Asmara

Eritrea’s highland capital, whose Italian colonial-era modernist cityscape is a World Heritage Site as a whole — the Fiat Tagliero service station, Cinema Impero and café-lined streets feel frozen in time.

Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, sits on a plateau at about 2,350 m, with a cool, dry climate. In the 1930s the Italian colonial authorities built on a grand scale here, leaving behind a wealth of Futurist, Art Deco and Rationalist architecture; in 2017 the city was inscribed in its entirety on the World Heritage List as “Asmara: A Modernist African City”. Exploring is best done on foot: along Harnet Avenue you’ll find Cinema Impero, the Catholic Cathedral and old cafés; to the east lie the Great Mosque, Enda Mariam Orthodox Cathedral and the Medeber recycling market, where artisans work; to the southwest stands the iconic Fiat Tagliero service station. Outside the city you can charter a steam train on the century-old mountain railway, or visit Debre Bizen Monastery and the Filfil green belt. The best season is Oct–Apr, with daytime temperatures of about 20–25°C and cool mornings and evenings; Jun–Sep is the light rainy season. Practicalities: Eritrean visas must be applied for in advance, travel outside Asmara requires a permit from the Ministry of Tourism, and photographing government and military installations is forbidden; internet access and currency exchange are limited, so bring plenty of cash in US dollars or euros. Getting there: international flights connect via Cairo, Istanbul, Dubai and other hubs. Recommended stay: 3–4 days.

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