Sarra & Endrias
Things To Do
Entoto Hill & Shiro Meda
Located at the very edge of the city, Entoto hill is close to the centre of the capital, and is great way to get a truly memorizing view of the city. Located on a hill at the north of the capital, Entoto Mountain (or Mount Entoto) rises to 3000m above sea level and, on a clear day, the vista of the bustling city spread before you really is very impressive. There’s a beautiful church set at the top of this elevation too of course and at the foot is one of the best markets in the city.Known for its locally-produced textiles Shiro Meda, This is the perfect place to pick up some great souvenirs at some of the best prices. Wonderfully free of tourists, it provides a very genuine and authentic shopping experience.
Piazza District
The Piazza area of Addis Ababa is one district you can’t miss either when you visit this capital. A historical heart of the city, albeit when it was much smaller, the Piazza region still feels very traditional and a visit there can be a bit like stepping back in time. With many old colonial buildings, constructed by the Italians during their invasion of the county, the Piazza hub can definitely be seen as the “old town” of Addis Ababa. Top attractions include the Post office, which is still operational, the Itegue Taitu Hotel, the stone Bank of Abyssinia and a Greek Orthodox Church. There’s also one of the most famous cafes in the whole city here - Tomoka - and sitting down to enjoy a strong Ethiopian coffee here is essentially a rite of passage when you visit this county!
Merkato
Rumoured to be the largest street market in the whole of Africa - and this really is quite a title - this huge sprawling mass of street sellers is a feast for the senses as the smells, tastes, sights and sounds of Ethiopian culture waft towards you.
Bishoftu (Debre Zeyit)
Heading back out of the city for a day trip from Addis and absolutely one of the best things to enjoy when you are in Ethiopia's capital is an excursion to Bishoftu. Formerly known as Debre Zeyit, this is an area of natural significance that lies to the south-east of the city. Famous for its array of lakes, some of which vary in colors and all of which are home to some incredible birdlife, this is a spectacular destination for those looking to get their wildlife fix in Ethiopia. 5 crater lakes dominate the scenery here and many upscale resorts provide visitors from Addis Abeba with the perfect excuse for a weekend retreat. Join them here on either a Friday or Saturday, or visit during the week for a quieter trip to this area of stunning natural beauty.
Awash National Park
Another top day trip from Addis Ababa you can’t miss when you visit Ethiopia is Awash National Park. Located to the east of the city, this park lies on the road that heads out towards the UNESCO city of Harar and the neighbouring country of Djibouti. Approximately 200km from the capital, Awash National Park was established in 1966 and has since been a key reserve to protect much of Ethiopia’s unique wildlife. Visiting this National Park will give you a key opportunity to spot East Africa Oryx, North African Ostriches, Dik-Diks, Kudus, Warthogs, Gazelles, many different bird species and potentially even African Wild Dogs. It is also home to some fascinating volcanic features that form part of its landscape, including bubbling hot springs.
Fendika Azmari Bet
An evening idea centered around local arts and culture, Fendika, fuses traditional performance elements and styles with modern international influences. This is the primary modern arts centre in Addis and is an absolutely incredible place to check out, especially on a Friday, which is the busiest night of the week here. Established by famous contemporary dance performer and choreographer Melaku Belay, this is an extraordinarily visionary artistic hub, situated in a country with an already highly unique cultural heritage. There’s a bar at Fendika too, which means entertainment evenings take place in a casual and social environment and a small gallery space also features a revolving exhibition of local artists’ work. A little ramshackled, but full of fun, Fendika is the one place you must spend an evening when you visit Addis.
National Museum of Ethiopia (የኢትዮጵያ ብሔራዊ ሙዚየም)
While this cultural destination is small and fairly unassuming, this museum has one very important artifact that makes it impossible to leave off this list, and that is Lucy (aka Dinkinesh). In pragmatic terms, Lucy is several hundred pieces of bone fossils representing 40 percent of a female skeleton from the species we homo sapiens developed from! Doesn’t sound that exciting, but in more emotive terms Lucy is the oldest living human ever found! Discovered in 1974 in Ethiopia’s Awash Valley, Lucy is thought to be around 3.2 million years old. She is named after the famous Beatles’ song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, which was apparently played repeatedly in the camp of the archaeologists who discovered here! Now Lucy sits on the ground floor of the National Museum of Ethiopia and paying a small entrance fee of just 10 Birr, means you can glimpse this amazing, ancient lady in all her pieced together beauty.