Turkey or Tunisia
Turkey has been a firm favorite among popular travel destinations for decades. Picturesque landscapes with a variety of natural landscapes, luxurious coasts and a high level of service โ all this corresponds to the ideas of vacationers about a serene and exciting journey. The North African state of Tunisia lures tourists into its arms with amazing snow-white beaches, the clearest emerald waters of the Mediterranean Sea, green oases in the middle of the endless Sahara desert and centuries-old history with Arabic flavor.
The best time to relax
Well-appointed modern resorts in Turkey cordially welcome their guests from early spring to late autumn. The Mediterranean coast of the fertile Turkish region, popular among tourists, is characterized by not exhausting spring, hot summer and velvety autumn. In the spring months, the resorts are literally buried in a riot of colors of flowering trees and shrubs. Sultry temperatures begin to prevail from June to August โ the air warms up above +35 degrees. In autumn, comfortable weather reigns without heat and stuffiness.
The largest influx of holidaymakers in Turkish resorts is observed in June and September. The climatic conditions at this time of the year create ideal conditions for a holiday in Turkey. Tourists can combine a measured beach holiday with exciting excursions among picturesque natural landscapes. The water in the Mediterranean Sea warms up above +20 degrees. The sun's rays delight with their gentle and not burning warmth.
The peak tourist season in Tunisia begins in May and continues until the end of October. Cool by African standards, rainy winters give way to warm springs, hot summers and velvety autumns. At the height of the season, the temperature in the air and in the Mediterranean Sea exceeds + 25 ยฐ C, which allows you to get great pleasure from your vacation.
The middle of summer in Tunisia is marked by excessively hot and dry days of the year. The air temperature is stable at +35 degrees. Due to the scorching sun, tourists are advised to refrain from going on an excursion trip to distant sandy deserts and devote hours of rest to spending time on the beach. At the beginning of autumn, favorable weather conditions reign for traveling around the Arab country. The summer heat subsides. Warm days in tandem with the sea breeze allow you to most comfortably stay on sandy beaches and get acquainted with the Arab culture of Tunisia.
Flight and distance
Traveling to Turkey from Russia by plane is the only fast and reliable way to arrive in the country. Regular flights are carried out by a considerable number of both domestic and international companies. It should not cause difficulties for tourists with the choice of flights to major Turkish cities such as Istanbul, Antalya, Dalaman, Bodrum, Izmir. The duration of the flight from Moscow to the popular resort region of Antalya takes about three hours.
And this despite the fact that the distance between cities is about 2,000 kilometers. Vacationers with modest financial resources can take flights with transfers, but in this case they will have to travel for six hours or more. The cost of an air ticket to Turkey in all directions starts from 7,500 rubles.
For tourists traveling to Tunisia during the holiday season, there are many transit flights. Interesting options for travelers are offered by international airlines operating flights through Rome, Paris and Istanbul. Taking into account transfers, travel time can reach more than six hours. The ticket price starts from 11,400 rubles. The distance between Moscow and the resorts of Tunisia is approximately 3,100 kilometers.
Popular resorts
Resorts in Turkey are famous for their bewitching natural landscapes, amazing sandy and pebble beaches. Numerous hotel complexes provide their customers with a decent level of service. The coasts of popular tourist cities are washed by the Mediterranean, Aegean, Black and Marmara seas. Turkey attracts the attention of its guests with a variety of places that are family-oriented, youth-oriented or a solitary type of recreation.
Such resorts as Antalya, Belek, Side, Kemer, Marmaris, Bodrum and Fethtie are very popular. In these well-maintained cities with developed infrastructure, the necessary conditions have been created for obtaining unforgettable impressions from a comfortable vacation. This is facilitated by picturesque bays, majestic mountain ranges, well-groomed streets, an abundance of flora, a developed hotel base and a lot of entertainment for every taste.
See prices for tours to Turkey
The following Tunisian resorts have gained fame among numerous tourists: Hammamet, Monastir, Sousse and the island of Djerba. These places delight tourists due to the ancient Arab architecture, original cultural traditions, magnificent white sandy beaches of the Mediterranean and a developed hotel base.
