When choosing where to study abroad, the nightlife is not usually the reason for making that choice. This is true until you step into Eritrea! When the sun goes down the country turns into streets of light and glitz. May students here find the country to be so addictive when it comes to its nightlife from the peripherals into the intrinsically eclectic capital! After a stressful day, you will indeed need a strong refresher and Eritrea is ‘no short’ of that!
The country has a wide range of night-time entertainment to suit everyone's taste. It’s possible to dine in a fine restaurant or relax after a hard day in one of the many coffee shops and then go on to a theatre or nightclub or watch movies at the local cinemas in the cities. Or RocApply nightlife guide in Eritrea for visitors from around the globe includes recommendations on where to find the best bars and clubs in the Eritreans. If clubbing doesn’t take your fancy then a quiet drink may do. Bars here offer a social drink and a chance to meet new people in Eritrea.
Eating out is one of the many pleasures of staying in Eritrea. For anyone traveling from Europe, Asmara will bring you a huge diversity of meal types, but we strongly recommend to get out of the center of Asmara to discover the best places where you can eat the good Eritrean food at affordable prices. The cities are great, with a wide range of things to do at night for any visitors from any part of the world. If you want to go for a glamorous night out visiting musical concerts, orchestra or cinema then be sure to check out hidden spots in the peripherals!
A study abroad adventure may turn ugly if one hasn’t prepared so well on what is to be faced and how to face it especially in regards to shopping dynamics related to the country of destination! For this reason, RocApply has dedicated this piece so you can be able to immerse yourself on what and how to prepare for shopping in Eritrea hassle-free! We hope after you have assessed the information you will certainly APPLY for FREE on our website basing on a well-informed decision!
Eritrea has several interesting markets, but the country is still no place for the avid shopper. Souvenirs are available, ranging from awesome African souvenirs which you might find in any duty-free shop on the continent, to some much more interesting gold and silver jewelry, and religious artifacts such as prayer scrolls, old decorated Bibles, crosses and incense burners, and craft items. Keren, found in the capital is the best place to hunt for jewelry. Elsewhere in the country, in the west, for example, you can find pottery, swords, daggers, traditional hair combs, baskets, and other products in the marketplaces. The standard of weaving with grasses for baskets is especially good in the western lowlands.
While many of the textiles worn by Eritreans are beautiful, most of the material is imported from the Far East. The Tigrinya shawl you’ll see everywhere in the highlands is the most authentic cloth you can buy in Eritrea, but since the last war, it has soared in price, as most were imported from Ethiopia. People in Eritrea are slowly developing a manufacturing industry of their own and some textile manufacturers are now producing garments for export from cotton grown in the western lowlands.
The marketplaces in towns and cities are always vibrant and fascinating places to wander about. A wide variety of fresh vegetables, fruit, spices, and pulses are available in the central market in the capital. There is also a more craft-oriented market behind the main mosque that sells a wide range of wicker and pottery goods here. Although you may find these items for a much cheaper price outside Asmara, this is certainly the most practical place to buy such items when you step into Eritrea.
In the capital, there are also many Italian style grocery shops where you can buy anything from mineral water to Chianti. A wide range of wines, spirits, and imported beers can also be bought in these shops.
RocApply Tips:
- As with other facets of life in Eritrea, food, and grocery are also sold in their local currency, so ensure to make all the necessary conversions and move around with a little local cash on you. Many of the establishments only accept the US dollar.
- Shops are open: Mon-Sat 0830-130 and 1430-2030
- As a newcomer, some of the names of the items might confuse you, please use any online translator services to check the correct word for whatever you are searching for.
- Always ask for help or directions from fellow students and if you can't find any around you then ask even the locals they are always happy to assist foreigners and visitors.
"I enjoy shopping and I found it affordable but some of the clothes are definitely not of the highest quality." - Hassan from Turkey
