We had a chance to spend 5 days in this exotic country and thoroughly loved it. We chose to stay at a higher-end hotel on the outskirts of Tunis, on the ocean, based on the recommendation of a good friend. The Residence is an amazing establishment where many of the staff have worked there for several decades and are passionate about service and quality. Both weekend mornings, the hotel brought in local chefs to prepare Tunisian delicacies like fresh Harissa, Ojja, and Lablali. The hotel’s pool and grounds are astounding, and include an indoor salt water pool and hamam with friendly, experienced staff.

Our third day we managed to pull ourselves from the luxury of the hotel to visit the ruins of Carthage and the old medina in downtown Tunis. Underwhelmed by Carthage, we still wouldn’t have missed it for the world. The Romans destroyed Carthage when the sacked the city in 146 BC, and that destruction is still evident today.

The city’s old medina is as lively and sprawling as those found in Tangiers and Istanbul. Most importantly, it’s home to a must-visit restaurant named Dar El Jeld. You can’t miss this establishment! The food is delicious and the service is superb. At one point I asked the maître d where the closest working ATM was as we needed cash for a dinner that night. Without hesitating, he assigned a doorman, just a teenager, to escort me for safety.