Basically, the resorts of Tunisia are focused on a combination of a measured and calm beach holiday with visits to historical sites, daring restaurants, bars and numerous amusement parks.
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Entertainment
An integral part of the holiday in Turkey is the abundance of entertainment for families with children, extreme sports, young companies, couples in love and lovers of a relaxing pastime. At the resorts of the country, you can soak up the sun on snow-white beaches, frolic in the gentle sea or in the pool, go in for water sports, as well as get enough of the beauties of picturesque parks and penetrate the secrets of the underwater world.
A visit to water parks, a dolphinarium, an oceanarium and theme parks with attractions will not leave anyone indifferent. The list of traditional Turkish entertainments will be supplemented by a trip through the mountains, gorges and forest areas, a hot air balloon flight over the rocks, as well as a visit to historical monuments of architecture. Numerous nightclubs with show programs, colorful restaurants, shopping malls and museums are of interest.
Staying in one of the popular resorts of Tunisia, every tourist will find something for himself and his soul. Vacationers are offered a lot of well-groomed beaches, along which hotel complexes with their landscaped areas are built.
There are many different entertainments in Tunisia โ parachuting, water skiing, scooters and camels, yacht cruises, playing on sports fields, as well as visiting water parks, safari parks, bars and thalassotherapy centers. History lovers can go to contemplate the ancient ruins, ancient fortresses, amphitheaters, triumphal arches, mosques and sand dunes of the Sahara desert.
Excursions
A rich excursion program will fill the kaleidoscope of impressions with vivid memories from your vacation in Turkey. Professional guides invite you to take exciting walks through the cult, historical and iconic places of the country. The inexhaustible wealth of amazing natural attractions is amazing. Tourists can go to contemplate the bewitching landscapes of the surroundings of Alanya, Antalya, Istanbul, Kemer and Side.
Hiking trails run through alpine lakes, picturesque canyons, valleys with cascades of waterfalls, forest reserves and cave formations. The guides will acquaint you with historical information about the resorts of Turkey, many of which have long been attractive to ancient conquerors and sea pirates. The cities have preserved ancient architectural monuments, original ancient quarters and mysterious archaeological treasures.
There is something to see during sightseeing trips in Tunisia. Tourists will get acquainted with the history, modernity and culture of traditional Arab settlements. It can be an entertaining sightseeing walk through the narrow streets, a sea cruise along the picturesque bays or a jeep safari. On expeditions, travelers will see oriental houses with snow-white facades and painted arches, fortifications, beautiful mosques, colorful markets and the vast expanses of the greatest Sahara desert.
A special highlight of excursion tours in Tunisia is a visit to the unique ruins of ancient Carthage. Here you can personally imagine the power of the former Phoenician state. The ancient Colosseum and the amphitheater of the city of El Jem make a strong impression. The guide will show the tourists the surviving premises and stands of the gladiatorial arena.
Hotels
The quality of rest in Turkey depends on the choice of the hotel complex, which will delight tourists with a high level of service, comfortable rooms and a landscaped area. Most of the hotels in the popular resorts of Turkey have their own landscaped green area with a swimming pool, beach, playgrounds and places for various entertainments. Vacationers should pay attention to the following hotels that correspond to the international level of service:
- Sherwood Dreams Resort
- Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Cesme
- Rixos Premium Bodrum
- Gloria Golf Resort
- Limak Arcadia Golf Resort
Tunisia offers its guests both budget hotels and luxury complexes. Many hotels are focused only on family guests or on youth holidays. Basically, hotels in Tunisia have their own territory, lined with numerous exotic vegetation. Vacationers are provided with comfortable apartments, sports grounds, swimming pools, bars, SPA-salons and other services for a pleasant leisure. Tourists are advised to give preference to such hotels:
- Concorde Hotel Les berges du Lac
- The Mouradi Hammamet
- Carthage Thalasso Resort
- Mvenpick Hotel Gammarth Tunis
- Regency Tunis Hotel
Service
Along with the picturesque nature and the azure sea, the invariable advantage of Turkey is a high level of service, which is provided to vacationers at affordable prices. Resorts are famous for their developed infrastructure. Hotels have vast areas with their own beaches and perfectly trimmed lawns. Guests are provided with the necessary range of services. Well-groomed beach areas are equipped with sunbeds, umbrellas and changing rooms. Cleaning in hotel rooms is carried out regularly and during the absence of residents.
