Roasted Coffee

Asmara


If you haven't had quite enough coffee at Asmara's numerous cafes, pick up a bag of locally roasted beans (nfa300 per kilogram) to take home as a souvenir.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Asmara attractions

1. Bowling Alley

0.14 MILES

A block south of the Municipality Building, the Bowling Alley is one of the few genuine 1950s alleys left in the world. It was probably built for US…

2. Great Mosque

0.15 MILES

At the head of a large open square near the old market is the Great Mosque. Completed in 1938, this grand complex combines rationalist, classical and…

3. Catholic Cathedral

0.22 MILES

Strolling along Harnet Ave you'll be hard-pressed to miss Asmara's most iconic monument, the elaborate, brick-walled Catholic cathedral. Consecrated in…

4. Enda Mariam Orthodox Cathedral

0.29 MILES

The Enda Mariam Orthodox Cathedral, just east of the centre, was built in 1938 and is a curious blend of Italian and Eritrean architecture. Its central…

5. Central Market

0.32 MILES

North of Harnet Ave, the sprawling Central Market is one of Asmara's major attractions. The best time to visit is early on Saturday, when people come in…

6. Ministry of Education

0.36 MILES

Adjacent to the elegant Opera House, the 1930s Italian-era Ministry of Education, with its massive stepped tower, is strikingly austere. Because it's a…

7. Opera House

0.38 MILES

The Opera House, completed around 1920, is one of Asmara's most elegant early–20th-century buildings. It's free to have a look around during the resident…

8. Villa Roma

0.42 MILES

Opposite the Africa Pension Hotel, the gleaming Villa Roma is reminiscent of a Roman villa with its marble staircases, louvred shutters, curving…