ERITREA

Eritrea is one of the Countries to first visit in Africa as it is regarded as the most secretive country in Africa. It wows visitors with its beautiful scenery from the soaring peaks to the quintessential Abyssinian landscapes and plateaus. It has a beautiful and superb array of archeological sites.

For those with a hankering for off-the-beaten-track places, it offers challenges and excitement alike, with a unique blend of natural and cultural highlights. It is an underrated and a small nation situated on the banks of the Red sea in East Africa.

The capital of Eritrea is Asmara, and it is a delightful city with whimsical art deco.

In 1993, Eritrea became an Independent Country after almost 30 years of war for independence between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

It is the world’s first country to have an entire coastline. It has a rich history as the best country with colonial architectural marvels of the globe. Over 400 of its building are built-in magnificent Italian architecture. Some of these include the orthodox cathedral, the cinema capital, and many others. Asmara the capital of Egypt is fondly called the New Rome credited to Benito Mussolini. Its capital city is a testament to the long colonization of Eritrea by the Italians.

Here are some of the beautiful places and experiences you will treasure when you decide to visit Eritrea.

  1. ERITREA’S OPERA HOUSE

The opera house was completed around 1920 and it is one of the most elegant 20th-century buildings. It is free to look around and soak up the atmosphere over a coffee or use the on-site wifi.

  1. BOWLING ALLEY

It is one of the few genuine 1950s alleys left in the world. It is a block south of the municipality building. It is a nearly 70-year-old relic of the 20th century, first used by the United States military. Once you open the door, you will be hit with a beam of light, smell, and sound. The Americans are long gone, but the alley remains.

  1. IMPERIAL PALACE

It was built by the Turkish overlooking the harbor just north of the gates of the Dahlak Hotel. The original iteration was built by Turkish Osdemir Pasha in the 16th century. It was used as a winter palace by Emperor Haile Selassie during the federation with Ethiopia. The palace was badly damaged during Eritrea’s struggle for Independence.

  1. HOUSE OF MAMMUB MOHAMMED NAHARI

The ancient house was built with magnificently soaring ottoman-style windows on every side. Nearby the house are several large and ornate 18th-century Armenian and Jewish houses.

  1. FIAT TAGLIERO BUILDING

It defines most of the Italian-era buildings in Asmara. It is one of the foremost buildings of Italian Asmara. It was designed by Engineer Pettazzi. It was damaged during numerous conflicts during the second half of the twentieth century but restored in 2003.

  1. ADULIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

Adulis was once the primary port of the Aksumite empire. A few of the impressive architectural remnants of the heritage remain. It is a sight in the Northern Red Sea region of Eritrea situated about 300 miles south of Massawa in the Gulf of Zula.

  1. DANKALIA

Is the name of a narrow strip of land about 50km wide that stretches south of Massawa down to Djibouti about 600km along the coastline. It is the most sought-after prime Real Estate in Eritrea. It is situated on international shipping routes near Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

  1. MEDEBAR MARKET

You would be amazed the minute you enter this mind-boggling place. It is an open-air workshop where everything is recycled from plastic, rubber, and wood amongst others repurposed by welders into furniture, household items, etc.

  1. GREEN ISLAND

It is about 10 to 20 minutes from Massawa. It is the most accessible place for decent snorkeling and beaches. It is a needed place to rest your sightseeing feet.

  1. MONDAY MARKET

This weekly market is always interesting to the tourists as the weekly setup along the city’s riverbed is of more interest to tourists for the sights and sounds than for shopping. Things don’t usually get busy until 10 am.

  1. CENTRAL MARKET

The central market is one of Asmara’s major tourist attractions. The best time to visit is early on Saturday. It is one of Asmara’s major filming locations in the capital. When filming, it allows you to shoot how trading is carried out in Eritrea.

  1. NATIONAL MUSEUM

It is also worth popping your head into the National Museum. It is established in 1992 and was located in the former Governor’s Palace until 1997 when it was moved. The Museum promotes Eritrean history. In 1996, the central government nominated six sites Adulis, Dahlak, Kebir, Matara, Nakfa, and Qohaito to be considered as the UNESCO World heritage. UNESCO funded the establishment of the National Museum of Eritrea shifting all artifacts to the new museum.

  1. FORMER GOVERNOR’S PALACE

This is the best place to begin exploring the city. The Palace stands at the western end of Harnet Ave. It was built by the Italian Governor and used by Haile Selassie during the Ethiopian occupation.

  1. TRADITIONAL DISHES TO TRY

The Country’s cuisine is a reflection of its diversity and is also highly influenced by social exchanges with the neighboring regions. The cuisines are mostly similar to neighboring countries such as Ethiopia. The main traditional dish is Tsebhi (stew) and Hilbert.

Having read all this, if your instincts are leading you to explore Africa’s rich heritage, then Eritrea should be one of such countries.

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