Hammamet is a sort of magic place in Tunisia with an undeniable scent of jasmine perfuming its pearly beaches,a famed destination of a magnificent country which some years ago was nicknamed the Tunisian Saint-Tropez for its vibrant and lively nightlife,its several venues and luxury Hotels which transformed that place in one of the most demanded destination in Maghreb and the largest seaside resort of that North African country.
Also known as Al-Hammamat,the town is located south-east of the famous Cap Bon,on the northern side of the homonym gulf,a place which evokes a long history with many civilisations landed in that bay where the scenery is absolutely stunning with crystalline waters,picturesque hills,and that northeastern tip of Tunisia so tempting to discover all what of fantastic there is behind it.
Situated in the Governorate of Nabeul,approximately 70,0 km south of the capital Tunis (I wrote a post about that special city) ,Hammamet
in a short time became is the main tourist resort of the country.With
its 64,000 inhabitants is one of the most important resort destinations
of the country and.it forms with the town of Nabeul a conurbation of
over 185,000 inhabitants covering an area of 3600 hectares.
It has long
been known as a beautiful place with beautiful beaches and many luxury
Hotels which cater the demand of visitors coming from other parts of the
world, especially from Europe.Despite that Hammamet ,however has
retained a certain charm on its roots with its typical Tunisian Medina, its souks of fabrics and perfumes and its traditional habitat and all around those perfumes and aromas which are part of the essence and give further charm to that place,all is so intense and captivating in the air.
Its mild climate all year, its magnificent white sandy beaches,its gardens and refreshing comfortable accommodations with a wide range of
restaurants,nightclubs bars away have made of that coastal town one of the favourite
places and for many people also one of the most attractive possibly of the entire North Africa to spend holidays.
That name derives from the word hammam, which in Arabic means bath.Many travellers,writers,artists in search of exoticism and essentially
picturesque landscapes to find inspiration,once discovered that place described and sang the beauty
of that place,contributing to the reputation of the resort.Therefore, Hammamet
is a resort popular also in winter since the early 20 century and several famed figures visited the resort in that season,which was in their opinion the right and ideal time to take inspiration.
The recent and constant development of the resort of Yasmine Hammamet reinforced the importance of the tourism industry in the local economy,indeed, famous since the second half of the 20th century,the resort is a succession of beaches along the gulf and local
relief consists of two small coastal plains of low elevation which end close to
the sea on those sandy beaches for over 30 km and northwest,while in the hinterland, stands a series of hills overlooking the city.
Hammamet was founded during the Roman period,originally it was a small village which existed before the 1st century and called Pupput.In the 2nd century, during the colonisation of the Imperial Rome of North Africa the settlement became a small trade port on the Mediterranean sea mainly concentrated in the commerce of spices.
Shortly afterwards, thanks to the considerable
resources of the territory and the excellent strategic geographic position,it started to have a significant importance with an
increasing development,it was titled as Imperial colony and called Colonia Aurelia Commoda, in honor of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus.
The location of the town which lies in an intersection of two roads,one linking the east coast to the plain cereal Thuburbo Majus and the other of Carthage,along the coast leading to the historic Leptis Magna currently part of Libya was the ideal place to establish new routes along all the Maghreb coastline an open door to the Tripolitania and other lands.
The relevance of that place generated the interest of the Romans to create in a short time a prestigious municipal institution and it was adorned by
characteristic imperial monuments which most of them now lies under the
foundations of the big Hotels which have changed the aspect of the
resort.
The few archaeological remains preserved by the National Heritage
Institute may in no circumstances give an idea,even very roughly, the
general topography of the site.Among those remains there are water
supplies, reservoirs,houses and other buildings paved with mosaics in
general but especially the Roman Baths.
The latter justifies the current name of the town called in Arab
language Hammamet which is the plural of steam which corresponds to the
use that the Romans had done since antiquity and continued after with
the successive inhabitants.The pretty recent discovery,the site of Pupput, the largest Roman necropolis of Africa overcomes the scarcity of texts and sheds new light on the past of the former settlement.
In 678, with the Arab conquest of Cape Bon,Pupput was practically
ignored by the new settlers.The total or almost abandoned site was
because the Arabs,for strategic considerations and reasons preferred the modern Medina on a small headland north of Pupput.
In that former town was erected a fort called Ksar built on a promontory.That fortress,whose construction was developed between the years 893 and 914 was part of that network of ribats (forts)
whose role was to defend the coast by the raids of the enemies and
pirates.
