If you want to enjoy thalassotherapy in a
warm and scenic country, that is not too far away and not exorbitant, I would
recommend delightful Djerba. It is a beautiful small island in the south of
Tunisia, 2 hours from Geneva. Known as the Island of Dreams, it is a good place
for people who are looking for calm and tranquillity. It has a nice beach and
is heaven for thalassotherapy. Most of the residents are equally fluent in
French and Arabic.
After seeing the pictures of my last
vacation out there (a few years ago), my entourage fell in love with Djerba. I
thought... hmmmm... maybe it's also going to please my dear readers.
The dream hotel where I have always stayed,
the Radisson Blu Palace Resort &
Thalasso Djerba, is simply splendid: beautiful architecture, right at the
water’s edge, with a stunning lush garden and an interior patio, friendly staff
and a great quality of service. It is half an hour away from the airport, with
a minibus service to take you to and from the hotel.
This luxury and family-friendly hotel,
with an All-Inclusive option, has a nice white sandy beach only a few steps away.
The Athénée Thalasso & Spa is where you can indulge in pampering
treatments, including cryotherapy, seaweed wraps, massages, passotherapy, etc…
The meals or, I should say, feasts were composed
of dozens of dishes. We didn't know what to choose, there was so much and all the
dishes were really succulent. They often organised an Arabic theme night which
was a good opportunity to taste the famous national dish, couscous, prepared in
hundreds of different ways from sweet to very hot.
During my stay, my routine was to swim
lengths of the beach, I also used to go for long walks along the beach.... and
I ended the afternoon in the 1,100-square-meter outdoor pool, with a bar area
and great music.
Sometimes I went for a horse ride in the
area (you can rent horses on the beach). I had thalasso treatments almost every
day, each time a different one. I was advised by a Tunisian friend to use an
excellent and affordable institute outside because I thought the hotel thalasso
was a bit pricey...
On my last visit I occupied a Deluxe Sea View
Room, a big bedroom of about 42 m2, decorated in warm colours with a gorgeous
and spacious bathroom.
Sometimes I took a ride to the market in
Midoun. A taxi took us for the 7 km trip for a modest amount.... Here the taxi
drives wait for the customers for the return journey and they are very nice, like
all the Tunisians I met. They are kind and warm people; this is the image I
have kept of them. We saw many veiled women, with either traditional costumes
or bright costumes with very pretty colours and patterns.
During my holidays I went on several
excursions to give me an insight into the culture of the island of Djerba. Here
are some places and villages on the island.
Djerba's small capital, Houmt Souk (9.5 km from Midoun) is the main town on the island. It is the
largest city and one of the most beautiful places with an abundance of cafes
and terraces and shops selling rugs, souvenirs and crafts. The Houmt Souq
Harbour is well worth a visit.
Tunisian carpet weaving workshops in Houmt
Souk... here you can watch the skill of the ladies as they weave silk carpets.
Guellala Pottery Museum & Village (28Km de Midoun). A lovely museum housed in a fine example
of Djerba architecture which traces the rich history of pottery making in this
village which dates back to the Roman times.
There are said to be some 450 potters in
this tiny village, the centre for exquisite handmade ceramics. I adored the
visit to one of their workshops.
The El
Ghriba Synagogue (10.9 km from
Midoun) is the oldest one in the world. In the interior of the island amid run
down colonial properties, there survives one of the last Jewish communities in
North Africa, with its Synagogue El Ghriba, Erriadh.
Borj El K'bir Fort (15 km from Midoun) is a fort that was
built for defence purposes during the 15th century. Once we had climbed to the
top of the fort we were rewarded with panoramic views.
Finally, for a bit of a thrill, if you are
fascinated by strange creatures, you can visit the Crocodiles Farm. It is constructed like a traditional village you would
find on the Nile River and it is inhabited by crocodiles that, fully grown can
be as long as 5 - 6 metres! I didn't
visit it because I'm terrified of these creatures.
I hope you enjoyed this suggested holiday
destination.
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