Is Morocco or Tunisia better to visit?

Tunisia is genuinely underrated and I never dismiss it. For a relaxed week of Mediterranean beaches, excellent Roman ruins at Carthage, Dougga and the colossal El Djem amphitheatre, plus a taste of the Sahara, it is wonderful value and very accessible from Europe with short flights. The medinas of Tunis and Kairouan are atmospheric, the food is delicious, and crowds are thinner than Morocco. If your priorities are beach relaxation, classical antiquity and a modest budget, Tunisia is a smart, under-touristed choice.

Morocco, in my honestly biased but experienced view, simply offers more range. Tunisia's geography is gentler and more compressed; Morocco gives you four imperial cities, the dramatic High Atlas with peaks over 4,000 metres, the genuine Erg Chebbi dunes for multi-day desert journeys, the blue town of Chefchaouen, and a long Atlantic coast. The cultural depth of Fes and Marrakech — centuries-old medinas that are living, working cities rather than museum pieces — is something Tunisia, lovely as it is, does not quite match in scale.

On practicalities, Tunisia tends to be cheaper and its resort infrastructure makes it easy to do a hands-off package holiday. Morocco costs a little more and rewards a more active, exploratory style of trip — though with a private driver and riads it can be just as smooth. Both are safe and welcoming; both have warm hospitality and superb cuisine. Tunisia is the easier "switch off on a beach" destination; Morocco is the richer "explore and be amazed" one.

So I steer beach-and-history travellers on a tighter budget, especially repeat North Africa visitors, towards Tunisia. I steer first-timers who want the fullest, most varied and most iconic North African experience — desert, mountains, medieval cities and coast woven together — towards Morocco. If you can only pick one for a first trip, Morocco gives you more to remember; Tunisia is the perfect relaxed second act.