A former agglomeration was built around the fort,with the foundation of part of a Mosque in the 12th century,in a critical time of the history of the ancient Ifriqiya (the current Maghreb) due a Norman invasion added to the Hilali invasion and the collapse of the Zirid state. Devastated by the Normans,
the name of Hammamet on official maps was mentioned for the first time by the Arab geographer Al Idrisi in the 12th century in a book which he composed in 1154 by order of the Norman King Roger II of Sicily.
During that occupation it served as an outpost coastline until 1187, when the city was destroyed by the Banu mercilessly Ghaniya from the Balearic Islands.A Moroccan traveller wrote that in 1289, the small town was pretty desolated with its walls whitewashed and populated by humble people.
Under the Hafsids Dynasty rule,the town had a sort of renaissance,the new rulers build the city walls which were completed around the middle of the 13th century to strength the defencive frame of the coastline and in that period was also ordered to complete construction of the Great Mosque of Hammamet.
The two monuments, like many others were erected using materials taken
from ancient nearby sites,rests of the devastated constructions the settlement suffered.Furthermore it seems that the former
town in that time reached a good level of prosperity which is explained
by the several invasions and attacks in the 14th century by Pisans and Catalan corsairs who discovering a wealthy site in continuous development assaulted in many occasions that place of Maghreb.
The few fortifications erected in the 14th and 15th centuries, namely the consolidation of the walls and the building of the Kasbah on the site of the former fort dated 12th century,but despite that incursions and murderous raids never stopped.
In the 16th century,the
decline of the town was further accentuated with a multitude of invasions and raids,no
defence,the inhabitants were mainly poor people,fishermen and a little group local
artisans.All that was due to the advent of two new powers in the Mediterranean the Ottomans and the Spaniards.The
latter eventually prevail and the town was easily conquered and the
population suffered a very sad time due to its neutrality in the
Spanish-Turkish rivalry.
Following the conquest of 1574,Hammamet was entrusted to the Ottomans.The Janissaries settled
in the Kasbah and the number of Ottomans native or in adoption was
increasing in an impressive way and The Turkish community was superior
in that period than the native Berber population.
The importance of other
Ottoman centres anyway changed the history of the town with movements in new communities in particular in the Balkans new territories conquered by the Turkish
and the Ottomans suffered profoundly influenced by the local population
and they were are quickly assimilated: the result was from the unions
between Ottomans and women of the country is the source of that
assimilation and the new generations came back to speak Berber and Arab and
not Turkish language.
Hammamet was also theatre of several disputes between the Berber and the Christians populations from Malta.There two famous raids made by the fleet of the Order of Knights of Malta in 1602 and 1605.The
first expedition was a success for the Knights of Malta but the local people
took his revenge in the second that was a setback for the
Order of Malta.Since there the name of Hammamet, disfigured in the Latin
languages in Maometta and even Mahomette Emmamette, became famous in Western Europe.
With the influx of the Andalusian refugees expelled from Spain in the early 17th century, market gardening experience generated a remarkable recovery during the 17th and 18th centuries.The new settlers developed an important agricultural system with new plans of irrigation and around the town started to flourish beautiful orchards and cultivations of fruit.
Hussein Bey, founder of the dynasty Husseinite, visited the site in 1727 and ordered the construction of new Mosques and the restoration of the Great Mosque and the ramparts of the Medina.Under Hammouda Pasha, textile crafts and commerce enjoyed remarkable growth but the 19th century
was a difficult period during which the population was becoming more a
victim of the tax bite of the Beys and European pressure.
In 1881 the town was taken without much resistance by the French led by the commandant Desire Bordier.Once
established there,Bordier was conquered in turn by the magic of that
place and fixes his residence and his final resting place.
The site
suffered the shock of modernity,the Medina with its various divisions
and structures was gradually marginalised in favour of a new urban core
extramural.The town opens many urban conveniences as the Railway in
1899,electricity, telephone, French school, a Catholic Church in the late
19th century with the creation of the municipality.
Before the 1st World War also other prominent characters such as August Macke, Gustave Flaubert, Guy de
Maupassant, Gide and Oscar Wilde were seduced by that unique corner of Tunisia which with its simple fascinating image conquered every one stopped there also for a very short time.Many characters of the European culture were attracted by new experiences on the other side of the Mediterranean following the the new artistic waves fall in love with that beauty of Magreb.
The famous painter Paul Klee,during his visit to Hammamet in 1914,was dazzled by its light,colours, and the shapes of its coastline and in that pleasant discovery he said : "I realised by reading this small fishing village that art does not render the visible but makes visible."That place was soon visited by another big number as André
Gide,Jean Cocteau,Wallis Simpson Jean Claude Pascal,Georges Bernanos and the Duke of Windsor among others.
