The other side of the Med

'DAVEED Beck-ham. Daveed Beck-ham." The familiar sound cut through the hustle and bustle of the busy market. It was coming from a diminutive man partly obscured by the unfeasably large jars of saffron he was peddling.

His cry, invariably accompanied by "Lovely jubbly" and "Fish and chip", had the desired affect of catching the attention of a bunch of British tourists. And if we didn't need a lifetime's supply of saffron, there were always his fluffy bendy camels. And every home needs one of those.

We were in Tunisia, the most northerly country in Africa and an ideal destination for a Mediterranean holiday with a difference. It has a more pleasing year round climate than the European resorts across the water and at less than three-and-a-half hours from the North-East, is closer than Greece.

We flew to the capital Tunis and stayed at Gammarth, a growing upmarket resort about 12 miles north. The five star Golden Tulip hotel is situated on a hill above the town. It's a fair walk down to the beach, so you will probably find yourself using the efficient taxis to get around. It's worth the short trip as the beach is a long sandy strip, ideal for relaxing or for the inevitable camel ride. We stretched out on the sand with only two other holidaymakers in sight, the calm only broken by our occasional jaunts into the clear turquoise sea.

But before we could take it easy on the beach, we needed to sample some of the capital's cultural highlights. Our first stop was the famous Bardot Museum, but don't go expecting a celebration of the French animal rights campaigner's film career! If, however, Roman mosaics are your thing, this is the place to be, as it houses the world's largest collection.

Next we ventured into the Medina, the atmospheric walled section of the city that dates back to the 7th century and where you will find Jemaa ez Zitouna, the only mosque in the city that non-Muslims can visit.

The Medina is perfect for strolling around, taking in the sights, sounds and smells. Here you can practise your haggling skills but don't expect to do much browsing, as they like to "encourage" you to make a purchase. In contrast to its narrow alleyways, the Avenue Habib Bourguiba which greets you as you exit the Medina, is a wide tree-lined thoroughfare that comes alive at night, but only, it seems, with the male section of the population.

From Tunis we took the short ride up to the quaint clifftop village of Sidi Bou Said. It is famous for its cobbled streets flanked by whitewashed houses with bright blue 'trim', a colour scheme enforced by law in the village. This distinctive livery has since been adopted as an unofficial national emblem, and you will see it all over the country on doors, bollards and litter bins.

Nearby are the remains of the ancient city of Carthage, the third largest city of the Roman Empire. And if this whets your appetite for archeological sites then there are two more that are a definite must-see. The four to five hour round trip to Dougga sounds exhausting, but it is an extraordinarily well preserved example of a Roman town, complete with ampitheatre, mausoleum and temple.

Slightly further afield, but with better road links, is the third century Roman ampitheatre at El Jem. This imposing structure benefits from having virtually no signs, barriers or other evidence of the modern world, leaving you to easily imagine what it was like to be a spectator or, should you venture below the 'stage' area, a competitor.

From El Jem you could continue south where the landscape eventually gives way to the Sahara desert, location for films such as The English Patient and, of course, Star Wars. But with time pressing we returned north to Tunis along the coast, taking in some of Tunisia's most popular holiday resorts. The picturesque marina at Port El Kantaouii is close to Sousse, the ideal combination of a bustling historic city and a beach resort. While further north is Hammamet, the country's largest resort and home to our friend with the saffron.

Thankfully, Tunisia has so far resisted the temptation to fill these resorts with Olde Red Lions and Trotter's Bars. And it looks as if it will stay this way as the developments taking place are concentrated on the top end of the market (marinas, golf courses and five-star hotels) or on self-catering for families.

TRAVELFACTS

* Chris Moran flew to Tunis with Tunisair and stayed at The Golden Tulip Hotel in Gammarth.

* Flights from Heathrow to Tunis cost from £164 return.

* A half-board package holiday featuring the Golden Tulip costs from £395 for one week and £495 for two weeks per person in a twin room, including flights and private transfers.

* For further information on Tunisia, contact the Tunisian National Tourist Office at 77A Wigmore Street, London, W1H 9LJ. Tel: 020 7224 5561. Or visit the website: www.cometotunisia.co.uk