Central Eritrea

Understand

History The territory that is present-day Eritrea is considered to be the likely location of Punt, which had close relations with Ancient Egypt during the rule of Pharaoh Sahure and Queen Hatshepsut. South Arabian migrants settled in the highlands in the 1st millennium BC and introduced Semitic elements and Eritrea was part of the Kingdom of D'mt. From the 3rd to 7th centuries, much of the territory was part of the Kingdom of Aksum. Eritrea was conquered in 1890 by Italy, who hung onto it until World War II, when they were expelled by the British. Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province ten years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence, which ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating Ethiopian and Ethiopian-backed forces. Independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum administered by the UN.

Hopes were high when the new state was born but a new border war with Ethiopia erupted again in 1998 and ended only under UN auspices in December 2000. Eritrea briefly hosted a UN peacekeeping operation that monitored a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone on the border with Ethiopia. An international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its findings in 2002. However, final demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopian objections, and the border remains very tense to this day. Eritrea has since expelled the peacekeepers due to lack of support from the UN in having the border ruling enforced. Using the war as an excuse, Eritrea's government has degenerated into one of the most controlling dictatorships in the world, sometimes referred to as Africa's answer to North Korea. No national elections have ever been held, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice is the only party allowed, dissidents disappear into jails, and the country comes dead last in the Press Freedom Index. Obligatory military service has been extended to eight years for men and women, bord

Getting there

Visa requirements Largely isolated from the rest of the world, obtaining an Eritrean visa is a difficult, painstaking, and expensive affair. When you apply for an Eritrean visa, you must do it at an Eritrean diplomatic mission located in your home country, i.e. a country you are a citizen of. If your home country does not have an Eritrean embassy or consulate, you must go to an Eritrean diplomatic mission that is accredited to your home country. For a tourist visa, you need to submit specific information about your plans. Prepare a travel itinerary well before you apply for an Eritrean visa. The application process can take a long time, so be patient. Having a local contact in Eritrea will be of great help; they can speed up the process by putting in a good word for you at your local Eritrean diplomatic mission. If you are suspected of being a journalist or someone who expresses dissenting views against the Eritrean government, there is a good chance that you will either encounter trouble at the border or not get an Eritrean visa.

By plane

The only active international airport is 1 Asmara International Airport in the capital Asmara.

Egyptair serves Asmara daily from Cairo. Eritrean Airlines flies from Cairo, Dubai, Khartoum however as of mid-2023 they seem to not be flying anymore. Ethiopian: Once-daily flight from Addis Ababa, resumed in summer 2018 after a 20-year hiatus. Fly Dubai flies daily to Dubai. Turkish Airlines flies to Asmara from Istanbul. Sudan Airways flies to Khartoum. Yemenia has suspended their flights due to the conditions in Sanaa. Tarco Airlines flies from Khartoum

By train There is a Vintage Tourist line connecting Asmara and the port city of Massawa but, to date, there is no international railway connection to Eritrea.

By car You can enter Eritrea driving from Sudan (Kassala border crossing) provided you have a valid certificate of ownership of the vehicle you're driving (no rentals) and all your (including your passengers') p

Getting around

While it may be tempting to explore all that Eritrea has to offer, you must obtain a travel permit from the Eritrean government if you wish to travel outside Asmara, the capital city. It can take 24 hours or more to obtain a travel permit, so plan your trip well ahead in advance. Foreign governments recommend getting a travel permit from the Ministry of Tourism office on Harnet Avenue in Asmara. If you are flying in to Asmara, you will need a permit from the Tourist Bureau on Liberation Avenue if you consider travelling outside Asmara's city limits. This permit needs to be applied for several days before travel. There are few places other than Asmara, Keren and Massawa/Dahlak Islands that foreigners can travel to as of September 2017 (other than those on a designated mission working with the Eritrean government) depending on the time of the year (therefore the conditions of the roads) and mostly, the decisions of the government. If you are coming by land (or ferry/private boat to Massawa), you can get a travel permit at the locality of your arrival, to transit the country, given you have a valid entry visa to Eritrea. As long as you notify and consult with the Eritrean mission issuing your entry visa about your point of entry and travel plans well ahead of time, getting the travel permit is no problem.

By bus The most common form of intercity transportation in Eritrea is bus and/or minibus. The most frequent services, consisting of several buses/minibuses a day run between Asmara and Keren, Asmara and Massawa as well as between Asmara and the towns of the southern highlands such as Debarwa, Mendefera, Adi Quala as well as Dekemhare, Segeneiti, Adi Qeyh and Senafe reaching the Ethiopian border. It is not possible for foreign nationals to approach the Ethiopian border and travel beyond the towns of Senafe and Adi Quala as it is a heavily militarized war zone. There are also daily bus services on the road between Teseney (on the Sudanese border close to Kassala) an

See

Church of Our Lady of the Rosary. With a bell tower that reaches high into the sky, this building, which was the principal church of the Italian colonials, is a sterling piece of Lombard-Romanesque architecture and a useful bearing point for lost travellers. Enda Mariam Orthodox Cathedral. The ancient church is located at the center of the city and symbolizes the four directions of the earth (east, west, north and south) the four gates on each direction have an equal number of worshippers passing through them every day. At the compound of this church you will find a tree called "Berberestelim". Long ago priests use to wash dead bodies by adding these tree leaves into the water and the body stays as it is for years. Asmara Theatre and Opera House. Constructed in 1920, the Asmara Opera House is an amazing Italian Architectural piece. Al Khulafa Al Rashidin Mosque. One of the most elegant mosques in Africa. The architecture is eclectic, a mix of Italian and local Moorish styles. Fiat Tagl