Following the
Wall Street crash in 1929, a Romanian millionaire Georges Sebastian,
discovers that place
and there he built his dream home.He started to invite his friends ,who were totally seduced by that
charming place and they started to acquire some small houses in the Medina and turn
them to their liking,while others preferred to build houses in the countryside
luxurious villas imitating the Moorish style Villa
Sebastian.
It was also an important period in which the town became since the year 1930 the major producer of citrus of the country, it became a national symbol for its appreciated lemons conquering important European markets as France.The 2nd World War II put to the test the inhabitantts and Sebastian's palace was requisitioned in 1943 by the German Marshal Rommel who
set up his headquarters. During that period the town was visited in different periods by Winston Churchill, the Generals Von Arnim and Montgomery,Eisenhower and King George VI.
After the independence of Tunisia from France in the year 1956,the town continued to be active mainly in agricultural activities, Sebastian never came back to his
beautiful villa which was, sold it to the Tunisian government in 1962. It was transformed in a cultural centre,whose open-air theatre,added inside the gardens of the villa in 1964 hosting, every summer the International Festival of Hammamet,the second most important event after that of Carthage.
The history is like a fairytale,a great place but since there only known by a social class,or better by a cultural class concentrated to determinate artists.It was the period in which the most exclusive destinations along the Mediterranean coasts were the famed Saint- Tropez,Cannes,Capri and in Maghreb undoubtedly the charm of the glamorous Tangier attracted the major part of VIPs as Sofia Loren and Bettino Craxi among others.
Definitely a very interesting a long history and you can start your visit from The Medina which is one of the highlight of this Tunisian resort.The
core consists in a maze of winding streets lined with
dazzling white houses,distill the scent of nostalgia of the ancient
times and remembered by that people who visited more than once that captivating mosaic of alleys,packed by whitewashed houses, memories of
when subtracted from the outside world, hundreds of families
lived,worked within the city walls.
The magnificent 15th-century Medina
close to the Mediterranean sea is an intricate labyrinth
which have retained the aspect of the former,especially in the souks
which are pretty hidden inside it Also within the Medina there is the Great Mosque with its imposing and beautiful minaret erected in the 15th century.
That Religious building is situated in front of another one the Mosque of Sidi Abdel Kader,smaller than the Great Mosque, is currently a Medersa,a Muslim school for children from3 to 5 years old and a little further down you can see the shrine of Sidi Abdel Kader.
That Religious building is situated in front of another one the Mosque of Sidi Abdel Kader,smaller than the Great Mosque, is currently a Medersa,a Muslim school for children from3 to 5 years old and a little further down you can see the shrine of Sidi Abdel Kader.
In the west side lies the Kasbah,the most ancient area of the former town.The Kasbah was built in the 15th century on an ancient fort and it was the headquarters of the Foreign Legion.From the top of it, you will have a superb view over the Medina, its roofs, terraces and the splendid bay of Hammamet and and not far there is the Christian cemetery located on the extreme point of the headland.From there to enjoy a beautiful walk along the coastline,you can enjoy a walk along the nearest Boulevard Ibn El Fourat which offers a very pleasant view of the coast.
From there you can continue along the Route Touristique which is a splendid promenade along the coast,it is a prolongation of Boulevard Ibn El Fourat along it you can continue to admire the splendid coastline of Hammamet,including there are two scenic sharp small headlands forming a wide natural bay,in that point there is a beautiful panoramic overview over the Mediterranean and a paradise of turquoise waters.
The Fort is located at the western corner of the Medina, facing the
sea,it is perhaps the most majestic local monument.Kasbah
Fortress was built by orders of Bel Hadj Hamouda Fraj in 1474
to strength the defences of the city and protect the same throughout
the Gulf.Today having lost all military function,it is open to the visitors
and it can be visited from the top of its towers,from there is possible to enjoy stunning
view of the orchards and beaches.Inside there is also is a museum
of traditional local female costumes and a cafe.
Towards north you can reach Place des Martyrs (Martyrs Square) in that place lies a monument with something similar to the famous Parisian Tour Eiffel recalls the martyrs of the war of independence and you are approximately in the modern centre of Hammamet.From there you are facing two main axes of the city Avenue Habib Bourguiba and Avenue de la Republique.The modern centre is mainly arranged with its many restaurants and
services around those two long boulevards and the tourist area is subdivided in two sections.
From Avenue Habib Bourguiba,approximately 10 minutes walking from the fort you can take Rue De la Corniche with its splendid promenade flanked by palm trees and the blue waters of the sea,a very suggested walk every early evening to admire suggestive sunsets and breathing a cool Mediterranean breeze.
Yasmine Hammamet is located some kilometres west of the centre. As you know the resort is well known for the large amount of jasmine presents in every corner,seemingly curious as not being a native species.That bush was the result of inheritance of Moorish Andalusian who returned to Maghreb from Al-Andalus in Southern Spain when that people was expelled during the new reforms of the Kingdom of Spain,taking with them many skills,evident in the architecture of the country and jasmine seeds hidden in the clothes,since they are not allowed to export them.
Since long time ago that seaside resort is decorated with those flowers,perfuming the streets,the Souks and the squares of the city.Numerous shops and street vendors offer all kinds of crafts made with the only raw material which gives the popular shrub.The influence of jasmine on the citizens of Tunisia and especially Hammamet, is now so great that the area south of the city is called Yasmine Hammamet.
Carthage Land is a small park which is is located not far from the the coastline,some minutes walking from the major Hotels.Next to it there is also another small theme park the Park of Ali Baba,for children.Those attraction can be an alternative to spend a different day in particular for families and to have fun.
Approximately 3,0 km from the city centre there is that famous Cultural centre houses in the former Villa of the Romanian millionaire George Sebastian. The Villa also called Dar Sébastien was the property of Georges Sebastian who sold in the 60s that splendid mansion to the Tunisian State,the International Cultural Centre rearranged in that superb building is today a luxurious residence and it has a beautiful park of 17 hectares.
Sebastian never came back to his
beautiful villa which was, sold it to the Tunisian government in 1962. It was transformed in a cultural centre,whose open-air theatre,added inside the gardens of the villa, there is also a replica of a Greek-Roman Theatre,built by the government in 1964,
Since the same year it hosts every summer the International Festival of Hammamet,the second most important event after that of Carthage.Throughout the year, theatre performances,concerts, exhibitions, conferences, seminars and screenings are held in that beautiful setting .
Since the same year it hosts every summer the International Festival of Hammamet,the second most important event after that of Carthage.Throughout the year, theatre performances,concerts, exhibitions, conferences, seminars and screenings are held in that beautiful setting .
Apart the Festival and enjoying the splendid beaches,the resort provides the excellent Golf Club Citrus,a course which offers a surface of approximately of 173 hectares, offering the clients the opportunity to rent trolleys and caddies,furthermore the complex provides a comfortable Hotel,restaurant and a club.
Do not miss a typical Tunisian dinner inspired by a folk group at a local outdoor summer and covered by a large tent sort made of goat hair in winter,it is folklore and a nice experience to try,it is something to come in deeply in the local traditional culture.
Tunisian cuisine is based on the use of olive oil and spices such as anise,cumin,cinnamon or saffron,used to flavor other ingredients are mint,orange juice and including rose water.Despite its strong Maghreb identity it is composed of local traditions and foreign contributions due the influence of the European colonisations and the result of a combination with an enrichment of diverse cultural backgrounds.
Local traditional plates are the famous Couscous,the Brik a thin pancakes with vegetable stuffing,Tajines meat chopped and cooked,the Merguez a kind of spicy sausage and Ojja which is a kind of ratatouille.The Makroud is a sort of ground paste coated with date while the Gharaiba is a a kind of cake similar to a dry donut and try thee famous Samsa a small Brick stuffed with almonds.Very typical is the use of Harissa sauce,which accompanies,bread,tuna,vegetables and meat.
The nearest airport is Tunis-Carthage, located about 75,0 km from the resort.Once on Tunisian soil you can take a taxi or a louagge which is a shared taxi and remember to agree the price before boarding.Most Tour Operators offer a minibus as transfer service.
The captivating and enchanting charm of Hammamet with its picturesque Medina,orange and cypress trees,the smell of jasmine everywhere are something very distinctive,which make that place unique in its kind.
Its winding streets,its dawns and sunsets from Cap Bon,the harmony of colours and the fascinating blue and crystalline waters of the Mediterranean in contrast with the white-washed houses are undoubtedly a great combination, it is so easy in front of such place to chose it as destination,a stay there will be something to remember with immense pleasure and of course with the desire to come back soon once again.
Francesco Mari
Recommended Hotels in Hammamet
Hotel Riu Palace Oceana
Hotel Sentido Aziza Beach Golf & SPA
Hotel Russelior & SPA
Hotel Iberostar Solaria
Hotel Globalia Savana
Hotel Paradis Palace
Hotel Magic Life Africana Imperial
Hotel Vincci Flora Park
Hotel Mehari Hammamet
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