Places To Visit in Exotic Ethiopia
Best Places to See in Ethiopia
You may be asking yourself, Does Ethiopia have attractions? Well, there are actually plenty of things to see on the roof of Africa. With an area of 1,104,300 square kilometers, Ethiopia is not a small country.
We recommend that you visit all of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites available in Ehtiopia, get to know its unique culture, or simply relax on your holiday getaway. The country is enormous and offers new adventures on almost every corner. Here we present you the best sights and best highlights for your Ethiopia trips in more detail.
Ethiopia eVisa
Your first step should be to obtain an Ethiopia eVisa, which is an electronic visa that enables its holders to visit Ethiopia for either 30 or 90 days. What’s the most convenient about handling the eVisa entry permit is the fact that the application process can be completed entirely online.
Applying for an eVisa to Ethiopia can be done from home or any other place using your phone, laptop, or any other working device! Make sure to have a stable internet connection and fill the application form with your data. After filling the application form, make an online payment and wait for your approved Ehtiopia eVisa to arrive at your e-mail address in a PDF form!
The best places to see in Ethiopia
Addis Ababa: Addis Merkato and Co.
Wikimedia Commons by: Dave Proffer
The capital Addis Ababa is colorful, it is lively, and it is a real melting pot. A visit to the market is a must. It is the largest market in East Africa and cannot be beaten in terms of confusion. Thousands upon thousands of colors and smells patter down on you.
You can find:
- jewelry,
- animals,
- handicrafts,
- antiques,
- and curiosities.
Incidentally, the name Addis Mercato is a holdover from the Italian colonial era.
Caution: You should not carry your camera around the shoulder when visiting. “Opportunity to invite thieves” also applies to Ethiopia.
With several square kilometers, the Addis Ababa market is the largest open-air market in Africa, beating even countries like South Africa, Senegal, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. It has an estimated 13,000 employees in 7,100 companies. Everything is sold from cattle to computers. However, the most important commodities are agricultural products from local cultivation, especially the famous Ethiopian coffee.
Mount Entoto
Wikimedia Commons by: BenschF
Another attraction that shouldn’t be missed is the local mountain, Mount Entoto. From the top, you have the best view of the city. There are also two of the oldest Ethiopian Orthodox Christian churches, St. Raguel (Elias) and St. Mary of Entoto.
With a height of 3,200 meters above sea level, the Entoto makes Addis Ababa the highest capital in Africa. Nevertheless, the city itself is no higher than the world’s highest capital, Quito, in Ecuador. On Mount Entoto, visitors can explore the historic Church of St. Mary (St. Mary of Entoto, including a museum), the palace of Emperor Menelik II, and the Church of St. Raguel, which is known for its approximately 140-year-old hand-painted wall and ceiling paintings.
Also worth seeing in Addis Ababa are the Trinity Church, the round church of St. Georgis, and the National Museum with the partial fossil skeleton of Lucy, the oldest woman found in the world so far.
Insider tip: A visit to Mount Entoto at sunset is particularly nice because you have a great view of Addis Ababa from up here.
Rock-hewn churches of Lalibela
On a round trip in the North of Ethiopia, you can discover the country’s whole pride: The rock-hewn churches of Lalibela and the most important of the sights of Ethiopia. More precisely, eleven churches were carved as monoliths from the surrounding rock formation around the year 1250. Doors, windows, columns, floors, and roofs were carved out by chiseling. The building of the rock-hewn churches was initially attributed to King Lalibela, who wanted to build a “New Jerusalem” in the 12th century.
While the wonder of the world outside of Ethiopia has only been known for around 60 years, the buildings are still visited by Ethiopian Orthodox pilgrims today. The churches of Lalibela were registered in 1978 as the first world cultural heritage site in Ethiopia on the list of UNESCO world heritage sites based on a resolution of the second session of the World Heritage Committee. Since then, they have been protected from earthquakes and water damage.
Tip: To visit the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, take off your shoes and shuffle across the sacred area in socks. Take an additional pair with you to change into later on!
Final words
Picking the best places to see in Ethiopia was very difficult as there are so many places worth visiting. Plan your journey and make your own list of the best places to see in Ethiopia!
