REBELLIOUS SOULS
ITALIAN VESTIGES
RED SEA CHARM
An enchanting nostalgia trip to the true hidden gem of East Africa: a splendidly isolated country of architectural wonders, diverse people, troubled history, spectacular landscapes, pristine beaches, and timeless atmospheres.
JANUARY 6 ⇾ JANUARY 14
In addition to our regular group departures to Eritrea, we also offer tailored services for private travel parties and lone wolves alike. Get in touch for more info on our customised Eritrea Tours!
“Remember – my father had told me as I was leaving Eritrea – this is your land.
I have never forgotten those words. They were not the words of a coloniser, but of a son of that land—born there, and there he died. Italy, to him, was little more than a distant name, a country almost unknown. He was born in Asmara in 1910.”
THE ROUTE
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DAY 1 to DAY 2• ERITREA, GRACE AND MEMORY
Meet-and-greet at Asmara International Airport and transfer to our hotel of choice in central Asmara.
We’ll spend the first two days in Eritrea exploring the architectural and cultural panoply of East Africa’s Little Rome: The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Mariam Orthodox Church, Al Khulafa Al Rashidun Mosque, Madebar Market, Central Bazaar, Railway Station, Cinema Impero, Bowling Alley, Post Office, FIAT Tagliero, and a seemingly endless plethora of rationalist and art-deco gems from the Italian colonial period.
In the evenings, to crown our passeggiata around Asmara, we’ll enjoy a well-deserved aperitivo along the elegant Harnet Avenue (formerly known as Viale Mussolini) and a traditional Italian-Eritrean dinner.
Overnights in Asmara.
DAY 3 • CAMELS AND TOMBSTONES
In the morning we'll leave the capital and drive north across the Eritrean highlands, past steep terraces of coffee and orange groves, towards Keren, a traditional Eritrean town set on a plateau surrounded by dusty ochre mountains.
Once in Keren, we'll devote the whole day to the bustling markets the town is famous for, including one for livestock and camels, which attracts nomadic traders from the northern regions.
After the market, we’ll have the chance to visit the sacred baobab temple, a truly mesmerising experience of Coptic rituals and pre-Christian beliefs, and the Italian war cemetery, which also houses the revered graves of the so-called askari, local soldiers serving in the Italian Colonial Army.
Overnight in Keren.
Bespoke Experiences
Traditional dinner with a local Eritrean family and exclusive architectural tour of Asmara’s lesser visited quarters.
DAY 4 • SLEEPING TANKS
Transfer back to Asmara and deep architectural dive into the lesser known colonial quarters of the capital (Tiravolo, Paradiso, Diplomatico), as well as the Italian Monumental Cemetery and Dekemhare, a sleepy satellite town renowned for its superb urban cornucopia of rationalist shapes.
Later in the day, we will also visit the somber Tank Graveyard in the outskirts of Asmara, a rusty reminder of the many woes this country has been enduring over the past decades.
Overnight in Asmara.
DAY 5 • RED SEA RUINS
We'll leave Asmara and head for the port city of Massawa driving along the winding road connecting the central highlands to the shores of the Red Sea, the warm body of water that’s eponymous to the country itself, as the toponym Eritrea is derived from the Greek name for the Red Sea, Erythra Thalassa, based on the adjective erythros (red).
The scenic serpentine route follows the course of the old – and partially still operating – Asmara-Massawa Railway built by the Italians over a century ago and we’ll have the chance to break the three-to-four-hour journey in old-world outlying Eritrean towns, wherein will be greeted by the local Tigrinya population and a few historical sights, such as the solemn War Memorial in Dogali, the charming Italian railway station in Nefasit, and the secluded Debre Bizen monastery.
After lunch we'll eventually reach Massawa, where we'll enjoy a pleasantly lazy stroll through the collapsing grandeur of its colonial old town.
Overnight in Massawa.
DAY 6 TO DAY 7 • LOST ARCHIPELAGO
We'll travel by boat to the Dahlak Archipelago and spend the next two days surrounded by the pristine nature, deep blue waters, and traditional fishing hamlets of the Dahlak Marine National Park: scuba diving is generally (although not always) allowed and is led by a group of trained divers who were once pearl fishers; snorkelling is a good alternative option for those without a diving certificate.
The Dahlak Islands are also home to a unique Afro-Semitic language, the Dahalik, only spoken by the few hundreds dwellers of this rarely visited Red Sea archipelago.
In the late afternoon of our second day on the islands (day 7), we’ll then sail back to Massawa and enjoy a well-deserved Italian seafood dinner in town.
Overnights on the Dahlak Islands (tent, day 6) and in Massawa (hotel, day 7).
DAY 8 TO DAY 9 • AFRICA ADDIO
Today, we will take our leave of the warm Red Sea waters and head back westwards for Asmara, where we will spend our last delightful afternoon engaging in further exploration of the city’s architectural treasure trove.
Late-night (day 8) or early morning (day 9) transfer to Asmara International Airport (depending on the exact departing time of your homeward connection; most international flights out of the country leave before dawn) and farewell to Eritrea!
Possible tour extensions to this itinerary include: Somalia and/or Yemen.
End of the tour.
2490 €
INCLUSIONS
Double/twin-room accommodation (breakfast included), private transport in Eritrea (car/minivan), all entrance fees, English-speaking guiding service, 24/7 on-site and remote assistance.
EXCLUSIONS
Single supplement, international flights, main meals (lunches and dinners), extra drinks, visa fees (if required), tips, travel insurance.
“Forever firm in her principles,
her name became a synonym of tenacity,
Eritrea, the pride of the oppressed,
is a testament that truth prevails.”