Must-see marvels

It's unclear who pioneered the idea of underground dwellings, but the native Berbers seem to have had the same idea. They chose to burrow underground to escape the stultifying desert heat in the southern town of Matmata. Exploring these odd troglodyte settlements makes a fantastic diversion for curious minds. The houses are carved into the walls of deep circular pits that act as courtyards, with doors and windows facing into the pit and stairs leading to ground level. You can feel the temperature drop as you descend into these dwellings and it's possible to spend the night in one too at the Hotel Sidi Driss. As well as offering a quirky place to stay, the hotel is popular with Star Wars fans as it was used as the set of Luke Skywalker's home on the fictional planet of Tatooine. In fact, Star Wars director George Lucas borrowed the name from the Tataouine district, located further south, which boasts yet more amazing Berber buildings.

Known as ksour, these fortified Berber granaries are built into high ground and some of the best can be found at Ksar Ouled Soltane, which was featured in some scenes of Star Wars as the slave quarters where Anakin Skywalker grew up. To see both ruined granaries and troglodyte houses, head to Douiret in the same region, where the now-tumbling structures are built into the mountainside overlooking a rugged and rocky desert landscape.

Aside from Berber architecture, Tunisia boasts a wealth of beautiful Arabesque structures including Moorish fortresses and medieval medinas. One special sight that often gets missed on tours of Tunisia is the handsome and labyrinthine medina in Tunis, which UNESCO deemed fit for its World Heritage list. Stroll along the little lanes and discover palaces, mosques and monuments built by Berber dynasties from the 12th century onwards. In fact, the oldest mosque in the vicinity – the Mosque of Olives – is thought to date back to the 7th century.

Scenic stopovers

In central Tunisia, rugged canyons criss-cross rocky desert tracts that give way to the rolling dunes of the Sahara. Boarding the vintage Red Lizard train from Metlaoui for the scenic one-and-a-half-hour round trip makes for a wonderful sightseeing tour, winding through the red and pink canyons of central Tunisia's Atlas Mountains to the green oasis of Redeyef. Running along old mining tracks, the train dates back to 1910 when it was used to serve phosphate mines.

Further south, travellers can discover a clutch of surprising desert oases that are much more than a mirage. Described as the ultimate palm oasis, the town of Douz is dotted with more than half a million palm trees and is a great starting point for safaris into the desert, whether on foot, by camel or in a 4x4. It was once an important stop-off for trade caravans crossing the Sahara and you can learn about the area's history at the local Museum of the Sahara. If you are planning to travel late in the year, try to coincide your trip with the exciting 4-day International Festival of the Sahara.

But there is a greener side to Tunisia too, especially in the north-western corner of the country, which has its own special microclimate. Known as ‘green Tunisia', the verdant landscapes around Tabarka and Ain Draham are perfect for nature lovers with plenty of hiking paths criss-crossing rolling cork tree-carpeted hills. The coastal town of Tabarka also has the added attraction of a wide golden beach and Genoese fortress that's ripe for exploration.