The souqs are lively and colourful, with many people dressed in clothes unique to their tribe.
Souq an-Niswaan is the "women's souq" where baskets and mats are made, as well as coffee making equipment and incense.
Souq ar-Rashaida is where the Rashaida tribe gather, selling their bright red and black robes for women and coloured jellabiyas for men.
Khatmiya
is the old part of Kassala, underneath the mountains of Taka, Totil and Aweitila huge, you can't miss them. The main sight is the tomb of Seyyid Hassan, a local holy man who is buried in a roofless dome next to a semi-ruined mosque. Locals tell you that he is so holy that when it rains, not a drop falls through the hole in the roof. Next to the tomb is a Qur'anic school for boys.Behind the tomb, you can climb the slopes of Jebel Totil. On the lower slopes, there are several cafes built into the rock, serving the best coffee in Kassala. There is also the famous well of Totil. If you drink from it, legend has it that you will return to Kassala one day.
The Gash River runs through Kassala, but for most of the year it is a dry sandy riverbed, used for football practice in the evenings. In the rainy season, water cascades down from the Eritrean mountains and charges through the city, making the riverbanks a popular place to walk in the evenings. However, the Gash is a dangerous river, having flooded twice recently 07 and 03 causing huge amounts of damage to the whole city.
On the other side of the Gash, you reach an area called Sikka Hadiid, which is the old railway quarter. The original railway station still stands, all impressive and colonial but abandoned now. Around this are British built round brick huts, which used to house railway workers and is now a popular place for students to live.
To the south, the Sawagi Janubiyya southern gardens is a collection of villages surrounded by mango and guava orchards alongside the Gash.
