Hammamet
Located at a few kilometers of capital (60 km) and Nabeul (6 km) at the entry of the Good Cape, Hammamet (12000 inhabitants) is especially known as a place of calms and leisures. 
With Djerba, Hammamet is one of the two great Tunisian destinations, a privilege which is worth to him the presence of several truffées tourist zones of hotel-clubs to the accesses of the city and the beaches, accomodating several thousands of visitors come from all the corners of the world.
At the beginning of the century, Hammamet was a small calm city with the tortuous streets surrounded by robust ramparts full with charm, dating from XVème century which a citadel (the kasbah) reinforces. Nothing then let predict a so great fortune if they are not the beautiful fine sand beaches extents on several kilometers around the gulf, the soft climate and the planted gardens of orange trees, mandarin trees, lemon trees which make the fame of all the Cape Bon. The city is launched at the end of the Twenties. The Occident trembles then of the seism of 29 and the billionaires settle under other suns. A Roumanian, George Sebastian, discover Hammamet and made there build a villa of dream. It invites his friends there. Allured by the charm of the place, some consequently acquire small houses in the médina transforming them with their taste whereas others prefer to build in the countryside of sumptuous villas imitating the style of pure tradition arabo-Moslem woman of the Sebastian villa. The palate of George Sebastian is requisitioned in 1943 by Rommel, which installs its headquarters there. After the war, the Rumanian rich person does not want to return in his released house and in fact gift at the Tunisian State in 1959. This one transforms it into arts centre, whose theatre in the open air added inside the gardens of the villa in 1964 accomodates each summer a great international festival, the second after that of Carthage. The center (also tourist), although pleasant, is not completely any more typical, but remains convivial and animated. The accesses are those of balneal suburbs and abound with shops of leather and carpet. It is interesting to observe it go-and-vien of the local fishermen. Although one is rather far away from the desert, one often proposes walks à.dos.de dromedary there.
A little history: The headland of Hammamet was strengthened for the first time into 904 by the emir aghlabide Ibrahim II It knew its share of seats, battles and carnages with the invasion of Norman, the occupation hafside, confrontation between the corsairs and the Spaniards... Seized by Dragut into 1560, subjected in vain to the naval blockade of Andrea Doria, the garrison was the victim of a stratagem of the Trojan horse kind into 1602, when 300 knights of Malta unloaded disguised as Moslems and playing of the Arab music. They were accomodated with open arms and hastened to put the city at bag. Become notorious in Europe, Hammamet played a modest role during the first civil war of Tunisia. A dey of the name of Hajji Ali Laz took refuge there into 1673. Having tried a revolt the Bey Mourad II counters, it was killed and buried in the kasba. When the French advanced on Hammamet in 1881, the inhabitants helped to push back a first column with El-Arba' in. Thanks to reinforcements, the French took again the top quickly, but Hammamet gained nevertheless a small victory of typically tempting nature: the Bordering captain, ordering place, éprit so much of the city which it resigned to take there his retirement.
To see:
