The smallest North African country, Tunisia is located at the northern tip of Africa and over the past few years has focused on promoting itself as a holiday destination.

With high temperatures all year round, it boasts scores of luxurious hotels (a prerequisite for many western travellers nowadays) as well as 700 miles of sandy beaches.

Another reason tourism has flourished is because it's arguably the most liberal country in the Islamic world. Alcohol flows freely in most parts and equal rights have been accorded to women. However, it's not all that liberal. The Tunisian government tightly censors the internet and blocks sites that contain political opposition and filters pornography and gay-related content.

Tunisia has been influenced throughout its history by waves of immigrants . . . primarily Arab, Berber, African, Turkish, and European . . . giving rise to a vibrant and diverse culture. Arabic is the official language, although the use of French is widespread.

Tunisia's coast was settled by Phoenicians in the 10th century. Tunisia was later colonised by the Romans and went on to be invaded by the Vandals, the Arabs, the Ottomans and French. It was occupied by the Germans during the second world war and later liberated by the Allies. At one time or another, most of the world's greatest powers have inhabited the country . . . and all have left their mark.

In the town of El Djem in eastern Tunisia, the influence of the Roman Empire is clear to see. It is home to the third-largest colosseum in the Roman world, which dominates the town and nearby countryside and is a better-preserved amphitheatre than the one in Rome.

The city of Kairouan offers a stark contrast. A Muslim holy city which ranks after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem as a place of pilgrimage, it is home to several mosques.

Every city in Tunisia has a 'great mosque', but the great mosque of Kairouan is the most important of all as it is the oldest Muslim place of prayer in North Africa. Architecturally impressive with buttressed walls, non-Muslims are not allowed inside the prayer hall, but the doors are left open to allow a glimpse of the interior. Visitors to the mosque must be appropriately dressed; robes are provided at the entrance.

Inside the large marble-paved courtyard, the devout, having removed their shoes, perform the ritual washing of feet before entering.

It is inside the mosque that our guide, Moncef Battikh, explains the Islamic way of life. "Acts of violence and terrorism are contradictory to the Muslim way life, " he explains. "The Muslim message is one that only supports peace."

The country's official religion is Islam, although there are also small Jewish communities in Tunis and Djerba as well as Roman Catholics.

The Sahara desert covers most of the south of Tunisia. Steeped in myths and legends, adventurous travellers can embark on desert treks on foot, quad bike or camel and spend the night camping under the stars.

There are also several oases. Palmeraie, with almost half a million palm trees with some bearing fruit, is one of the best-known.

In the city of Monastir, home to the former president Habib Bourguiba, posters of the current president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali adorn the streets. Tunisia has a strong presidential system dominated by a single political party and the president has been in office since 1987, the year he deposed Bourguiba in a bloodless coup. The constitution has twice been changed to allow Ben Ali to remain in power and facing virtually no opposition, the president is elected to fiveyear terms.

The cities of Tunisia are vibrant and all offer a wealth of souks (markets) to haggle over goods. And for those not interested in exploring ancient ruins or trekking through the desert, there are plenty of activities that focus on rest and relaxation.

Thalassotherapy . . . a treatment that uses hot seawater combined with massages, mud or seaweed wraps . . . is extremely popular all over the country. It claims to cure stress, arthritis, rheumatism and promote exercise and slimming. Sailing, scuba diving and windsurfing are also widely available and Tunisia is dotted with golf resorts.

The poverty rate in the country is in decline, from 4.2% in 2004 to 3.8% this year, but is still visible, particularly in the cities.

But worse still is the lack of animal rights, which is impossible to ignore. In the town of El Djem, a camel is strapped to a well in an upstairs premises and forced to walk continuously in a circle with its eyes covered, operating as a living pump as a man lightly whips his hide to keep him moving. Tourists are brought upstairs to see this and take pictures but our group was left unimpressed by this display of cruelty.

Similarly, in the Carthage Land themepark in the town of Yasmine Hammamet, tigers and lions are kept in impossibly small barred enclosures. While Tunisia has come a long way in terms of luxury accommodation and fine dining, it seems it's not quite as westernised as it may think.

But nonetheless, it's a country of extreme contrasts. From the Sahara desert, to golden beaches to bustling cities, it boasts more diversity than most other countries can dream of.

FACTFILE

>> Panorama Holidays has flights to Monastir on Friday and Saturday direct from Dublin and on Saturdays direct from Cork For further information contact Panorama on 0818 20 20 20 or log on to www. panoramaholidays. ie

>> Tunisair has return flights from Heathrow to Tunis from �120. www. tunisair. com. tn

>> Tunisian National Tourist Office, 020 7224 5598, www. cometotunisia. co. uk

>> Capital: Tunis

>> Language: Arabic French

>> Population: 10,074,951

>> Area: 155, 360sq km

>> Currency: Dinar

>> Airports: 30