Things to do in Eritrea
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Roof Garden
The only Indian restaurant in Eritrea, this upmarket joint on the 5th floor of a modernish building is praised for its lip-smacking biriyani and tandoori dishes. Recommended if you feel the time has come to give your tastebuds something new to sing about.
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Cinema Roma
A very inspiring place, with one of Asmara's finest historic interiors. Enjoy a beer or a coffee in the cafeteria in the lobby area.
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Odeon Cinema
Just off Harnet Ave, near the telecommunications building, the quirky Odeon Cinema, with its authentic Art Deco interior, is attractive.
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Sweet Asmara Caffe
This sleek pastry shop is a treasure-trove for the sweet tooth, with a tempting array of diet-busting little treats.
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Qohaito
Historians debate whether or not the ruins of Qohaito were once the inhabited walls of the ancient town of Koloe, a commercially important place during the good times of the great Aksumite kingdom. Even if it wasn't, the city's impressively large remains - covering an area of 2.5km (1.5mi) by 15km (9mi) - are testament to its once-great stature.
Though only about 20% of the ruins have been excavated, it'll still take you half a day to pick your way through the digging's main sights. The four columns and assorted rubble of the Temple of Mariam Wakiro are thought to have begun life intact as an early Christian church and are surrounded by the dusty remains of a half-dozen…
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Dankalia
Dankalia is the name given to the narrow strip of land about 50km (31mi) wide that stretches south of Massawa down to Djibouti (about 600km/372mi), along the coastline. You can't miss it on the map: it looks like a long peninsula protruding from the south of the country. It's a volcanic desert where you'll be struck in awe by otherworldly, lunar landscapes.
It is known as one of the hottest and most inhospitable places on Earth: there's little to see, nothing to do, and no great destination awaiting you at the other end. The journey is hot, tiring and demanding; few travellers come here. But the sense of exploration is real, even on the rickety old bus. If you drive, the…
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St Mariam Cathedral
On the causeway road, you'll see to your right the old Italian municipal buildings. Head south down the tree-lined road, past the Dahlak Hotel. Hotels and villas line the eastern shore. Some of the villas are exceptionally beautiful, combining elements of Art Deco style with traditional Moorish arcades and huge mashrabiyya balconies.
After about 500m you'll find yourself at the Orthodox St Mariam Cathedral , which is at the end of the causeway from the mainland. Opposite the cathedral is the massive monument to the Eritrean Struggle for Independence. Three huge tanks are preserved where they stopped in the final assault on the town in 1990, and now stand on a black marble…
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Imperial Palace
Just north of the gates of the Dahlak Hotel is the Imperial Palace, overlooking the harbour. The palace was badly damaged during the Struggle for Independence. In its present state, it gives a very vivid idea of how all Massawa looked shortly after the war. The original palace was built by the Turkish Osdemir Pasha in the 16th century.
The present building dates from 1872, when it was built for the Swiss adventurer Werner Munzinger. During the federation with Ethiopia, it was used as a winter palace by Emperor Haile Selassie, whose heraldic lions still decorate the gates. It's usually possible to wander around the grounds.
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Sallam Restaurant
It doesn't look like much from the outside and actually looks worse inside but, believe it or not, it is a culinary gem. Here you can relish the Yemeni speciality of fresh fish sprinkled with hot pepper and baked in a tandoori oven. The fish, served with a chapatti flat bread, is served in two sizes: medium and big. It's absolutely superb! Ask also for the mokbusa, the traditional accompaniment made with honey, butter and either dates or bananas.
It's deservedly popular with holidaying Asmarans and gets crowded at weekends. While eating you'll be surrounded by plenty of cats expecting a tidbit.
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Old Railway Station
From the Villa Melotti, take the road on the western side of Taulud and head north, passing by the causeway leading to the mainland. Look out for birds in the mud flats around the causeway. Pelicans are quite common visitors. Continuing north, you'll pass the Old Railway Station, built during the Italian occupation, with its columns and elegant façade.
There is access to the sambuk (dhow) docks just south of the train station, and it's worth taking a look at these beautiful traditional boats. There are always at least a couple around; the boats require a lot of maintenance.
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Sheikh Hanafi Mosque
Continue on from the port entrance until you get to the Piazza degli Incendi (meaning 'Square of the Fire', after it was the scene of a great fire in 1885), in the centre of which is the Sheikh Hanafi Mosque. At over 500 years old, this mosque is one of the oldest surviving structures in the city.
