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Eritrea🇪🇷 | attractionsCinema ImperoCream fins, rounded corners, single-screen hall, palm-lined avenue | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Cinema Impero
🌟 Highlightattraction ranked #4
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

The facade of Cinema Impero carries a pair of tall, slim fins rising above the entrance, and the whole building is painted in a pale cream that photographs almost white at midday. It stands on Harnet Avenue in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, a short walk from the cathedral and the opera house. Architect Mario Messina designed it in the late 1930s, and it is among the best-known Art Deco buildings in Africa. The exterior is the reason to come, and ten minutes is enough to read its lines. The interior is a different matter: it is a working cinema when it opens, but programs are irregular, and the foyer is plain. Entry is cheap or free depending on the day. Crowds are thin, with a few locals on the steps, and the mood is quiet. Inside, the original wooden-backed seats still face the screen.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #4 attraction in EritreaWhat makes it a must-see attraction

Cinema Impero is the building that explains why Asmara earned UNESCO World Heritage status. Mario Messina’s Art Deco design from the late 1930s is the centerpiece of the Italian-era boulevard, and standing in front of it shows you what the 1930s modernist boom looked like when it was built in a hurry on a high plateau. Nothing here is a replica or a restoration for tourists. The paint, the lettering and the curved lines read as a working city landmark, still used by Asmara residents as a meeting point.

It also makes a natural milestone on a route through Eritrea. Most journeys start in Asmara, and this is where you get your bearings along Harnet Avenue, the main promenade where locals stroll in the evening. A few steps away, you find cafes serving macchiato and cakes, a habit left from the … read more 👉
Cinema Impero is the building that explains why Asmara earned UNESCO World Heritage status. Mario Messina’s Art Deco design from the late 1930s is the centerpiece of the Italian-era boulevard, and standing in front of it shows you what the 1930s modernist boom looked like when it was built in a hurry on a high plateau. Nothing here is a replica or a restoration for tourists. The paint, the lettering and the curved lines read as a working city landmark, still used by Asmara residents as a meeting point.

It also makes a natural milestone on a route through Eritrea. Most journeys start in Asmara, and this is where you get your bearings along Harnet Avenue, the main promenade where locals stroll in the evening. A few steps away, you find cafes serving macchiato and cakes, a habit left from the Italian years. If you want one image that sums up Asmara, this building is it.

💡 HighlightsMust-see experiences and standout moments

  1. The Art Deco facade: The cream exterior with its vertical fins and rounded corners is what people travel to photograph. Stand across Harnet Avenue to take in the full height.
  2. The entrance canopy and signage: The lettering and the overhanging canopy over the doors carry the Italian-era design language and are worth a closer look.
  3. The main auditorium: When it is open, the large single-screen hall with its original layout gives a sense of how Asmara watched films in the 1930s and after.
  4. The foyer: A plain, high-ceilinged space where locals gather before screenings. It is modest, but it keeps the building’s period character.
  5. Harnet Avenue outside: The palm-lined boulevard in front is the city’s evening walking route, and the best way to see Cinema Impero is as part of the stroll.
  6. The neighboring cafes:
… read more 👉
  1. The Art Deco facade: The cream exterior with its vertical fins and rounded corners is what people travel to photograph. Stand across Harnet Avenue to take in the full height.
  2. The entrance canopy and signage: The lettering and the overhanging canopy over the doors carry the Italian-era design language and are worth a closer look.
  3. The main auditorium: When it is open, the large single-screen hall with its original layout gives a sense of how Asmara watched films in the 1930s and after.
  4. The foyer: A plain, high-ceilinged space where locals gather before screenings. It is modest, but it keeps the building’s period character.
  5. Harnet Avenue outside: The palm-lined boulevard in front is the city’s evening walking route, and the best way to see Cinema Impero is as part of the stroll.
  6. The neighboring cafes: Coffee and pastries a few steps away continue the Italian habits of the era. Sit outside and watch the building from a terrace.
  7. Nearby Asmara Cathedral and Opera House: Both are within a short walk, so the building fits into a compact architectural circuit of the city center.
Cinema Impero itself takes about fifteen minutes from the street, or an hour if you add a coffee and a screening.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

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Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?Choosing the right time of year

  • Cool Dry Season (November to February): Asmara sits at about 2,300 meters, so days run 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F) and nights drop to 5 to 8°C (41 to 46°F). Skies stay bright and you can walk Harnet Avenue comfortably all day. Pack a fleece for evenings.
  • Hot Pre-Rains (March to May): Afternoons reach 25 to 28°C (77 to 82°F) with the occasional shower. Streets are quiet and the light is good for photographing the Art Deco facade.
  • Main Rains (June to September): Expect 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F) and near-daily afternoon downpours, usually July and August. Mornings are often clear, so plan your visit before lunch.
  • Holidays and Festivals: Independence Day (May 24) and the Festival of Eritrea in summer bring diaspora visitors, fuller hotels and higher room prices. Daylight lasts close to 12 hours in every
… read more 👉
  • Cool Dry Season (November to February): Asmara sits at about 2,300 meters, so days run 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F) and nights drop to 5 to 8°C (41 to 46°F). Skies stay bright and you can walk Harnet Avenue comfortably all day. Pack a fleece for evenings.
  • Hot Pre-Rains (March to May): Afternoons reach 25 to 28°C (77 to 82°F) with the occasional shower. Streets are quiet and the light is good for photographing the Art Deco facade.
  • Main Rains (June to September): Expect 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F) and near-daily afternoon downpours, usually July and August. Mornings are often clear, so plan your visit before lunch.
  • Holidays and Festivals: Independence Day (May 24) and the Festival of Eritrea in summer bring diaspora visitors, fuller hotels and higher room prices. Daylight lasts close to 12 hours in every month.
Aim for a weekday morning in November or December, when the weather is mildest and hotel rates are usually lowest.


