An old Red Sea port of coral-stone houses
Massawa has been a Red Sea port for centuries, ruled at different times by the Ottomans, Egypt and Italy. Its old town, on two islands connected to the mainland by causeways, has coral-block houses with carved wooden balconies, arcades and old mosques. The Imperial Palace overlooks the harbour. Offshore lie the Dahlak islands, with coral reefs and quiet beaches. The road down from Asmara drops more than 2,000 metres through dramatic mountain scenery.