At the disposal of tourists in the resorts of Turkey there are sports grounds, a hammam, peeling, massage parlors, lounge bars, restaurants and water parks. Animators lure people to show programs and night discos that will satisfy the highest demands of outdoor enthusiasts. Tourists will be pleased with the varied menu of the food program and polite staff.
Despite the growing popularity of Tunisian resorts every year, the infrastructure of the Arab state needs to be updated. Many hotel complexes, reminiscent of fabulous oriental palaces, are in need of restoration and often do not correspond to the declared star category. Hence, the level of service sometimes does not meet the expectations of tourists. Often there are complaints from vacationers about rooms that have long required repairs in hotels. The reason for this is faulty plumbing, broken furniture, broken sockets, and so on.
It should be noted that today the situation in Tunisia is gradually improving. New upscale hotels are being actively built. Snow-white clean beaches are equipped with all necessary equipment. Tourists have access to many marine entertainment, cozy drinking establishments and thalassotherapy centers. Seafood lovers will be pleasantly surprised by the abundance of delicious dishes from tuna, octopus, mullet, mackerel and sardines.
Tour prices
Having decided on the resort of Turkey, the choice of hotel and travel time, tourists using an online aggregator will receive the most advantageous offers from tour operators. The table shows the cost of living for one tourist in a double hotel room in rubles, including All Inclusive meals.
Tourists can buy a ticket to Tunisia in advance without leaving their homes. It is enough to use a service that sorts and analyzes current tours, taking into account the preferences of the client. The results of the estimated prices in rubles per tour per tourist, taking into account the All-Inclusive meals and departure from Moscow, are presented in the table:
All inclusive or breakfast
The vast majority of hotel complexes in Turkey and Tunisia specialize in the All Inclusive system. This most sought-after type of vacation allows tourists not to burden themselves with worries about daily food expenses. Admirers of active travel, who are not limited to relaxing on the territory of the hotel complex, pay only for breakfast, neglecting the advantages of the Turkish and Tunisian options โ โAll Inclusiveโ.
It implies the provision of a certain range of services to tourists, which is included in the price of the ticket. Often, the following services are offered to hotel guests:
Beaches
The beaches of Turkey attract vacationers with their pristine picturesque beauty, eco-friendly cleanliness and turquoise bays of warm seas. Golden, snow-white, small-pebble coasts with palm groves and exotic plantations are framed by green hills and majestic rocks. Quite a few coastlines have shallow water, which is an expanse for swimming children. Beach equipment, bar establishments and water activities are at the service of vacationers. The following beaches in Turkey deserve attention:
| Oludeniz Lagoon, Fethiye | Calm harbor with fine sand surrounded by high mountain ranges |
| Cleopatra Beach, Alanya | The wide coast stretched for two kilometers. Gentle entrance to the sea |
| Patara | Many kilometers of reserved golden sands. Unity with nature away from civilization |
| Coat | The uncrowded place is washed by the turquoise sea and sandwiched between the gorges of the rocks. |
| Iztuzu | The sandy strip surrounded by green mountains is located between the Mediterranean Sea and the freshwater delta of the Dalyan River. Place favored by turtles |
The snow-white beaches of Tunisia are the pride of the resorts of the North African Republic. The combination of white fine sand with lush vegetation of southern trees and the azure Mediterranean Sea makes a good impression on tourists.
