Eritrea
A small East African country on the Red Sea, with the Italian-modernist capital Asmara and the rarely visited Dahlak Archipelago.
Eritrea lies in the Horn of Africa, bordered by the Red Sea to the east and by Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Its terrain runs from the central highlands down to the hot coastal lowlands and the Danakil Depression. The capital, Asmara, is known for its modernist architecture from the Italian colonial period of the 20th century and is a World Heritage site; the port city of Massawa keeps an Ottoman- and Egyptian-style old town, and the Dahlak Archipelago lies offshore. The highlands are cool, the coast is scorching in summer, and winter is better for travel. The main gateway is Asmara International Airport, and visas and travel permits must be arranged in advance.