ERITREA AND
DAHLAK ISLANDS

DAY 1: arrival in Asmara, formalities for entry into the country and meeting at the hotel with the rest of the group. Located more than 2,000 meters above sea level, it is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a planned colonial city. In the 1930s, along with many new settlers from the motherland, the most visionary Italian architects of the time arrived in the Eritrean capital, where unlike in Italy, they had the opportunity to give substance to their most bizarre and daring ideas. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017, Asmara is an incredible blend of different avant-garde architectural styles of the time, such as Futurism, Modernism, and Rationalism, where many of the habits left behind by the Italians have remained intact. First explorations of the city and samples of the local cuisine. Night in Asmara

Morning and afternoon: day exploring the Eritrean capital with visits to the main attractions, including the Church of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary, St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral, the Grand Mosque, the Market, the Recycling Market, the Tank Cemetery and the National Museum. Of course, there will be no shortage of the whole sampling of 1930s Italian architecture with its most shining examples such as the Cinema Impero or the Cinema Roma, the futurist Fiat Tagliero fueling station designed in the shape of an airplane, the Asmara Theater, and an espresso coffee at Bar Zilli to fully savor the vintage atmosphere of the Eritrean capital

Evening: dinner and night in Asmara

Morning: catch up on any activities missed in Asmara. Morning departure along the road going up north in a landscape that is influenced by neighboring Sudan! We will skirt coffee plantations and orange groves and then, as we approach our destination Keren, move on to Acacia and Baobab plantations

Afternoon: arrive in Keren in the early afternoon, check into the hotel and visit one of the most fascinating cities in the country, characterized by a beautiful mix of heterogeneous architectural elements, such as churches, mosques and colonial palaces from the period of Italian rule. We will get lost among its markets, the most colorful and folkloric in Eritrea, and discover the story of Our Lady of the Baobab. Possible visit to the Keren War Cemetery.

Evening: dinner and overnight in Keren

Morning: morning dedicated to visiting the Livestock Market held in Keren every Monday. In this rural setting we will discover the deepest Eritrea and its ethnic diversity, here weekly four of the nine ethnic groups that make up its population, the Afar, the Bilel, the Tigrinya, and the Tigré converge for bargaining. It will be a true immersion, among camels, oxen and other animals, in the traditional life of Eritrea’s interior

Afternoon: depart for Massawa, via the scenic road into the Fil-Fil forest, called “Eritrea’s Garden of Eden!” In its lush vegetation we will be able to encounter monkeys, baboons, gazelles, antelopes and many species of birds. Strategically located in the Red Sea, Massawa, is the main port of Eritrea and the second largest city after the capital Asmara. Check-in at the hotel

Evening: dinner and evening in Massawa

Morning: departure from Massawa, to the narrow Gulf of Zula. This was home to Adulis, the most important port of the ancient Axumite Kingdom, from where trade routes with the major civilizations of the time ran. Axum, whose capital is located in present-day Ethiopia, was a cosmopolitan and culturally important state, a meeting place for a wide variety of cultures-Egyptian, Nubian, Arab, and Indian. Visit to the archaeological site of Adulis

Afternoon: return to Massawa and tour of the city. The various foreign powers that dominated it profoundly influenced the architectural style, which appears today as a blend of Ottoman, Egyptian and Italian influenced buildings. The wounds of the long and bloody war of independence with Ethiopia, which ended in 1991, have left scars that are still clearly visible

Evening: dinner and evening in Massawa

DAY 6: Move to the port and set course for the Dahlak Islands. Nestled in the Red Sea is one of the few still unspoiled corners of the earth and one of Africa’s most beautiful and least known tropical paradises. Among its low, barren islands, sensational beaches of the finest sand, bathed by the clear waters of the Red Sea, will appear to our eyes. It is an ideal place for snorkeling and diving, so as not to miss the opportunity to observe the enormous biodiversity of the sea at these latitudes. We reach Dissie Island, where we will spend the night in tents.

DAY 7: Relax on the beach in this dreamy setting. Boat tour between the islands and to Madote Island and inevitable swimming in its beautiful waters. Dinner and night in a tent on Dissie Island

Morning: waking up in the Dahlak Islands and morning devoted to relaxing on the beach and exploring this wonderful marine ecosystem

Afternoon: time comes to say goodbye to the archipelago. We set sail to the mainland, back to Massawa. Check-in at the hotel and continue our tour of this charming port city with its decadent charm

Evening: dinner and evening in Massawa

Morning: departure from Massawa and meeting with the nomadic Rashaida tribes, who fled the Heraz Region of Saudi Arabia and arrived in Eritrea in the first half of the 19th century. The Rashaida have proudly maintained their traditions, linked to the Sunni faith, and live in camps made up of goatskin tents, isolated from the rest of the population. The veiled-faced Rashaida women are famous for their traditional clothing characterized by red and black geometric patterns

Afternoon: drive up to Asmara, along the spectacular “Road of the Italians,” a key infrastructure linking the country’s two main cities, built by the Italians. Arid coastal landscapes give way to mountain scenery, offering memorable views along the way

Evening: dinner and evening in the Eritrean capital

Morning: over the next two days we will explore the green region south of Asmara, rich in evidence of the country’s important historical heritage. First stop is the archaeological site of Qohaito, accessible only by a dirt road. We visit the ruins, partly dating from around 700 B.C., of this ancient Axumite city, halfway between Axum and Adulis

Afternoon: continuation of the route through the green hills of the Southern Region and arrival in the afternoon in the town of Adi Keyh, an important trading center during the Italian occupation. One of the main attractions of Adi Keyh is its lively and colorful market, where you can buy a variety of local products, handicrafts and traditional Eritrean items and try local street food

Evening: dinner and overnight at the hotel in Adi Keyh

Morning: leaving Adi Keyh, we make a brief stop in the nearby town of Senafè for a new immersion in the local culture. Continuation of the itinerary with a visit to the important archaeological site of Metera

Afternoon: return to Asmara, with the rich vegetation of this part of the country in the background. Possible stop in Dekhamerè, an important town that preserves interesting examples of Italian colonial architecture, along the way. Arrival in Asmara in the late afternoon

Evening: last evening in Asmara and overnight at the hotel

DAY 12: check out in the morning and it’s time to go again. We bid farewell to our fellow travelers and hope to see you again on the next trip!