The capital on the plateau
Every trip begins in Asmara, the high, calm capital whose Italian era modernist streets are a UNESCO World Heritage site. It has the only busy international airport, the best hotels and cafés, and the office where you collect the travel permits needed for everywhere else.
Down to the Red Sea
Three to four hours east, down one of Africa's most dramatic mountain roads, lies Massawa, an old coral stone port of arcades, mosques and grilled fish. It is the base for boat trips to the Dahlak islands, a scatter of low desert islands with clear water, reefs and almost no visitors.
The market town in the west
Two hours north west of Asmara, Keren sits in a ring of mountains. Its Monday livestock market, silversmiths, Second World War cemeteries and the tiny chapel inside a baobab tree make it the best overnight trip from the capital.
The ancient south
South of Asmara, the road through Dekemhare leads to the southern highlands around Adi Keyih and Senafe, where the pre Aksumite and Aksumite ruins of Qohaito and Metera stand on high plateaus above deep gorges.
How to combine them
A first week often runs Asmara for two or three days, an overnight in Keren, then two or three nights in Massawa with a day on the islands. With more time, add the south. Travel permits list each place, so decide your route before you apply, check current travel advice for each area, and use the free trip planner to shape a route that fits your dates.