Tunisia · Christmas 2026
A Christmas Reading Retreat in Tunisia
Christmas in the sun · Five-star all-inclusive · A very different festive escape
Christmas in the sun
A very different kind of Christmas
If you’ve ever wondered what Christmas might feel like without the cold, the crowds and the pressure, this could be the perfect alternative.
This Christmas reading retreat in Tunisia is an invitation to do something a little different: spend the festive season in the warmth, surrounded by fellow book-lovers, with good food, thoughtful excursions and plenty of time to relax, read and reflect.
We’ll be staying at a beautiful five-star, all-inclusive resort on the Tunisian coast, where Christmas becomes something gentler and more spacious: sunny mornings, long lunches, shared conversations and evenings that unfold at an unhurried pace.
I spent Christmas in Tunisia myself last year and found it genuinely warm, welcoming and unexpectedly festive, a place where you can still enjoy the season, just without the winter chill.
The books
Two books for Christmas
Our book club discussions will include A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore, winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction.
We will also discuss The Tremor of Forgery by Patricia Highsmith, which is set in Tunisia, just up the coast.
As with all Books in Places trips, the books are part of the experience rather than a formal literary programme. There will be plenty of opportunity to read, talk about the books and share ideas with fellow book lovers.
The place
Discover Tunisia
The retreat includes a thoughtfully planned programme of excursions offering insight into Tunisia's rich history and culture.
We will visit Kairouan Holy City, explore the ancient El Jem Colosseum and discover the Medina of Sousse.
There will also be plenty of free time for reading, swimming, walking and simply enjoying the sunshine.
A slower Christmas
Christmas without the usual rush
This trip is ideal if you’d like Christmas to feel meaningful but unpressured, social without being busy, festive without being overwhelming.
Five-star all-inclusive accommodation means that meals, drinks and comfort are taken care of, leaving you free to settle into the rhythm of the retreat.
There will be sunny mornings, long lunches, shared conversations and plenty of time to relax with a book, swim, walk or simply enjoy being somewhere warm.
What makes this Christmas special
Books, sunshine and a relaxed festive escape
Christmas in the sunshine
Spend the festive season somewhere warm, welcoming and very different from a traditional British Christmas.
Five-star all-inclusive
Meals, drinks and comfort are all taken care of, leaving you free to relax and enjoy the retreat.
A Spell of Winter
Discuss Helen Dunmore's Women's Prize-winning novel with fellow book lovers.
The Tremor of Forgery
Explore Patricia Highsmith's novel set in Tunisia, just up the coast.
Discover Tunisia
Visit Kairouan Holy City, El Jem Colosseum and Sousse Medina.
Plenty of time to read
Swim, walk, read, relax and enjoy the sunshine without a packed Christmas itinerary.
Travelling alone?
Come on your own. You won't be on your own.
Most Books in Places guests travel alone, but the shared love of books makes it easy to get talking.
You'll have shared meals, book discussions and excursions together, while still having plenty of time to relax and enjoy Christmas in your own way.
Tunisia · Christmas 2026
Make Christmas a little different this year
A five-star all-inclusive Christmas reading retreat in Tunisia, with fellow book lovers, thoughtful excursions, book discussions and plenty of time to relax in the sunshine.
Find out more