THE falcon's timing was mercifully impeccable.

For, barely ten seconds after it had been removed from my scalp, a stream of bird droppings spattered onto the cobbled street of Sidi Bou Said, a picturesque coastal village in the outskirts of Tunis famed for its gleaming white buildings stacked up the steep cliff side.

I was not happy that this bird had been placed, despite my protestations, on my head, and was fuming when the animated keeper then wanted me to pay for the privilege. But by that point I had become attuned to the in-your-face nature of Tunisian tourist traps.

You cannot begrudge them trying to earn a living, but the intense and invasive nature of the stallkeepers if you so much as glance at any of their wares is not to my taste, although more seasoned travellers could well find it exhilarating.

My four-day stay saw me get a glimpse of the real Tunisia, as well as the tourist side prevalent in the capital city Tunis, which sits on the Mediterranean coast only a two-and-half-hour flight from Heathrow (travelled to by East Coast rail).

The 15-minute drive from the airport to the hotel took us past vast expanses of rubble-laden land ripe for development.

Majestic white buildings reminiscent of Disney castles rise from the dusty plains, but for every one that is finished and in use, another stands abandoned, half complete.

I would like to say come back in ten years and it will all be finished, but suspect a visitor a decade ago would have said and seen much the same.

One of these completed protrusions is the Regency Hotel, a five-star pink palace with more than 200 rooms, three pools and its own secure section of beach complete with camels for riding and grass roofed gazebos for relaxing. It is a paradise away from the bustle of real Tunisia.

The Medina, a fortified maze in the centre of Tunis comprised of stalls, houses and cafes, is well worth a visit, the sellers voracious in their efforts to get you to spend.

The shops selling a vast array of Tunisian artefacts spill out on to the narrow cobbled streets and are a haven for lovers of cheap branded goods (some, questionable counterfeits).

The Rue de la Goulette arches its way out of the city centre across the Mediterranean bay to the ruins of Carthage, the carriageway only a few feet above the rippling water.

On the opposite shore of what has been called The Lake by locals, cubist constructions squat, their blocky visage and small shuttered windows making them appear as they have been squashed by the vast blue sky.

It was an impressive road, but do be warned, Tunisians are crazy when it comes to driving.

At best it is carefree chaos, at worst downright dangerous.

Tunis is littered with thousands of taxis, a distinctive shade of yellow that are cheap and should get you to where you in one, albeit fraught, piece.

History is big business in Tunisia, and one of the must-visit destinations for lovers of the past is the Bardo Museum in the centre of Tunis. With 3,000 years of history and more than 5,000sqm of mosaics, both Roman and Byzantine, the museum is mesmerising.

Highlights include the only original mosaic depiction of the great Roman writer Virgil (described by our guide as Tunisia’s Mona Lisa), and several pieces salvaged from the sea after a ship carrying artefacts from the 1st century was wrecked off the Tunisian coast in 1907.

The ruins of Carthage, an ancient city destroyed by the Vandals and now a desirable district of Tunis, are fascinating and haunting in equal measure, while what is left of Utica, once one of the key cities in North Africa, can be found half an hour out of the capital.

For art lovers there is La Marsa, a trendy district of Tunis full of galleries and artists expressing the freedom that came about from the revolution in 2011.

The city is also becoming a host for international performers.

During my stay, I witnessed a Japanese drummer and French tap dancer performing together in a church, while new, swanky restaurants are popping up around the area.

Bizerte is a one-hour drive along the coast from Tunis, and it is a town that is vying to become a major tourist destination. Work is ongoing on a new marina and spectacular hotel, while the town’s market is a must visit for any tourist interested in the real Tunisia. Be warned though, it is pretty intense.

Ultimately, the falcon on my head makes a neat metaphor for my Tunisian travels. A tad unnerving, potentially unpleasant, but an experience I would have been sorry to have missed.

Travel facts

  • Return flights to Tunis: Tunisair operates seven flights a week from London Heathrow. Prices start from £169, including taxes. For reservations, call 020-7734-7644 or visit tunisair.com Trains from the North-East: East Coast runs regular services to London King’s Cross. For details, visit eastcoast.co.uk
  • Accommodation: rooms at the five star Regency Tunis Hotel, in Carthage, start from £129 per night, based on two people sharing a double room, B&B. For more information or to book, seregencytunis.com
  • Information: for all travel needs and for more details on what’s happening in Tunisia, visit cometotunisia.co.uk