Be ready for all cultural shock But you will love it if you want to discover Ethiopia really side I bought my shield there

This place is a local market, which is good for the experience but not practical for a person that is travelling you won't find anything good to buy you will stand out from the crowd and the kids will hassle and accompany you for at least a kilometer asking for money. This for me was more of a been there thing than enjoyment

The recycling center is perhaps one of the most interesting places in Addis Ababa. Here trash is broken down to be used for new items. It's very chaotic so if you're a tourist, I strongly advice bringing a local guide.

Nice place, one has to watch out for their belongings. The people are nice

Merkato is a large open-air market in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is one of the largest markets in Africa and is known for its bustling atmosphere and wide variety of goods for sale. Merkato is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, offering everything from clothing and textiles to spices, electronics, and traditional handicrafts. It is a vibrant and colorful place where you can experience the sights, sounds, and smells of Ethiopian culture.

A beautiful way to experience Ethiopian culture but not without its risks. You can find lovely trinkets, insense, spice, fresh produce & lots of locally produced goods. The market has many people looking for an opportunity so keep your belongings out of sight. It is chaotic, massive crowds & narrow paths with high traffic. You need very comfortable walking shoes due to uneven ground & be weary of surroundings. Many people walking past with heavy loads of metal, steel pipes etc, it's easy to hurt if you are not mindful. Vehicle also make a route through these narrow ways. The experience can be quite overwhelming if you're not prepared for it.

What is Merkato? Merkato (Amharic: መርካቶ) is a massive open-air market in the Addis Ketema district of Addis Ababa. It is often cited as one of Africa’s largest open-air markets, spanning many square kilometers and involving thousands of vendors. The name “Merkato” itself comes from the Italian “mercato” (meaning “market”). History & Evolution The present location was largely established during the Italian occupation (1936–1941). Under segregationist policies, local vendors were moved from earlier marketplaces (e.g. near St. George Church) into the area that became Merkato. Initially, the “St. George Mercato” was reserved for Europeans, and Arab merchants were pushed westward; over time, local Ethiopian traders gradually came to dominate the market by the 1960s. The market grew organically (without strict planning), expanding in all directions, and developed many specialized “zones” (for spices, electronics, metals, textiles, etc.).

The church itself is very beautiful and definitely worth a visit. Underneath the church are the tombs of national hero King Menelik II and his wife and daughter. This is a somewhat cramped, musky room without proper lighting.

Did not see much, unfortunately I come the time the church under repair and renovation.

The deacon of the church was kind enough to show me around, including taking me down into the sub level which was a surprise. The unique shape of the church was cool to see and the building itself is beautiful. It is a bit of a steep walk to get to the church from the parking area, and it's at a higher altitude so keep that in mind.

It is a great orthodox church that is located at the heart of adiss ababa which piassa the church has Georgis that went to war along side Ethiopians during the battle of adewa that was fought with the Italians

Such a calm and inspiring place. I love the old trees surrounding the church and both giving shade but also filter out the noises of the city now surrounding the church.

Cool exterior but tourists are expected to pay to enter. I snuck some pics before I told my driver to high-tail it out of there, though I like to say the spirit moved me 🙌🏻

A historical, classic architectural design erected before a century at the heart of the city.

We were quite disappointed with the Ethnological Museum. The exhibits lacked a clear structure, were poorly presented, and had few explanations provided. Many of the walls showed signs of water damage, and the pictures were either dirty or improperly hung. It seemed that there was little emphasis on conservation. Overall, our experience was disappointing. I would recommend visiting the National Museum instead.

This is a must to visit. The old palace converted to a university and has all the memorabilia from the emperor and African Union. It’s great to see the traditional culture and the different ethnicity that exist in Ethiopia

The museum is located in Addis Ababa university campus and houses exhibits on all aspects of Ethiopia, including tribal customs, wars against the Italians, and emperor Haile Selassie’s home. Over a nice collection of items, although there is significant room for improvement in terms of wayfinding and explanation.

What an interesting museum. I stopped here on a day trip and was happy I did; there's a lot of history in this museum and you could spend hours here.

For anyone like me who loves history, this is a must visit when in Addis Ababa. I could literally spend hours here with all the artefacts on display. Highly recommend.

I cannot explain how much I love this place! I lived here for a few years over ten years ago and coming back was a surprise: it has been renovated many times fully maintained its charm and essence. The former house of Emperor Haile Selassié is a national treasure and absolutely worth visiting to learn more about this amazing country!

Hidden gem of Addis Ababa. You have to walk through campus. Building is not marked well. It says institute at the entrance. Beautiful palace with a lot of historical things inside and art gallery.

is a good place to see traditional dresses of Ethiopians. A bit far from city centre but worth to visit.

A great option if you can’t make it to Merkato. Prices are very affordable and this is near Entoto Park. Lots of traditional clothing and a few crafts but outside there is pottery.

Loved it there. Lots of traditional clothes, fantastic people and good prices once you manage to bargain.

