The grand amphitheatre is one of the chief attractions of Dougga; (Below) the Great Mosque in Kairouan Photographs by author

The Romans certainly knew how to build on a spectacular scale. Standing atop the ancient amphitheatre at Dougga, as I surveyed the panoramic view of the green Tunisian countryside, I raised a silent toast to the master builders of yore.

Although large parts of this historic Roman city, situated in the bowl of a hillside, lay in ruins, many portions were remarkably well preserved. Take the Capitol, the Roman temple built in 167AD, which was roofless, but its towering Corinthian columns were intact.

As we walked through the ancient squares admiring the city and the centuries-old olive groves, we got a glimpse of what life in Roman times was like. It seemed decadent with winter and summer baths, brothels with separate entries for the noble and common folk and floors where you could see remnants of rich mosaic patterns.

We’d seen the originals of these mosaics the previous day in the capital Tunis at the Bardo Museum. Exhibited here in the many halls of this palace turned museum were entire mosaic floors that had been transported from excavated sites all over the country. The spectacular mosaics gave us a glimpse of the rich lifestyles of the ancient Phoenicians and Romans. The stories etched on them also show that this tiny North African country was the bread basket of the Roman Empire, supplying it with the necessities like wheat, olives and grapes.

Earlier driving through the beautiful port of Carthage to the Moorish village of Sidi Bou Said, we learnt how important Tunisia — or Carthage as it was then known — was in ancient times. Built by the Phoenician princess Elissa-Dido in 814 BC, Carthage was at one time the richest city in the world.

Till the Romans came, saw and conquered. The Carthagians had a brief moment of glory again during the days of Hannibal. But after that, it seems to have been a free for all, with Vandals, Byzantines, Ottoman Turks and Arabs all invading the country. The most recent imprint is, of course of the French, who left Tunisia in 1956.

Even today, Carthage with its posh villas, bougainvillea-lined avenues, and French colonial buildings overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, where yachts are moored, looks prosperous, living up to its sobriquet — the Monaco of Africa.

But the white and blue village of Sidi Bou Said on the cliffs overlooking the Bay of Tunis, was quainter. We spent a pleasant afternoon walking the cobbled streets, admiring the craft shops, the cafés serving crêpes and the spectacular view of the Bay. I’d one unusual encounter, when an Arab posing with a falcon, suddenly placed the bird on my head. It took me a few dinars to be free of the two!

Today Tunisia is a melting pot of Arab, European, Berber (the original inhabitants of the country), and African influences. Tunis vibrates with youthful energy especially on its main street, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, which is very European in character, until you reach the walled medina. Then suddenly you’re in Alladin’s treasure trove and we couldn’t get enough of the souks, shopping here for ornamental hookahs, tea sets, silver jewellery and all kinds of artefacts.

Over the next eight days, we got to see why Tunisia with a population of just 10 million manages to attract nearly 8 million tourists every year. You can get lost in history as you tour through the lost Roman kingdoms (there are at least 200 ancient sites here). You can do desert safaris in the southern Saharan region. You can also enjoy the sun, sea and sand at places like Hammamet, Sousse and Djerba — the reason why 4 million Europeans descend on Tunisia every year, and go crazy shopping in the souks.

Hammamet was a revela-tion to us on the size and scale that organised seaside tourism can take. Here, on the outskirts of the old city, the Tunisians have built a resort township called Yasmin Hammamet, with over 400 fancy hotels offering fantastic views of the Mediterranean and thalassotherapy treatment (massages using sea water).

Although the sea and sand is beguiling, the sanitised Yasmin Hammamet, with its re-created medina and cultural performances somehow lacked the character and charm of the old Tunisian towns.

It certainly could not match the Arabian night charm of Kairouan, known for its gorgeous carpets, where we spent a delightful day wandering the souks, buying Baklava and inhaling the scent of jasmine. In this city of the Great Mosque (seven visits to the mosque is equivalent to one Haj, the locals believe), we saw the Islamic side of Tunisia.

At Sousse, we got to see a bit of Tunisian culture and folklore when we visited the Kalaa Kebira olive tree festival. This was a merry, noisy fair, with much dancing and singing in celebration of the olive tree, which the Tunisians regard as their green weapon.

Ready reckoner

Getting there: Air India and Emirates operate flights from Calcutta to Tunis, with stopovers at Frankfurt and Dubai respectively. You take a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt.

Staying there: Tunisia has well-appointed hotels and apartments to choose from. Prices range from Rs 1,600 to Rs 5,000 a night.