Tunísia

Get in

thumb|250px|A map showing the visa requirements of Tunisia, with countries in green having visa-free access Tunisia depends a lot on tourism; therefore, many people can visit the country without a visa.

See

thumb|Byrsa Hills, some of the remains of Carthage

Eat

Tunisian cuisine has similarities with Middle Eastern cuisine, and mainly builds on the Northern African Maghreb tradition, with couscous and marqa stews (similar to the Moroccan tajine) forming the backbone of most meals. Distinguishing characteristics are the fiery harissa chili sauce, the heavy use of tiny olives which are abundant in the country, and the Tunisian tajine which, unlike the Moroccan dish of the same name, refers to a type of omelette-like pie prepared with a ragout of meat and/or vegetables mixed with herbs, legumes and even offal, enriched with eggs and cheese and baked in a deep pie dish until the eggs are just set, somewhat like an Italian frittata. Lamb forms the basis of most meat dishes and local seafood is plentiful. Pork and pork products are not widely available but can be found in some supermarkets and in some hotels in tourist areas.

thumb|A fiery plate of Harissa

Harissa: very hot spicy chili paste (sometimes made more mild with carrots or yogurt), served with bread and olive oil as a starter at almost any meal. Shorba Frik: lamb soup Coucha: shoulder of lamb cooked with turmeric and cayenne pepper Khobz Tabouna (pronounce Khobz Taboona): traditional oven baked bread Brik (pronounce Breek): very crispy thin pastry with a whole egg (Brik à l'œuf), parsley and onions and sometimes meat like minced lamb or tuna (Brik au thon). Very tasty as an inexpensive starter. Eat it very carefully with your fingers. Berber Lamb: Lamb cooked with potatoes, car…

Drink

Being a progressive Muslim-majority country, alcohol availability is restricted (but not greatly) to certain licensed (and invariably more expensive) restaurants, resort areas and Magasin Général shops. Large department stores (Carrefour at Marsa/Carthage and Hammamet) and some supermarkets (e.g. Monoprix) sell beer and wine, and some local and imported hard liquors, except during Muslim holidays. Female travelers should be aware that, outside resort and areas of significant tourist concentration, they may find themselves with a beer in a smoky bar full of men drinking in a rather dedicated fashion. Some bars will refuse to admit women, others may ask for a passport to check nationality. Look around a bar before you decide to imbibe!