Things to Do in Eritrea

From Asmara's Italian Art Deco streets to the coral islands of the Dahlak Archipelago - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.

Travel guide - last updated September 2026

Eritrea's capital, Asmara, holds one of the best-preserved collections of Italian Art Deco and modernist architecture anywhere in the world, a legacy of its period as an Italian colony, earning it UNESCO World Heritage status. The country remains one of the least-visited in Africa, with tourism infrastructure that requires more independent planning than most destinations. Here are 4 places worth building a trip around.

Top attractions

The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.

🏛️

Asmara

A UNESCO World Heritage capital city, sometimes called 'Africa's Art Deco city,' with an unusually intact collection of 1930s Italian modernist architecture, including cinemas, cafes and a striking gas station shaped like an airplane.

📍 Asmara

🚉 The Italian modernist capital is walkable end to end, and the restored steam railway runs excursions down towards Nefasit on weekends when demand allows - permits are needed to leave the city.

🏝️

Dahlak Archipelago

A group of over 200 islands in the Red Sea, with coral reefs and pearl-diving history, though tourism infrastructure remains basic and mostly reached through Massawa.

📍 Red Sea, off Massawa

🚉 Boats leave Massawa for the islands, a two to four hour crossing, and a permit from the tourism ministry in Asmara is required before you travel to them.

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Massawa

A Red Sea port city with a historic old town reflecting Ottoman and Egyptian influence, still showing damage from Eritrea's decades-long war of independence.

📍 Massawa

🚉 The Red Sea port is 115km from Asmara, three hours by bus down a spectacular escarpment road that drops 2,300m - a travel permit is required for the journey.

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Keren

Eritrea's second-largest city, in the highlands, known for its camel market and a more relaxed pace than Asmara.

📍 Keren

🚉 Keren is 90km north-west of Asmara, two to three hours by bus, and like every trip outside the capital it requires a permit obtained in advance in Asmara.

Mark Eritrea, get the stamp

🇪🇷ERITREAVISITED

🇪🇷ERITREALIVED

🇪🇷ERITREAWISHLIST

In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.

Open MyPassportStory

Planning questions

How many days do you need in Eritrea?

A week suits Asmara, Massawa and Keren well, given how compact the accessible tourist circuit currently is.

What's the best time to visit Eritrea?

October-March is generally the most comfortable period, especially for the coastal areas around Massawa where summer heat is intense.

Is Eritrea good for a first-time visit?

It's manageable but requires more preparation than most destinations - a travel permit is required for movement outside Asmara, typically arranged with the help of a local guide or hotel.

Do I need a visa to visit Eritrea?

Most nationalities need a visa arranged in advance through an embassy, along with an internal travel permit once in the country. Check the official visa information for your nationality: shabait.com.

What are some things to do in Eritrea on a tight budget?

Walking Asmara's Art Deco streets costs nothing, local Eritrean food is inexpensive, and Eritrea overall remains one of the more affordable countries in the region for accommodation and food.

Can I rent a car in Eritrea, and what licence do I need?

Self-drive rental is essentially unavailable to visitors, and it would not help much: travel outside Asmara requires a permit issued in the capital for each specific route, checkpoints verify it, and photography restrictions are strict. Visitors normally travel by bus or with a driver arranged locally, permits in hand. A foreign licence with an International Driving Permit is accepted on paper, and the minimum age is 25. Confirm the permit process and current conditions with an Eritrean embassy before travelling.