DAR SAÏD, SIDI BOU SAÏD, TUNISIA

Breathe in the cool morning air as you wander around any of the Dar Saïd’s four traditional courtyards and you’ll catch the entrancing aroma of jasmine and bougainvillea. You’ll hear the sound of water tinkling gently in the fountains and be delighted by the white flagstones and walls decorated with ornate tiled mosaics and blue doors and windows. Above you wave the century-old cypresses, adding shade to a scene of utter tranquillity.

Beyond the white walls of Dar Saïd you’ll find that the village takes you even further back in time – to 13^th century Tunisia when the area became the site of the mausoleum of a renowned Sufi holy man, who gave his name to the hill and town. For today’s modern visitors, it can feel as if little has changed.