Eritrea OVERVIEW
How about some multi-taste flavor on your African intinerary? Eritrea is sure to treat you to some. This south African country stretching along the Red Sea is a tantalizing hotchpotch of Turkish, Egyptian and Italian influence. Whichever direction you take in Eritrea, the land turns up to be a gem yet to be fully discovered and appreciated. Your heart will be won easily here and the reasons for it are many. Head for the capital Asmara and you'll find its Italian colonial feel hard to resist - the magnificent Cathedral pleases the visitors' eyes with Lombardian style and the Al Khulafa Al Rashiudin mosque boasts the best of Italian Carrara marble. Excellent examples of Art Deco architecture line the streets along with vintage bits and pieces of the colonial period perfectly accompanied by Italian cuisine and heavenly espresso. No wonder that with the prevailing Mediterranean vibe many dub Asmara "New Rome."
The ethnic and cultural variety is an undisputed lure of the country. The Red Sea Coast and its famed Massawa are regions to taste a bit of the Islamic world. Here, the Egyptian and Ottoman ingredient melts into a stunning maze of milk-white stone buildings, shiny domes, intricate arcades and richly ornamented doors which magically take you for an unforgettable trip in time. It is exactly here where your Eritrea adventure part of holiday can start. If you steer towards the Dahlak Archipelago, a pristine and much unexplored reef in the Red Sea - scuba diving, snorkeling and pearl fishing might suddenly become your favorite pastimes. Set your GPS to Danakil Depression and your holiday diary will soon brim with memories of desolate plains, Afar nomads and life defined by simplicity and nature. In Keren, the site of the major battle between the British and Italian troops in 1941, your inner history buff should feel pleased with WWII memories and a trek to Debre Sina, a highland monastery, shall test your stamina and lecture on the Eritrean Orthodox Church.
Eritrea's strategic location along the Red Sea coastline and its natural resources have been the cause of not one a war and dispute, Ethiopia being the sworn enemy in the battlefield and one which attempted to take the land over. Although the 30-year-long war is over, border conflicts still make headlines placing Eritrea somewhere towards the end of tourist destinations. Hopefully, not for long.
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