The City of Bizerte (French) is unlike any other city in Tunisia. It is the oldest city in the country, and the least Tunisian. That is, it is more like a European city. Its wide roads and green hills recall Italy or Spain. On entering the port, you find the beautiful Kasbah that protected the old city from invaders. The Port of Bizerte's historic center is ancient yet alive with a busy port, fishermen, cafes, shops, and the main market. There are a few sights that visitors will want to check out.
Just outside the historic district of the medina is Fort Espanola which was, ironically, built mostly by Algerians. The theater lies on the steps to the fort. The theater is home to the popular Bizerte Festival that attracts artists from all over the Arabic music world. Within the old fort are a couple of guns protecting the entrance to the smaller fort, where visitors enjoy wonderful views of the sea and the city. The Medina, part of the old city protected by walls, is a maze of tiny winding streets and home to the Port of Bizerte's oldest mosque.
About 30 kilometers southwest of the Port of Bizerte is Ichkeul National Park and Ichkeul Lake. This freshwater lake and marshland is the last in a chain that used to cross North Africa and an important area for many migrating birds that stop there each year. Unfortunately, dams are threatening the freshwater ecology of the lake, and the government has taken some steps to reduce increasing salinity in the lake.
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