A famous market for traditional clothes. For foreigners they charge much more. So don't hesitate to ask a local friend to negotiate about the price. Also different quality standards are offered there.

The best place to buy Ethiopia traditional clothing you can get all the Ethiopian nationality clothes and souvenir.

shiromeda is a must visit if you are in Addis Ababa. here is all the traditional stuff. as Ethiopian folk costumes in all models (very difficult for us women 🤣), Ethiopian as baskets, paintings, Ethiopian coffee ceremony accessories rekobot, gebena, cini with short distances to go . it's a wonderful place to find lots of things. affordable 🙏🙏

When it comes to clothes, this is one of the best places to shop on Addis, nice people, very big with thousands of options, very cheap products, you absolutely will end up buying a lot of stuff from there. You can find whatever you are looking for.

The weather literally clouded my overall experience here but it was really nice to have such a wonderful and engaging tour guide to show me around the place. He was genuinely interested in making my visit a pleasant event and I appreciated how detailed his explanations of the exhibits were. The view of Addis Ababa was obscured by clouds but this is still a magical place to visit any time of year.

The road leading up to the church is very quiet and serene. The forest environment is very relaxing. The church provides a view of Addis from one of its sides. It also has a very sacred vibe.

The guide was so helpful and informative!! I loved the place and the history behind it.

Visited but stayed outside. Walked to the church from the outskirts of the city below (parked near the US Embassy). The walk was definitely worth it. There is a museum co-located on the church property. The church was built by Emperor Menelik II and is the burial place of Menelik and his wife Empress Taytu. Entrance to the museum requires a fee. (I didn’t visit the museum.)

I was happy to learn more about it from the guide who understands everything

♥️

A good monastery trip with my grandmother.. as she was born in addis ababa she like to visit this church everyones in a while.

Awesom

historic church and with an amazing arithetacture

Holly place

(Translated by Google) This photo is misplaced. It corresponds to the Church, which is just opposite, on the opposite side of the road. (Original) Esta foto está mal ubicada. Corresponde a la Iglesia, que está justo enfrente, al lado opuesto de la carretera.

(Translated by Google) May the Creator give us life and sanctify us as we walk in the morning like children. (Original) እድሜ ይስጠንና እንደልጅነታችን በጠዋት እየሄድን ለማስቀደስ ፈጣሪ ያብቃን።

(Translated by Google) Saint Raguel and Elias (Original) ቅዱስ ራጉኤል ወ ኤልያስ

Visited this important and culturally rich place during a weekend break. The atmosphere was very serene, offering a peaceful space for reflection. I could truly sense the deep history of Ethiopia, including its connection to the emperors and the nation’s heritage. A meaningful experience for anyone interested in Ethiopian culture and history. Highly recommended for a quiet and insightful visit.

Scenic but underwhelming in the rain—come prepared 🌧️🗻 Visited Mount Entoto on a rainy day, and while the location is vast and naturally beautiful, the experience felt limited due to the weather. Most activities were unavailable, and the view of Addis Ababa was foggy, with non-functional telescopes 🔭❌, which was disappointing given the mountain’s reputation for panoramic sights. The area includes two restaurants and one ice cream shop 🍽️🍦, but it was very cold 🧥❄️, so indoor seating and warm drinks are a must. The ambiance is peaceful, but without clear skies or active attractions, it’s easy to feel like you missed the full experience. Important tip: bring your own umbrella ☂️, as rentals are cash-only 🪙, and there’s no card option available. This small detail can make a big difference in comfort during unpredictable weather. Overall: 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for natural beauty and potential, but the visit needs better weather and working amenities to truly shine. Would love to return on a clear day to explore more of the park’s offerings and enjoy the full view.

A must to see place…. But not in the rain season and not on Ethiopian New Year (too many baggers around the church)

Place is awesome - a nice church and a very kind tour guide. We had a great time there but be aware - rather navigate to the church rather to the mountain top otherwise you will be stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Nice view

Had a great time @ the lung of Addis Ababa, the place to be if you are in need of spiritual uplifting or if you enjoy running on sundays upto the peak but be ready it is a treacherous uphill track of 8 km distance and for anyone who is a nature admirer. Mt. Entoto is @ 3100 mtr ASL

Awesome views of Addis Once you get over the hardship of the hike to the top, you can expect to see most of the city from the newly contracted view point. I was surprised to find a pedestrian and bicycle trails which are located about a hundred meters up hill from the view point

It's not worth travelling as it's too far and nothing interesting and difficult to walk to it, just a little bridge. Only the view is beautiful among mountains. If you have options, go on a real trip like Safari or Cultural to see authentic Ethiopia.

The views from this are spectacular..i highly recommend going here on a tour from addis ababa. Don't go with tour operators like viator, its a big ripoff, instead boom directly with local operators. I paid just 60USD for both debre lebanos and Portuguese bridge directly while its 80USD on viator

A very good place for site visitation and see some nature. Has a good waterfall and so many mountains and caves. It's one of good places to see if u can, the locals are good people and very nice.

