An ancient harbour city, Berbera has been a crossroads of trade since the Middle Ages, thanks to its strategic location on the Horn of Africa and its deep waters on the Gulf of Aden.
In the Middle Ages it was the capital of the Ifat Sultanate and in the following centuries it was one of the major centres of resistance to the Ethiopian kingdom, eventually becoming the capital under British colonisation. Its location has always made it an important stop on the Indies trade route and even today much of Somaliland’s economy is linked to the maritime trade that passes through its port, as well as being one of Ethiopia’s main outlets to the sea.
Strolling through the sandy streets of the old Ottoman quarter of Darole, amidst an infinity of minarets and crumbling buildings, allows one to immerse oneself in the ancient atmosphere, languid and silent, of this town, which sleeps under a scorching sky and suddenly wakes up only near the port or in some market, where all commercial activities are concentrated.
Not far from the town centre is the beautiful golden beach of Baathela, where you can find refreshment and spend a few hours of relaxation, perhaps diving into the beautiful seabed nearby.
