Cap Bon Peninsula

Cap Bon (Arabic: كاب بون) is a peninsula in far northeastern Tunisia. It is located at around 36°42′0″N, 10°43′60″E. It is surrounded by Gulf of Tunis in the north. Towns located on the peninsula include Nabeul and Kelibia. Ruins of Punic town Kerkouane are located here.

The Cap Bon peninsula, 70km/44mi long and up to 40km/25mi wide, occupies the extreme northeastern tip of Tunisia, extending into the Mediterranean like a finger and separating the Gulf of Tunis to the north from the Gulf of Hammamet to the south. The cliffs at the end of the peninsula fall steeply down to the Sicilian Channel, which at this point is only 140km/87mi wide. With its variety of scenery, this "garden of Tunisia", as it is called, is one of the most attractive areas in the country.

This peninsula stretches out into the Mediterranean to the northeast of Tunis. Geologists speculate that a long time ago it probably was a land link to Europe stretching all the way to Sicily that sank beneath the sea some 30,000 years ago. This area, particularly the southeastern beaches around Hammamet and Nabeul, is a primary destination for tourists.

The location of Hammamet is a popular destination for tourists with it's nice position at the northern end of the Gulf of Hammamet. The old medina overlooks a great expanse of sandy beach and is another local draw. It's also a lively town, brimming with discos, restaurants and colorful shops.

The biggest difference between Hammamet and its neighbor, Nabeul, is that the latter also has a range of budget accommodation, including the best organized camping area in the country. Be sure to visit Nabeulon Friday for the lively market that is one of the best Tunisia.

There is a full program of events throughout the year on the Cap Bon peninsula. Among the most important are the following: March/April: Orange Festival at Menzel Bou Zelfa; April/May: Spring Festival in Nabeul; June: Sparrow-Hawk Festival at El Haouaria; May/June: Matanza (tunny-killing) at Sidi Daoud (only with special permission); June: Musical and Folk Festival in Nabeul; July: Agricultural Show at Menzel Temime; July/August: International Cultural Festival in Hammamet; August: Amateur Film Festival at Kelibia (alternate years); August: Drama Festival at Korba (alternate years); September; Festival at Grombalia and Bou Arkoub. Numerous events in Nabeul and Hammamet during the main holiday season.

Geologically the Cap Bon peninsula is an outlier of the Atlas Mountains which traverse the whole of the Maghreb. The Dorsale, the southern border of the range, extends northeastward to the base of the peninsula but is separated from it by a depression. The backbone of the peninsula is Djebel Sidi Abd er Rahmane, a ridge of hills rising to a height of up to 600m/2,000ft and ending in Djebel Sidi Abiod (393m/1,289ft), which falls steeply down to the Mediterranean.