Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ADDIS ABABA IN…
Two Days
Start in Piazza with a steaming espresso at
Tomoca
, before visiting
St George Cathedral & Museum
. Next, get
ready to say hello to Auntie Lucy, your long-lost ancestor, in the
National Museum
. From there, stroll north and
absorb the magnitude of the
Yekatit 12 Monument
.
After lunch, explore the massive
Merkato
and, after checking you still have all your belongings, finish the day
dining and drinking
tej
(honey wine) at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant, while enjoying a show of song and
dance.
Day two, and the morning kicks off with more culture when you marvel at the brilliant
Ethnological Museum
.
In the afternoon, pay your respects to Emperor Haile Selassie at the
Holy Trinity Cathedral
and then be moved
to tears by the powerful displays in the new
'Red Terror' Martyrs Memorial Museum
. Finish your day off on a
more cheerful note at the wonderful
La Mandoline restaurant
.
Four Days
With four days, you could complete the two-day itinerary at a slower pace (more espressos!), squeezing in extra
sights like the
Bete Maryam Mausoleum
and
Asni Gallery
. Another well-worthwhile alternative is to head out
of town to the extraordinary
Washa Mikael Church
or get some fresh air walking in the
Entoto Mountains
and
visit the
Entoto Maryam Church
.
A lack of firewood for the rapidly growing population threatened the future of Addis
Ababa in 1896 and Menelik even started construction of a new capital, Addis Alem (New
World), 50km to the west. In the end, it was the suggestion of a foreigner (thought to be
French) to introduce the rapidly growing eucalyptus tree that saved the new capital.
Since 1958 Addis Ababa has been the headquarters of the UN Economic Commission
for Africa (ECA) and, since 1963, the secretariat of the Organisation of African Unity
(OAU). Many regard the city as 'Africa's diplomatic capital'.
NAVIGATING ADDIS
Addis Ababa is massive and incoherent. To navigate the city, it's best to break it down into distinct districts.
The
city centre
is at the end of Churchill Ave, the southern section of which is named Gambia St. Here you'll
find many government and commercial buildings.
To the north is
Piazza
, a district whose legacy and architecture is owed to the Italian occupation. Piazza is found
atop the hill at Churchill Ave's north end and houses budget hotels, as well as many cafes and bars.