Kairouan, Tunisia

Situated in the middle of a huge plain in the Tunisian Sahel, Kairouan is a friendly town with a medina boasting old-fashioned façades, a good-natured atmosphere and two notable buildings: the Great Mosque, one of the oldest in the Maghreb, and the Mausoleum of the Barber, both of which are important Islamic monuments. The "souks quarter" is where you'll find Kairouan's two main specialities: wool carpets with a varied array of designs, and makhrouds (date cakes), which are best enjoyed with a glass of mint tea