bright lights as well as a 1,000 year old medina protecting a maze of narrow pedestrian-only streets. From the tower of the Ribat, a fortified monastery built in 827, you look across a townscape of tiny coloured pieces like thousands of carefully arranged eggshells. Proximity to the giant mosque at Kairouan and the amphitheatre at El Jem make this a good focal point for culture. If you don’t want to stay in town – and there’s a spanking new Moevenepick hotel to encourage you to do so – then the purpose built marina resort of Port el Kantaoui is only six miles north. Developed in 1979 in traditional Tunisian style, the resort is made up of brilliant white buildings, cobbled streets and narrow walkways.
Hammamet
There’s a variety of beach resorts to choose from up and down Tunisia’s coast, but Hammamet remains a perennial favourite. Its beaches are, of course, excellent, particularly south of the old town, and have all the usual watersports on offer. Hammamet also boasts a medina of its own, with an old fortress now largely populated by funky cafes and surrounded by craft and souvenir shops. The town is a well-balanced mix of traditional Tunisian style and international resort, and the proximity to Tunis 40 miles away makes the big city easily accessible for a day trip. Southern Hammamet has been recently rebranded as Yasmine Hammamet, named after the jasmine that grows in profusion and the resort now hosts a range of five-star hotels and upmarket shopping centres. The town’s location at the food of Cap Bon gives access to a small peninsula with miles of unblemished sand and unspoiled coastline. There are caves full of bats at the falconer’s village of El Haouaria, a Spanish castle and fishing port at Kelibia, and a hinterland covered in vines and wild flowers.
Tunis
Tunis is where Paris meets Tales from the Arabian Nights. The centre is charming and traffic-free and you can buy a baguette or café au lait with the aid of your schoolboy French in the wider, post-colonial city. In the intricate maze of narrow lanes of the 1300 year old walled medina, the ancient centre where a lot of people live out their lives, you won’t want to do much more than wander through the souks, rich with smells of leather and perfume. The variety of merchandise and haggling is the norm. While in the medina, pop you head into the Great Mosque, sip mint tea in a café and try the wonderfully named brik a l’ouef, effectively an egg fried in pastry.
Carthage
Back around 200BC, the Carthaginians dominated the Mediterranean. The remains of their capital city is now part of the northern Tunis suburbs and there’s an extensive museum both on the site and in the Bardo a short drive away. Equally interesting at Carthage is the Punic Port, where a secret lagoon was excavated and a massive circular hangar erected, large enough for 250 warships. Here there’s a nifty Oceanographic Museum and a scale model of what it all must have once looked like. If you’re heading to Carthage on the metro – as most visitors do – then it would be foolish not to continue a couple of stops afterwards to Sidi Bou Said, the charismatic village suburb on a hill overlooking the sea, where Tunisian and international celebrities live.
Djerba
In summer it’s a popular beach destination and in winter it’s far enough south to have a better climate than the majority of Tunisia’s beach resorts, but the island of Djerba – connected to the mainland by a causeway – also has its own distinctive cultural appeal. For a start, it’s low-slung architecture is indicative of the varied ethnicities living here and it has several charismatic funduqs in Homt Souk, its main town ,which were once caravanserais (roadside inns) offering food and shelter to itinerant merchants. All are reminders of Djerba’s long history as a key meeting and trading place on the Med. The island is also far enough south to give access to some of the extraordinary landscapes of the Ksour, including the surreal village of Matmata, where many people still live in cave houses under the ground.
The Sahara
The southernmost third of Tunisia is mainly desert, but desert with great variety. Beside the dunes, there are arid mountains, salt lakes and oases, and all have something to offer tourists. Most choose to base themselves at Tozeur, an oasis with an airport and a labyrinthine old quarter, with walls of delicately patterned brickwork. In the palmeraie itself, the filtered light under the canopy of palms, twitters and rustles, distant voices argue over irrigation and old men lurch down foot-hardened paths, seeking fresh grass for their donkeys. The second most popular oasis, Douz, compensates for its lack on intrinsic charm by providing all sorts of desert activities, from go-karting to ballooning and camel trekking. The nomadic Adhara camelteers gather at the village of Zaafrane, from where, if you wish, you can negotiate a five-day desert crossing to Ksar Ghilane.
Thalassotherapy
The Carthaginians knew about the benefits of bathing in warm seawater even before the Romans built their thermal baths in the Cap Bon region. Today, seawater cures and treatments that maximise the therapeutic effects of marine minerals are huge in Tunisia and second only to France – but at a lower price. Mostly they take place in the larger hotels and especially in purpose-built recent resorts like Yasmine Hammamet. Typically they will offer a proper medical assessment followed by a course of treatments which are particularly good for joints, muscles and skin. Most will have a seawater pool and offer the likes of seaweed wraps, massage and even traditional hammam, Turkish baths.
For all of your Tunisia travel needs be sure to make Barrhead Travel your first port of call. Phone one of our friendly consultants today on 0871 226 2673 or visit www.barrheadtravel.co.uk and start planning your holiday to Tunisia today!
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