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Written by Gillian
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Just South of Kerkouane on the Cap Bon lies the charmingly unspoilt town of Kelibia. The most important feature of this workaday town is the harbour, although it does have some hotels along the small beach.
The unlikely sounding Technical School of Fishery actually trains fishermen from all over Tunisia in the art of commercial fishing here. Take a stroll up to the battlements of the Byzantine Fortress in the late afternoon, pay the nominal entrance fee, and check out the views over the harbour. At the end of the day, flotillas of small fishing boats can be seen heading out of the harbour to ply their trade. As well as traditional fishing with nets, clay pots are placed on the sea bed to trap squid. Once the area was famous for its shellfish called Murex, which had a colourless gland of dye which turned purple when exposed to light. The purple dye was used for colouring Roman togas, and an estimated 12,000 murex shellfish would have been required to dye just one garment! The fortress itself once again is incredibly ancient, having been built in the 6th century, although remains show even earlier buildings once stood here, from the Punic and Roman periods. The fort’s defensive role has been put to the test many times, not least in the 16th century. It was attacked by the Spanish and had to be repaired three times, and continues to undergo restoration work. At sunset the sandstone fort positively glows pink from its red sandstone walls.
From the ramparts, views of the local beaches can be seen, both the local gritty sands and the finer beaches towards Mansourah. These are well worth visiting during the week when they are deserted. Follow the road to the wealthier enclave of Mansourah and at the end of the road, park in front of the orchard. A short walk through the olive and acacia trees will reward you with the beautiful beach. |