source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: highly recommended for travelingFEBFebruary: highly recommended for travelingMARMarch: highly recommended for travelingAPRApril: excellent for travelingMAYMay: good for travelingJUNJune: fair for travelingJULJuly: below average for travelingAUGAugust: below average for travelingSEPSeptember: fair for travelingOCTOctober: excellent for travelingNOVNovember: highly recommended for travelingDECDecember: highly recommended for traveling
when-to-go

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🛏️ Where to stay?Best areas to stay in Eritrea

The area around Harnet Avenue in central Asmara is where to sleep, because Cinema Impero stands on that boulevard and you can reach it on foot in minutes. Budget guesthouses and small pensions are scattered along the side streets between Harnet Avenue and the Medeber market, and this is the safest, most walkable pocket of the city. Evenings are calm. Locals stroll the avenue after dark, and cafes stay open late with espresso and pastries.

The streets near the Cathedral and the Catholic quarter offer quieter rooms in older Italian-era buildings, with a more residential feel and easy access to … read more 👉
The area around Harnet Avenue in central Asmara is where to sleep, because Cinema Impero stands on that boulevard and you can reach it on foot in minutes. Budget guesthouses and small pensions are scattered along the side streets between Harnet Avenue and the Medeber market, and this is the safest, most walkable pocket of the city. Evenings are calm. Locals stroll the avenue after dark, and cafes stay open late with espresso and pastries.

The streets near the Cathedral and the Catholic quarter offer quieter rooms in older Italian-era buildings, with a more residential feel and easy access to the main sights. Solo travelers tend to prefer these because the neighbors are friendly and the walk to restaurants is short.

The Medeber and Gejeret districts east of the center are cheaper and busier, with loud markets by day and basic lodgings. They suit those who want local life and lower prices, though the walk back at night is a little longer. Eritrea has few formal hostels, so social contact comes from cafes, shared tables and fellow travelers in guesthouse lobbies. Book ahead during festival weeks.
Best hostels in Eritrea


Best quality hotels in Eritrea

👛 Costs (as of 22 October 2026)What things cost and how to budget

Cinema Impero can be seen on a budget of about US$55 a day in Asmara, and the building itself costs little to nothing to admire from outside. Visitors pay in nakfa, and the rates below are converted to US dollars. Entry to the interior depends on the screening schedule, so check at the door.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Cinema Impero visit or ticketUS$0 to 3The Art Deco facade on Harnet Avenue is free to view. A film ticket, when available, is cheap.
Accommodation (high season)US$25 to 40Simple guesthouse private rooms in central Asmara. Rates dip slightly in the rainy months.
FoodUS$6 to 12Injera with stew, pasta, and macchiato at local cafes. Sit-down restaurants cost more.
Local transportUS$0 to 3Most sights are walkable. Shared minibuses and short taxi rides cover the rest.
Coffee, snacks
… read more 👉
Cinema Impero can be seen on a budget of about US$55 a day in Asmara, and the building itself costs little to nothing to admire from outside. Visitors pay in nakfa, and the rates below are converted to US dollars. Entry to the interior depends on the screening schedule, so check at the door.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Cinema Impero visit or ticketUS$0 to 3The Art Deco facade on Harnet Avenue is free to view. A film ticket, when available, is cheap.
Accommodation (high season)US$25 to 40Simple guesthouse private rooms in central Asmara. Rates dip slightly in the rainy months.
FoodUS$6 to 12Injera with stew, pasta, and macchiato at local cafes. Sit-down restaurants cost more.
Local transportUS$0 to 3Most sights are walkable. Shared minibuses and short taxi rides cover the rest.
Coffee, snacks and extrasUS$3 to 6Cappuccino and pastries at the avenue cafes are the daily habit.
Total Daily BudgetUS$55Includes a mid-range guesthouse bed and meals.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

FAQTraveler FAQ

Cinema Impero needs only 20 to 30 minutes if you just want to photograph the Art Deco facade and look at the lobby. Add an hour if you catch a screening or stop for coffee on Harnet Avenue. Most travelers combine it with the Cathedral, Fiat Tagliero and the Medeber market in a single day of walking.
Cinema Impero is worth it mainly for the building, since outside viewing on Harnet Avenue is free and a film ticket, when offered, costs about US$0 to 3. The 1937 Art Deco design, with its tall columns and period interior, is a highlight of Asmara’s UNESCO-listed modernist center. If you only want photos, skip going in and spend the money on a macchiato at a nearby cafe.
Cinema Impero is on Harnet Avenue in the middle of Asmara, so once you are in the city you can walk there from most central guesthouses in 5 to 15 minutes. Flights reach Asmara International Airport, about 5 km from the center, and a taxi costs roughly US$5 to 10. From Massawa on the coast the road climbs about 115 km to Asmara and takes 3 to 4 hours by bus or shared taxi, usually US$3 to 6.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

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We 💚 feedbackParting advice and final tips

Cinema Impero is often treated as a ten-second photo stop from a passing taxi, and that wastes it. Walk Harnet Avenue slowly instead, cross to the far side for the full facade, then take a coffee at a nearby terrace and watch the building as the light changes. If a film is playing, I would buy a ticket.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on in-depth research, insights shared by experienced travelers, and feedback from the local travel community in Eritrea. While every effort is made to keep the information accurate and current, conditions can change — so if you spot anything incorrect or outdated, please get in touch.



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