Sousse

General information about Sousse

Sousse is located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, located 140 km south of Tunis (Hammamet on the map of Tunisia) and is considered one of the largest and most popular resort cities in the country, along with Hammametom. The population of the city is about 600 thousand people.

The history of Sousse, like other Tunisian cities, is generally similar. The city was formed by the Phoenicians in the IX century BC under the name Hadrumet and was one of the major centers of the Carthaginian Empire in the VI century BC. Then more than once it passed into the hands of the Romans, who renamed it Hunericopolis, then the Byzantines, who named the city Justinianopolis, then the Arabs, who named the city Susa (VII century). Later he was captured by the Normans in the XII century. and the Spaniards. During the colonization of Tunisia by the French in the XIX century. the city was renamed Sousse. However, even today historical information has been preserved in the form of various buildings (houses, mosques, fortresses), catacombs and exhibits presented in museums, which can be used to judge the ancient and interesting history of the city of Sousse.

Holidays in Sousse, first of all, are suitable for lovers of active pastime. In addition to the gorgeous beaches and the gentle sea, it is known for its vibrant nightlife. Entertainment here is for every taste and budget: noisy discos and nightclubs, a casino, an amusement park and a water park, a golf club, a mini zoo. Among the water activities: jet skis, yachting, diving, windsurfing, bananas, parasailing (parachuting behind the boat) and others. In July-August, an annual Summer Festival is held in Sousse, with songs and carnival processions through the streets. In addition to entertainment, in one of the thalassotherapy centers it is possible to treat the body or nervous system relatively inexpensively and qualitatively by choosing the appropriate program.

The city itself can be divided into 2 parts: the old town with the traditional Arabic Medina and the main attractions and a more modern tourist area 12 km to the north - Port El Kantaoui. It belongs to Sousse and is a self-sufficient resort town with its own infrastructure. Among the sights of the old city, the main place of "pilgrimage" is the Medina of Sousse, which is one of the historical monuments protected by UNESCO since 1988. You should definitely visit the Ribat fortress-Monastery and the Great Mosque, as well as one of the oldest buildings in North Africa - the Kasbah Fort, which houses the Archaeological Museum – the second largest in the number of mosaics, after the Bardo Museum. The traditional house of the Tunisian family "Dar Esid" is amazing and pleasant in atmosphere, and the catacombs with the remains of people from the period of the II-IV centuries evoke opposite feelings. In general, you will not be bored.

Weather, seasons in Sousse

The weather in Sousse is conducive to year-round rest. Due to its location near the coast, the climate is quite mild. However, "beachgoers" should take into account that the favorable period for swimming is the high season (from May to September), the air temperature rises during the day from 23C at the beginning of the season, to 35C in the hottest months (July–August) and up to 26C at the end of the season, in the evenings it drops by 5 degrees. The water warms up to 23-25C this season. In the period from October to April (low season) it is quite cool, on average, about 10-15C, it rains often.

Time in Sousse

Time in Tunis and in Sousse is 2 hours behind Moscow time in summer and winter. The transition to summer and winter time in Tunisia is not carried out.

Sousse hotels where to stay

When choosing a hotel, it is worth considering that in Tunisia the star rating of hotels is not determined by European standards and a 4* hotel in Sousse is equivalent to European 3*. It is possible to find hotels with budget accommodation in Sousse, but there are literally several of them and they are located within the old town. Along the coast to the north there are hotels with more expensive accommodation and direct access to the sea, with their own territory, with swimming pools and various types of entertainment. The beaches, for the most part, in Sousse are municipal and are located across the street from the first-line hotels. There are all kinds of water activities on the beaches (diving, surfing, bananas, boat trips, scooters, etc.) and many cafes.

The most tourist area of Sousse and the place of concentration of most hotels is the Port of El Kantaoui. It is located 12 km north of Sousse and is its resort area. Despite the fact that El Kantaoui was built in 1979, all the necessary tourist infrastructure is very well developed here, and it is considered as an independent resort. The area is small and very compact, beautiful and well-groomed, it's not for nothing that even the local rich people prefer to live and relax here.

You can find and book a hotel in Sousse using the search form below. The search is carried out in the search engine popular in Southeast Asia Agoda.com, Russian and Russian-language support are available:

Comfortable and fashionable hotels are represented mainly by 4* and 5 *, work on an all-inclusive system, with a huge territory, swimming pools, bars, entertainment and animation. Some hotels have thalassotherapy centers (for example: "Hasdrubal Thallassa 4*""Hasdrubal Port El Kantaoui 4*", "El Mouradi Palace" 5*). The beaches are clean with fine sand, clear sea water, entertainment for every taste – in short, a great beach holiday.

The small territory of El Kantaoui accommodates a golf course, an artificial harbor from where you can take a walk on one of the snow-white yachts, ride a jet ski, a children's amusement park Hannibal Park, Aqua Palace water park, a small botanical garden Oasis Park and a zoo, yacht clubs and a diving center. As in all Arab cities, the Medina has also been recreated here, in the center of which is the highlight of El Kantaoui – singing fountains, which are also illuminated at night. Nearby and along the coast there are many nightclubs, open-air discos, restaurants and cafes, there is a casino. In the ice cream palace "Casa del Gelato" you can try many types and varieties of delicious treats. In the town of Hergla, 15 km from the Port of El Kantaoui, there is an amusement park "Hergla Karting Park", with attractions and slides for karting, which will appeal to both adults and children.

From Sousse it is easy to get to El Kantaoui by: special bus, taxi, "tuk-tuk" - scooter with cart (2 dinars, Tunisian currency), tourist train (2.5 dinars) or a horse-drawn carriage.

Useful information about Sousse

Thalassotherapy. Sousse has its own thalassotherapy centers that provide health and rejuvenation services at a high European level, some of the famous ones are located at the Nahrawess Boujaafar 4*, Thalassa Sousse 4*, Hasdrubal Thalassa&SPA Port El Kantaoui 4* and El Mouradi Palace 5* hotels.