Tunis in five places

Centuries before Samarkand’s stately mosques, mausoleums and madrassas (Islamic schools) were built, a trading hub arose on what became known as the Silk Road. The site of the first ancient settlement

John Tolan Islam A new history from Muhammad to the present 304pp. Princeton University Press. £25 (US $29.95). James McDougall Worlds of Islam A global history 608pp. Allen Lane. £40. Elizabeth Drays

Tunis, Tunisia c.814 BCE - 146 BCE

FROM A CONVERTED BANK WITH A SPA IN ITS VAULT TO A NILE CRUISE THAT ESCHEWS THE CROWDS, THIS IS TRAVEL, ELEGANTLY DONE

From the Carthage National Museum to a sacrificial burial ground, here are five must-visit Punic sites

Fifty years since Tobago — together with its island neighbour, Trinidad — became a republic, it’s embraced independence while grappling with the complexities of its past. Festivals honour local heritage while looking to the future and communities celebrate their roots against a backdrop of steel drums