Well-maintained beaches are equipped with sunbeds, umbrellas and changing rooms. Basically, hotels, entertainment complexes and all kinds of drinking establishments are located near the coastline of the resorts of Tunisia. All this guarantees an upscale holiday on such Tunisian beaches as:
| Yasmina, Hammamet | Reference cleanliness of the coast, gentle entry into the sea |
| Port El Kantaoui, Sousse | The clear emerald sea will please diving enthusiasts. Here reigns unity with nature. |
| Skanes, Monastrir | The six-kilometer long coast abounds with water activities |
| Djerba Island | The widest and quietest beaches in Tunisia. The sand has a hint of vanilla |
Vacation with children
Turkey is one of the leading tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, which is strongly associated with a comfortable family vacation. This is facilitated by a tireless flight, a developed hotel base with appropriate infrastructure, luxurious beaches with shallow waters and a variety of entertainment.
A serene, relaxing holiday with children can be spent in the resorts of the Mediterranean coast. Such cities as Kemer, Alanya, Belek and Antalya kindly receive their guests. These popular resorts are famous for their numerous places where you can have fun with children.
Picturesque natural reserves, amusement parks, water parks, dolphinariums, playgrounds will become a real expanse for a fun pastime for the whole family. The hotel complexes host various show programs with animators and children's performances.
The service of Turkish hotels with the All Inclusive option will provide parents with everything they need. Water activities on the beaches will not let children get bored: diving, windsurfing, banana riding, sailing on a pirate schooner and other carefree joys of relaxation.
Tunisia attracts the attention of tourists with children with its magnificent coastline, calm sea, entertaining excursions and active entertainment. The resorts of Hammamet, Monastery and Sousse will satisfy the needs and preferences of family travelers. Modern amusement parks, water parks, zoos, luxurious botanical gardens with walking alleys are concentrated in the towns. Genuine delight in children is a jeep ride through the Sahara desert, where you can see the preserved scenery of the cult film โStar Warsโ.
The African state will delight family tourists with a considerable number of hotels focused on relaxation for very young kids and older children. Green areas, swimming pools, playgrounds await guests. Animators organize funny children's programs. The cleanest beaches have a gentle entrance to the shallow waters of the bay of the warm Mediterranean Sea.
shopping
Many tourists plan to enjoy not only a great holiday with excellent service in Turkey, but also shopping. The resort region is famous for its oriental bazaars and modern shopping centers. Their pavilions are filled with quality goods from well-known world and Turkish manufacturers.
Here you can buy at very reasonable prices leather, fur, cotton, bamboo and knitwear, as well as jewelry, cosmetics, appliances, souvenirs and other things. Shops, markets, boutiques and shopping complexes in Turkey are concentrated in popular resort towns, where vacationers mainly go.
These are Antalya, Istanbul, Kemer, Side and Marmaris. Shoppers are impressed by the wide range of clothing, textiles and original pottery.
Good quality t-shirts and shoes range from $5 to $20. Women's and men's bags of different styles will cost $160. The average cost of a leather jacket in the Turkish market is $120.
Guests of Tunisia can appreciate a considerable number of local colorful Arab bazaars and modern shopping centers. Here, every tourist will find for themselves some valuable and unique little thing that will remind you of an amazing journey to this North African republic. Basically, a wide range of locally produced goods is presented. These are sweets, spices, fabrics, dishes, jewelry, clothes, incense, gold jewelry and much more.
The Tunisian city of Sousse is famous for its shoe stores, shops with carpets, scarves, bags and cosmetics. The choice of high-quality leather goods is quite diverse, starting at $ 20. These are bags, wallets, belts and garments. The abundance of ceramic products (from $3 and more) with characteristic Arabic painted patterns will not leave anyone indifferent. Massage oils and creams start at $5.
Conclusion
The choice of the country where to spend a comfortable and pleasant vacation remains with the travelers themselves. Turkey is a consistently popular region with excellent tourist infrastructure. Service in Tunisia will be controversial for some travelers, however, there are also worthy options for an acceptable pastime.
Each tourist in each of these two eastern countries will find for himself rest and activities to his liking. It can be just lying on the beaches, swimming in the emerald sea, enjoying natural beauties, as well as visiting historical sights, entertainment centers and entertainment venues.