I envie escapade I wishlist getaway I رغباتنا مغامرة
Along the Coral Coast , where the red Tabarka lies
Red by the color of its needles and its tiled roofs , but red above all by the color of its gloriously high-quality coral , known since antiquity and which brought the town prosperity and periods of decline .
Granted to the people of Genoa in the fifteenth century by the Hafsid sovereign , the Ottoman regent canceled this privilege in the eighteenth century . This coral , which provides many fishermen and craftsmen a livelihood , has been so heavily harvested that fishing was banned in 2001 . The ban was lifted in 2021 , but it is now subject to very strict regulations . But that doesn ’ t mean you can ’ t go and admire it on site , diving in turquoise water with its rich flora and fauna . Qualified instructors are on hand to help the less adventurous discover the depths , caves , and wrecks . Scuba diving is a popular and supervised activity in Tabarka , particularly along the rocky coast . This coastline is home to the famous Tabarka Needles , a series of rocks sculpted by erosion and reaching up to 25 m . At night , they make for an enchanting walk . Visitors can also discover the impressive 16th-century Genoese fort built on a small island now attached to the mainland . It houses the Tabarka lighthouse . If you choose to stroll through the streets of Tabarka , you can spot some old villas dating back to colonization , even if , as elsewhere , the modern town is gaining ground . On the hill , on the site of an ancient Roman cistern , is the basilica , a former church built by the French in 1891 before being desecrated in 1964 . It now houses a museum and in August hosts the famous Tabarka Jazz Festival , which had its moment of glory when it was created in 1973 with the famous slogan ‘ Je ne veux pas bronzer idiot ’ ( I don ’ t want to get a stupid tan ), which made this small fishing port known worldwide . Of course , Tabarka is still a fishing port , even though it has now become a marina for recreational boats . Not only on the quayside but also throughout the town , where countless small restaurants serve lobster , a specialty of the region , shellfish and fish , as well as local produce , as Tabarka backs onto the foothills of the Khroumirie mountains . The green hinterland , with its well-preserved cork oak forest , is a breathtaking change of scenery , and wild boar are hunted here , particularly during administrative drives . In the east side of the town , particularly thanks to the establishment of the Tabarka-Aïn Draham International Airport in 1992 , a new tourist complex called Le Montazah was born . Hotels , golf courses , and thalassotherapy centers are spread out along a fine sandy beach where guests can enjoy the pleasures of the sea . There are also regular boat trips to the island of Galite . The weekly market , which takes place every Friday , is an opportunity to admire the work of the region ’ s artisans , including coral craftsmen . I
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