? Asmara is the capital and the largest urban settlement in Eritrea, North Africa. Where is Asmara located? The city is located almost in the center of the country, on the tip of an escarpment in the Maekel region at an altitude of 2,325 meters, which has earned it the world's title sixth-highest capital by altitude. Why should you travel to Asmara? Due to the number of historic places in Asmara Eritrea, it also has too many Instagrammable places to take nice photos for one of your most liked Instagram posts. Also, there are quite several beautiful places in Asmara, Eritrea, to have a good time Asmara. In this article, you will first read about Asmara, then see a list of 12 Instagrammable places in Asmara, as well as find answers for your questions about the city, such as where is Asmara, is it worth to travel to Asmara, what are the historic places in Asmara Eritrea, what are the most Instagrammable and beautiful places in Asmara Eritrea to take the most liked Instagram photo, what is the best Asmara restaurant, how to spend interesting time in Asmara, etc.
About the city
Precisely because of its elevated position, the temperatures are relatively mild for Asmara, however, is located not far from a desert area. Asmara began to grow rapidly when Italy occupied it in 1889 and still retains Italian-style architectural aspects of the historic places in Asmara Eritrea; at the end of the 1930s, the city's nickname was "Little Rome." The city has most of its architectural styles of the early twentieth century. But that is not all. I should also mention the futurist Fiat Tagliero building and other buildings that show typical elements of Cubism, and it one of the best places to takes photos for most liked Instagram posts. Most of the center of Asmara was built between 1935 and 1941; that is, the Italians managed to build almost an entire city in just six years. This essentially happened because the city had to be a symbol of the fascist policy's greatness that aimed at a colonial expansion project in Africa. Consequently, the city was for the Italians themselves and not the Eritreans. The city presents itself with wide streets lined with palm trees, avenues with numerous bars, pizzerias, and the Asmara restaurant serving Italian cuisine; it is also popular for its peaceful and crime-free environment and above all for being one of the cleanest cities on the African continent. It is also better to visit the National Museum of Eritrea and the We Are the Future Children's Center during your travel to Asmara, of which the last offers children the opportunity to experience their condition while at the same time developing a strong sense of hope for the future. Ultimately a city rich in history, absolutely to visit and discover in every corner.
1. Historic Center
The Historic Center of Asmara was included in the 2006 World Monuments Fund Watch List with 100 sites at risk of extinction. The aim is to bring more attention to the city and thus to redevelop it through the restoration of the sites most at risk. This area of the city is one of the beautiful places in Asmara Eritrea to take the most liked Instagram photo.
2. The districts of the city
Asmara was designed following a rigorous urban plan, which divides it into four main areas. Two of these fall within the administrative center, which includes "Liberation Ave" and the "North Zone". Towards the south, you will find the Italian residential district, where you can admire the many Art Deco villas. Finally, to the north-east, there is the inhabited area of the local Eritrea population, the poorest in the city, full of neighborhoods usually not visited by tourists, albeit with a more genuine and characteristic character than the administrative center.
3. Liberty Avenue
It is the main boulevard where all the palm trees are lined up and where you find many cafes and old Fiats parked. Do not miss the Romanesque Cathedral of San Jose and the Cinema Imperio, another old Italian cinema, but this one is in full operation, although with only local movies and the occasional Hollywood action movies. The avenue has many corners to take photographs for the most liked Instagram posts.
4. Cinema Rome
Asmarinos affirm that the Cinema Roma serves the best coffee in Asmara, and not only in Asmara, but probably throughout the African continent. Cinema Roma is an old Italian cinema turned into a cafe where relatively wealthy Eritreans flock to enjoy their morning espresso or macchiato. It is decorated with objects related to the cinema, and in the middle lies an old film camera, which makes it one of the most instagrammable places in Asmara. The cinema is still running, and they let you visit the theater. Now and then, they put on the odd movie, once or twice a week, and they also show all the major European football matches.
5. Fiat Tagliero Building
It is a futuristic airplane-shaped gas station built-in 1938 by the architect Giuseppe Pettazi. For some reason, the building has no function, and it is closed to the public, but still, it was one of the main reasons that made Asmara a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fiat Tagliero Building has so attractive exterior design so that you can take the most liked Instagram photo.
6. Saint Maryam Church
It is the most Instagrammable church in Asmara, and orthodox, and very different than the others. It is the most important Orthodox church in the country. On the out walls of the church, there are illustrations of Saint Maryam, which makes this building more beautiful. Never miss seeing this beauty among the historic places in Asmara Eritrea.
7. Asmara Great Mosque
Surprisingly, this mosque was also built during colonial times. The Muslim Eritreans are some of the nicest people you will meet on your trip to Asmara, and they will even invite you inside. The inside of the mosque is nice, but it is better to take photos outside not to offend prayers.
8. Tank graveyard
About 4-5 km from the city, there is one of the most visited places in Asmara, a tank graveyard that contains the entire arsenal that the Ethiopian army had to abandon after Ethiopia's war with Eritrea. They call it the "tank graveyard," but honestly, it is not that there are many tanks, but that almost everything is trucks and other military vehicles. But you can see some, and there is also an airplane and one of these big submachine guns that you normally see on top of vehicles. It takes an hour to visit the place, and I recommend you to get there on foot because the road passes through an African district with very good people. To visit "the cemetery," you will need to get a permit from the tourist office. They give it to you at the moment.
9. Ghidey
You will not call it a restaurant because it is a private residence, where the host cooks traditional meals for guests. You need to reserve a place beforehand, to have lunch in this interesting Asmara restaurant. You will have lunch in the owner's living room, of which design alone worth seeing.
10. Markets
Markets are wonderful places to spend a nice time in Asmara. To visit absolutely, the different city markets create a convivial and joyful atmosphere. First of all, the "City Market" in the Menelik Avenue neighborhood, open every morning except Sunday. Also noteworthy is the "Medebar market", where old tires are processed to transform them into shoes and the old sheets into metal buckets; more touristy instead the "souvenir market", where you can buy characteristic wooden masks, knives, paintings on leather, musical instruments and decorated pumpkins. Asmara also hosts numerous nightclubs and discos, scattered along Harnet Avenue, a street full of commercial glories and glittering shop windows, where you can find very expensive objects, certainly designed more for the Western market than for the local one.
11. Massawa
Another interesting city in Eritrea is the port city of Massawa, which has, among other things, the Imam Hanbeli mosque and also houses a nice old town. In contrast to the capital Asmara, most of the buildings in Massawa were planned by Egyptian and Turkish architects, so the Italian influence on the country is much less visible. You will see many buildings from the Ottoman era in Massawa; among them, the bazaar is worth seeing and taking wonderful photos for the most liked Instagram posts.
12. Danakil
Eritrea is home to the hottest and deepest place on earth. The Danakil is a desert depression that extends from Massawa to Djibouti. Despite its breathtaking scenery, this basin is also one of the most dangerous places in the world due to the conditions: you should make sure you are adequately supplied with water and other stuff. Although the desert seems a bad idea to visit, it has several Instagrammable spots and a good background view.