Sheikh Hanafi was a great teacher, who funded his students' studies in Egypt. The walls of the courtyard are decorated with stuccowork and inside hangs a remarkable chandelier from the glassworks of Murano near Venice in Italy.
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Hotel Savoiya
Even if many buildings on Massawa Island are in a very bad shape, they boast a dilapidated charm that is uniquely unforgettable. Start your exploration with a cup of coffee and delve into the maze of little streets. Fear not, you're never lost for long.
As you come over the causeway from Taulud Island, a broad sweep of white, arcaded palazzi (palaces) stretches out before you. On the corner, opposite the transport office, you'll see the Hotel Savoiya with its long gallery.
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Eritrea Diving Center
If you want to learn to dive, you can contact the Eritrea Diving Center on Taulud Island. Ask for the helpful English-speaking Nasreddin Osman, who can organise the usual Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) courses. Open-water courses (US$360) can usually be completed in four days. For those who just want a taste of Eritrea's underwater world, there's a 'Scuba Diving Introduction' for US$50, which runs over a half day.
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Covered Bazaar
To the north of the Campo is the covered market. Behind and to the north of the market lies the Massawa Hotel, bringing you into the main commercial artery of the town. Turn right towards the heart of the old town then take the first left. This area was the old Covered Bazaar. Its ancient roof - in the Turkish style - was beamed like an upturned boat; there are plans to rebuild it.
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Medebar Market
Duck up northeast to soak up the atmosphere of the Medebar Market. No doubt you'll be awestruck the minute you enter this mind-boggling place. It is like an open-air workshop where absolutely everything is recycled: old tyres are made into sandals, corrugated iron is flattened and made into metal buckets, and olive tins from Italy are made into coffeepots and tiny scoopers.
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Beaches Bar & Restaurant
At the back of the prominent, Soviet-style greyish building, this is the only independent restaurant on Taulud Island. What it lacks in style - the dining room is about as cosy as a dentist's waiting room - it makes up for with tasty dishes and a seaside terrace from where you can watch the sambuks. Italian and Eritrean specialities feature equally on the menu.
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Green Island
Green Island is 10 to 20 minutes from Massawa and is the most accessible place for decent snorkelling and tolerable beaches. To be frank, it ain't Bora Bora, but it can make an excellent retreat if you need some hush and a place to rest your sightseeing-abused feet. Dahlak Hotel organises day trips to Green Island (around nfa600 per boat).
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Former Governor's Palace
The best place to start exploring is the Former Governor's Palace, which stands majestically at the western end of Harnet Ave. Built in 1897 by the first Italian governor, it was used by Haile Selassie during the Ethiopian occupation. Unfortunately, it is not currently possible to visit it because it's an official building.
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House of Abu Hamdum
On your right, about 150m from the port entrance, is the House of Abu Hamdum, with its mashrabiyya (trellised) balcony, which allowed cool breezes to enter and the air inside to circulate. It's a remarkable example of Turkish Ottoman architecture, but it is almost crumbling and needs urgent restoration.
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Massawa Island
Possibly the most interesting of the three main neighbourhoods in the city of Massawa, Massawa Island is the site of the port and the old town. It's an astounding blend of Egyptian, Turkish and Italo-Moorish architecture. The buildings are made of coral rock with mashrabeya (wooden screened windows).
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Campo
Passing through the Piazza degli Incendi, notice the small group of coral-block houses with finely detailed façades on your right. Then turn left into the Campo, a huge square lined on all sides by houses with trellised balconies, finely carved wooden doors and shutters of Turkish or Egyptian origin.
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Torino Hotel
Don't come to Massawa to wallow in revelry but if you want to find a dance partner head to this hotel. It has an airy roof terrace as well as a dancing area inside with the obligatory mirror ball. Depending on the day and the clientele, the atmosphere can vary from fun and relaxed to rather seedy.
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Villa Melotti
At the southern tip of the island is the beautiful 1930s Villa Melotti, built by the owners of the Asmara brewery. With its stunning setting on the seafront, gardens and swimming pools, it has the decadent grandeur of a Fellini film set. Unfortunately, it's not possible to go near the building.
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National Museum
Asmara's strong point are its buildings, rather than its museums, but it's also worth popping your head into the National Museum, west of the former Governor's Palace. It contains exhibits on the ethnic groups of Eritrea that give a basic introduction to traditional life in the countryside.
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House of Mammub Mohammed Nahari
As you keep heading towards the port, you'll come across the ancient House of Mammub Mohammed Nahari with soaring Ottoman-style windows on every side. Unfortunately, they are particularly decrepit. Around this area are some large and ornate 18th-century Armenian and Jewish merchant houses.
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