Asmara

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Introduction

Asmara' Market

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Asmara is the capital and largest city in Eritrea. The city has about 600,000 inhabitans and is located in the central part of the country at an elevation of over 2000 meters at the nortwestern edge of the Great Rift Valley. Asmara, compared to other capitals in Africa, is a beautiful city famous for its colonial building styles and in some aspects resembling a European city with styles like neo Romanesque, Victorian and Art Deco found throughout the city. Therefore, this place deserves at least a few days to explore, including the national museum, before going to other parts of this not so often visited country.

Neighbourhoods

Sights and Activities

• National Museum of Eritrea - Is an ok museum that was opened in 1992. It is now located in the former Comboni Sisters School for Women.
• Orthodox Cathedral
• Opera House
• Governor's Palace
• Roman Catholica Church
• Fiat Tagliero Building
• Italian Buildings - This includes mansions, villas, piazzas and coffee bars

Events and Festivals

Weather

Because of the altitude, Asmara has a very pleasantly warm climate, much unlike the coastal areas which can get very hot. In general, temperatures are still well over 20 degrees Celcius and it gets rather chilly at night. May generally is the hottest month, with temperatures even above 30 degrees Celcius during the day. July and August are relatively wet, but from September onwards it is usually dry and warm.

Getting There

By Plane

International
Asmara International Airport (ASM) receives all international flights, among which those with the national airline Eritrean Airlines. International destinations include Djibouti, Dubai, Frankfurt, Jeddah, Milan and Rome. Lufthansa flies to Frankfurt and Jeddah as well. Other destinations with connections to Asmara are Nairobi, Cairo and Sana'a.
Domestic
Eritrean Airways flies between the capital Asmara and the city of Assab at least twice a week.

By Train

There is a railway line between Asmara and Massawa, but services are infrequent and not timetabled. There are however extra trains that can be chartered by groups of tourists. It is a great journey!

By Car

By Bus

There are at least two buses a day between Asmara and Massawa and Keren and at least one daily service to smaller cities and towns. Buses leave when full, so there is not timetabled service. It is best to show up early at the bus station for long journeys, to assure a seat.

By Boat

Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

By Foot

By Bike

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

Post