Tunisia's beautiful beaches and historical treasures attract about 7 million tourists from all over the world each year. Nine international airports and eight passenger ports connects Tunisia to the outside world. The capital city, Tunis, is a two hour flight from Paris and London, and a 50 minutes flight from Rome. Daily flights connect Tunisia to virtually all European, African, Middle Eastern and Arab Gulf destinations. Visitors sunbathe, dive, sail and fish along the vast stretches of glistering, white sandy Mediterranean beaches covering an 800-mile (1300 km) coast. Beach resorts include Tabarka, Hammamet, Sousse, and Djerba. The perched village of Sidi Bou Said offers a unique scenery of domes, arched doors and balconies in blue and white set against a sparkling sea. Punic and Roman archeological sites can be visited in Carthage and other historical areas around the country. They include a second century Roman temple in Dougga, the Phonecian port of Utica, Sbeitla Roman temples and arches, Bulla Regia's Roman villas and El Jem Coliseum, which is second only to Rome's. Masterpieces of Arab-Islamic architecture attract the attention of visitors. Among them are the Great Mosque of Kairouan, and the Great Mosque of Zitouna at the center of the old Medina of Tunis. The vast Tunisian south with its lush oases and sweeping Saharan landscapes is increasingly becoming a favored shooting location for international film production. Recently shot films include “Star Wars” and “The English Patient”. In the coming days, Jean Jacques Annaud's “Black Thirst” is to be shot in Matmata, and is expected to feature Antonio Banderas and Mark Strong. In the South-East of the country lies the island of Djerba which has grown into a major tourist destination enjoying an international renown.