It is one of the day trip place in Ethiopia. Two and half hour drive to the north part of Addis and you will reach the beautiful view. Portuguese Bridge is built in the 18th century. The water fall is beautiful rainy season time.

Beautiful landscape overlooking a valley at the blue nile gorge You can go for a swim and shower at the waterfall in the dry season, hike the hills and interact with baboons! The nearby Ethio-German lodge has a great camping spot It's close to Addis so it can be a great day trip!

Amazing in the rainy season. Park at the hotel. They do coffee etc. We were charged 200br each at the entrance. No receipt so could be a scam, correct me if I'm wrong. Well worth the trip from Addis.

Quite a drive from Addis (2 and half hours), and a bit bumpy in places, but it is definitely worth it, and must be among the top options for day trips from Addis. There is a bridge, but in the right season, a raging river running under it, then over a huge waterfall off a massive cliff. Looking out over the cliff from various viewpoints is a spectacular view of the whole valley below for miles and miles. On top of all of that, there were dozens of baboons, which you get pretty close to!

The falls are a real highlight during the raining season. The whole trip to get there is an adventure. You see how the locals live and walk through the primary forest. It’s very muddy, so bring proper shoes.

Great day trip from Bahir Dar. It takes about 2h drive and most of the road is pretty good. Amazing views of the waterfalls and you can get very very close to the water as well as right on the top edge of the falls. You will want to get a guide from the office at the beginning of the park, it costs 200bir. Our guide was very helpful and was definitely worth having him.

The water flow has been severely reduced due to the dam, but the waterfalls and surroundings are still impressive and worth a visit. Take the long way for a nice moderate hike with some excellent views. The hassle of the merchant children following you the entire way is annoying though, especially since this is a paid tourist attraction.

The Blue Nile is locally known as 'Tis Abay' which means 'Great Smoke'. You will need to engage / pay a guide to bring you to the waterfall from the drop off point. It took about 20-30 minutes thereabout to walk on basically flat ground to reach the waterfall. Not strenuous. The waterfall was striking and beautiful well worth the walk

This is a place you must visit if you are close to bahir dar city. You will travel there by bus and then get a ticket. I recommend you to take a walk not a boat at the first way. So many kids will try to sell trinkets and if you want photo then you will have to pay for it. So I azdvice you to bring some cookies or candies, but the best would be to give them pen, pencil or notebook or book, anything for their school. Don't limit your time, enjoy it. Blue Nile falls will greet you with its power & beauty.

Originally, the Blue Nile meandered away from Lake Tana before plunging violently over the side of a 400m (1,312ft) wide gorge into a chasm below. Unfortunately, due to hydroelectric projects upstream, the waterfall today is only a shadow of its former self.

The beauty of Abay river water fall is breathtaking. If you are around Bahir Dar you should visit it. But you should consider the season, the rainy season Starts in June and ends in October.

Gorgeous and originally home made paints for the art works!!!

I admired you, what you are doing go ahead !! Nice art work.

Easy going market with many items to look at. The market was burnt down some years back and has been rebuilt a couple of times. I have always felt comfortable walking here and have not experienced pick pockets. However you will be expected to pay foreigner rates for items unless you understand the language to properly barter.

Fun market, typical as well We discovered a place were they serve great juice.

Good market, big variety of spices.

Nice place to go shopping for farm fresh produce

Fresh fish served in a traditional way 😋

Bahir dar car spare k04

Vary Good Bright City

I have visited a two monasteries in the peninsula . It took me about one hour swim by boat . I really amazed by the murals paintings of the monastery . As per my guide the painting were drawn in the sixteenth century and it has actually a very good quality condition. There were two monastery but honestly to visit one is enough . Both of them are similar and don’t really has differences

Just a truely beautiful and spiritual site. Absolutely worth the visit

Azwa Mariam Monastery is a great and easily accessible ancient religious site at Zeghe peninsula, Lake Tana. You can take a 40 minutes boat ride to reach there. I recommend that visiting Azwa Mariam would be more interesting and more beneficial for local community, if local souvenirs sellers don't keep asking visitors to buy their items. It is also better for the sellers to have differentiated items for sale. Enjoy your visits to Azwa Mariam!

Nice murals paintings, like the other monasteries on the peninsula. Strange that we were asked to pay 300 birrs for “guiding” at the beginning and then did not have a guide at all to explain anything inside on this site, unlike the others... Peaceful place that would be even better without the 50 salers that harass you to buy stuff on your way to the monastery.

Beautiful church and island forest full of birds

The monastery can be easily accessible after five minutes walk from the boat stop. Shopping different icons from locals until to the main gate of the monastery is usual which has replicas and symbols of the paintings from the main church. Don't forget that you are supporting the local community while you are buying those replicas and icons . The main gate of the church compound has three doors like the doors we found in holy of holies . The church has builted from mud mixed with straw and rocks between ....it has grass touched roof as well... don't forget to notice and ring the old or ancient time rock bell before you go inside the church .....

Great boat ride to get here. Coffee grows naturally under the canopy.