“It is an exceptional example of early modernist urbanism at the beginning of the 20th century and its application in an African context.”
UNESCO
Eritrea is more than just a sliver on the Horn of Africa: it boasts a wealth of culture, history and natural beauty for travellers to enjoy. One of its major delights is the capital city – the world’s sixth-highest at an elevation of 7,628 feet – Asmara.
Asmara is a modern city with planned structures. Independence Avenue, the main street of Asmara, is lined with palm trees along with shops, cafés, and restaurants that serve Eritrean and Ethiopian specialities and Italian delicacies. Although Asmara is not a huge city, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
If you’re planning to visit Asmara, you’ll find a good range of hotels in Asmara for all tastes and budgets. The colourful and lively market is a fabulous place to haggle and buy delicious local fruits and vegetables, arts and crafts from some of the most hospitable people on the continent.
Then there’s the wonderful architecture. Nicknamed ‘“La Piccola Roma” (little Rome), Asmara boasts Italian colonial buildings, including the Catholic Cathedral, but other architectural delights fall under the umbrella of the eclectic, from art deco cinemas to a futurist service station shaped like an aeroplane to the ornate opera house built in the early 1900s in a mix of styles. Other wonderful landmarks in Asmara include the Hotel Albergo Italia, built in 1889, and the Embasoira, formerly the Old Imperial Hotel, constructed in 1919.
UNESCO listed Asmara as a World Heritage Site in July 2017, making it the first modernist city to be recognized in its entirety by the organization.
Watch this well-narrated video by Drew Binsky to learn a bit more about this interesting city.
