Addis Ababa: a first-timer's guide to the capital

Why the capital is worth your time

Many travellers rush through Addis on the way north, but the city is the best introduction to Ethiopia you could ask for. In a couple of days you can see three million years of human history, eat injera with a dozen kinds of wat, sit through a slow coffee ceremony and hear Ethio-jazz played live. It is big, busy and still being rebuilt, with new parks, wide boulevards and towers rising beside old tin-roofed neighbourhoods.

Museums and history

The National Museum of Ethiopia is home to Lucy, known in Amharic as Dinkinesh, a skeleton of an early human ancestor more than three million years old. The Ethnological Museum, set in Haile Selassie's former palace on the Addis Ababa University campus, is one of the best museums in Africa, telling the story of the country's many peoples. Holy Trinity Cathedral holds the tombs of Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen, and the Red Terror Martyrs' Memorial Museum is a moving account of the Derg years.

The new parks

Unity Park, inside the grounds of the Grand Palace, opens rooms used by emperors and has a small zoo with black-maned lions. Entoto Park, on the forested hills north of the city, has walking trails, viewpoints and cafés, and is a good place to adjust to the altitude. Friendship Park and the Sheger riverside projects add green space in the centre.

Merkato and the markets

Merkato is often called the largest open-air market in Africa: a maze of lanes selling spices, coffee, baskets, recycled goods and everything in between. Go with a local guide or a friend, carry little and keep your phone out of sight, as pickpockets work the crowds. For a gentler shopping trip, the Shiro Meda market on the road to Entoto is full of handwoven cotton scarves and dresses.

Food, coffee and music

Addis has restaurants for every budget, from simple places serving shiro and tibs to cultural restaurants with dancers from every region. Try kitfo, Ethiopia's spiced minced beef, and on fasting days a beyaynetu platter of vegan stews. Coffee is everywhere, from historic roasters such as Tomoca to street stalls where women roast beans over charcoal. In the evening, Bole and Kazanchis have bars and clubs, and a handful of venues keep Ethio-jazz alive.

Where to stay

Bole, close to the airport, is the most convenient area for first-timers, with hotels, restaurants and nightlife. Kazanchis and the area around Meskel Square are central for business. Piassa, the old city centre, has character and history but is busier and rougher around the edges. There are international hotel brands, comfortable mid-range hotels and simple guesthouses.

Getting around

Ride-hailing apps such as Ride and Feres are the easiest way to get around and avoid haggling. Blue and white minibus taxis are cheap but crowded. The light rail runs east to west and north to south, though it is busy at peak times. Traffic is heavy, so allow plenty of time to reach the airport.

Altitude and safety

At about 2,350 metres, you may feel short of breath or tired at first. Take the first day slowly and drink plenty of water. Addis is generally calm for visitors, but bag snatching and pickpocketing happen, especially in Merkato, Piassa and around Meskel Square, so stay alert and use registered taxis or apps at night.