What to Wear in Asmara

Packing for Asmara comes down to two things: respecting the strong local culture of neat, modest dress, and preparing for the daily 15-degree temperature swing at 2,325 metres above sea level. At midday under the high-altitude sun you will feel warm in a shirt, yet as soon as the sun dips behind the plateau hills, the highland air turns brisk within minutes.

Smart-casual layers for the highland plateau

• Smart trousers, jeans, chinos or long skirts for daily walks: Asmarinos take real pride in dressing well, especially during the late-afternoon passeggiata along Harnet Avenue and inside classic pastry bars. Adult locals almost never wear shorts in the city (apart from cyclists and runners training on the ring roads). Both men and women will feel much more comfortable in full-length trousers, jeans or a midi-to-long skirt paired with a collared shirt or neat top.
• A warm jumper, fleece or tailored jacket for evenings: from October to February, night-time temperatures in Asmara fall to between 6°C and 9°C, and buildings do not have central heating. Pack a merino jumper, cardigan or light down jacket that you can layer over daytime cottons once dusk settles.
• Comfortable closed walking shoes: the Italian basalt-stone pavements around Cinema Impero, Piazza della Posta and Medeber Market are flat and easy to walk, though dusty metal shavings cover the ground inside the Medeber workshops, making closed trainers or leather loafers far better than open sandals.

Entering churches, mosques and descending to the Red Sea

When visiting Enda Mariam Orthodox Cathedral, you will be asked to remove your shoes at the threshold of the inner sanctuary (pack slip-on shoes and clean socks), and women should carry a wide cotton scarf (similar to the white hand-woven Eritrean netsela shawl) to drape loosely over their hair inside both Orthodox churches and the Al Khulafa Al Rashiudin Mosque. Because UV radiation is intense at over two kilometres of altitude, bring sunglasses, lip balm for the dry mountain air and high-factor sunscreen. If your itinerary includes driving down the escarpment to Massawa, pack lightweight linen in the bottom of your bag for the 15-degree jump in temperature at sea level. See seasonal weather before you go.