Capital - Tunis

Holidays and Day Offs: January 1 (New Year), March 20 (Independence day), March 21 (Youth Day), April 9 (the memorial day of martyrs), May 1 (Labor Day), July 25 (Republic Proclamation Day), August 13 (women’s Day), August 15 (the withdrawal of the troops), November 7 (the day of the president Ben Ali’s coming to power).

National characteristics: If you came across orange, olive or lemon, first of all you must ask for permission from the nearer standing guard. At resort places tourists can wear light and free clothes. But in the capital and at old Muslim streets one shouldn’t walk in shorts or in open skirts. At the beach or at the hotel’s swimming pool women can wear topless. During Ramadan tourists are better to refrain from smoking, drinking and food in the city streets. It’s better not to offer Tunisian to smoke, to drink wine or beer, particularly to take strong drinks in a company. At hotels you can freely drink and smoke and a waiter would serve you politely.If you come across a person who prays kneeling just pass him by. Don’t gaze at women in “chadra”s. It’s accepted to greet each other at hotels and shops. At shops with fixed prices one shouldn’t bargain. Be watchful. Crowds are full of pick-pockets. Photos in official buildings are prohibited. Taking pictures or making videos of the Presidential Palace is strictly prohibited. Policemen either wipe off or expose such stills. One should not take photographs of Tunisians without their preliminary permission.

Geographic sketch: A country in North Africa, It borders Livia in the South, Algeria in the West. It’s washed by the Mediterranean in the North and East. The total area of the country is 163610sq/kms. Jarba and Karkana island of Gabes Gulf belong to Tunis as well. Far to the South there are the so-called "Shatt" or "Chott" salty lakes. Some of the lakes are located below the sea level. At the very south there is the Sahara covering about 40% of Tunis’s territory.

Climate: The climate in the greatest part of Tunis is subtropical, Mediterranean. The South of the country is tropical. In summer dry winds blowing from Sahara desert may bring terrible hot. The average temperature is:

 
Population: The total number of population of the country is about 8 933 000 people. Among ethnic groups are Arabs – 98%.
Language: The official language is Arabic, second one is French. It’s spoken almost by all the citizens of the country. Among widely spread languages are also Italian, English and German.

Religion: Sunnites-95% (Islam is state religion), Catholics, Hindus, Protestants.

Currency: Tunis dinar

Currency Exchange: Currency can be exchanged either at hotels or at bank exchange points. Currency rate is usually fixed by the Central Bank of Tunis. It’s recommended to take currency exchange receipt at exchange points in order to exchange dinars when leaving the country. Exchange points as a rule are open from 9.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. and from 15.00 a.m. to 17.00 p.m. American Express, Visa and Thomas Look checks in dollars are available everywhere. Cash machines can be found in all cities and tourist resorts. Visa, American Express, Euro cards and Diners Club cards are most widely used ones.
Customs Rules: The import of 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars, 500 gr. tobacco, 2 Lt strong drinks with less than 25per cent degrees proof, 1 Lt with more than 25 per cent degrees proof is permitted.

Transport: There are several kinds of Taxi. For moving within a single populated area one should take a taxi in yellow color. The price for one km is 300 millm tips up to 500 millims. For going to another city, there are special, the so-called big taxies (they charged according to meter), also special mini-buses with fixed routes, the travel fee should be settled beforehand. A bus with red strip is for long-distance travels, whilst the ones with blue strips go between nearest areas. Travels in Tunis taxi are comparably cheaper.

Bus Connection: With the help of a bus you can practically get to any corner of the country – you should only find out the schedule and the Bus-stop for the route you need.

Rent-a-car: Accessible for anyone aging 21 and who have a driving-license for more than a year at least. Traffic rules hardly differ from the Armenian ones. In cities the allowed speed is 50 km/hour, 70km/hour – in all the roads of Jerba Island 90 km/h – on highways (of course if there are no other road sings). Those who wish to deep into desert must warn the special posts officers about their travel and chosen route (in order to know whom and where exactly to look for if God forbids something happens. The cheapest rent for a car is 75 dinars per day).

Shops: Shops are open from 8.00 a.m. to 16.30 p.m. on week-days, on Saturday-only till 12.30 p.m. Besides there are many shops with plenty of items decent and cheap. You can make yourself happy buying a marvelous carpet with a superfine ornament or more rigorous one in Berbesk style. There is a great variety of ceramics made by masters’ from Nabulya. You can bring exotic baskets, trunks, mats, weaved from palm leaves as souvenirs from your travel.

Torg: National sport or torg, an everlasting tradition during purchasing; up to nowadays it still remains as the most pleasant and the truest means for settling the real price for souvenirs, eastern carpets or even travel on a camel. Play this game with pleasure – it always ends in mutual agreement and smile. Fairs are open from 7.00 a.m. to 13.00 p.m. most famous ones are in Kayhruan (on Mondays), Hamamet (on Thursdays), Magdi & Nabele (on Fridays), Monastir (on Saturdays), Suss (on Sundays).
Settlement: The ranks of hotels are determined by stars (from two to five) but it’s not always an enough criteria for comfort evolution as there are no general standards for hotel services in different countries. At a hotel you will be suggested a dish from European national cuisine, very often it’s smorgasbord. Strong drinks as a rule are suggested for extra-charge. Times for breakfast, dinner and lunch are settled strictly.

Tips: Tips are not obligatory; however there are a means by which you can thank people rendering you some services, beginning from a porter to security guard at parking lots. At cafes and restaurants as a rule tips are already included in the bill. If no, they comprise 10% of the bill. The same account is left for taxi drivers.

Urgent Numbers: Fire service – 198, Police – 197, Ambulance – 190, Inquiry office: Local – 120/121, International - 17.