Ethiopia sightseeing. Travel guide - attractions, sights, nature and touristic places

This country amazes visitors with sunny weather all year round and the atmosphere of celebration. The best way to start exploration of Ethiopia is to visit the old cities of Axum and Gondar. The first one was founded more than three thousand years ago and was long used as a residence of the Solomonic dynasty. The city is rich in ancient buildings and monuments. The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion is one of the most famous landmarks of Axum. According to a legend, the shrine was used to hide a precious artefact – the Arc of the Covenant that was brought to the city by King Menelik. Gondar is famous for magnificent palaces of the 16th – 18th centuries. One of these palaces has been transformed into the Museum of History and now it exhibits a large collection of precious items. There are several important sights in Gondar suburbs. These are a complex of ancient monasteries built in the 13th – 15th centuries and a complex of pools with healing spring water.

The city of Harar is another popular tourist destination in Ethiopia. The most famous places of interest in the city include the Governor’s Palace, Coptic churches and several mosques. Fans of shopping should consider visiting Dire Dawa, one of the largest merchant cities in the country. Exotic markets, bazaars and shops occupy almost a half of the city. Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, is a traditional travel destination. Guests of the city are recommended to visit such sights as St. George’s Church, the Palace of King Menelik II, the Palace of Africa, Art and Archaeological Museums, and Mercato market.

The city of Lalibela is an important religious centre of Ethiopia – it’s territory includes 11 ancient churches. All the churches are located on the hills and some were made from solid rock. House of the Saviour of the World is the biggest church in Lalibela, and House of Miriam/House of Mary is the oldest church that amazes visitors with its architecture. There are many more ancient churches in the city, such as House of the Cross, House of Virgins and Church of Saint George. Quite an interesting fact – all the churches are connected to each other by a system of tunnels, so visitors can easily see all the sanctuaries located on different hills. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Beautiful nature reserves are mostly located in the northern part of the country. One of them is located around Lake Tana. The Blue Nile Falls, which are surrounded with picturesque tropic coppices, are a famous tourist attraction. Finally, there are several national park zones in the south of Ethiopia. Lake Abaya remains the biggest landmark of that part of the country.

History and Entertainment

Ethiopia attracts many fans of exotic tourism. It is not a coincidence that this African country is one of the most extraordinary in the world. Many age-old traditions are still alive here. Surprisingly, the most of the natives profess Orthodox Christianity. The natives annually celebrate interesting religious holidays that go hand in hand with age-old rites.

Pilgrims love visiting the ancient city of Lalibela where old underground churches and wells are located. They were constructed at the dawn of the modern civilization. Today, there unique religious artifacts kept in these churches. One of them is the unique Bible that was written over 600 years ago. It should be noted that the country lives in accordance with a special calendar that is 8 years behind the global one. There are not 12 but 13 months in the year, which explains such a special calendar.

Ethiopia is one of the largest coffee producers in the world. This beverage is national here. You can drink a cup of fragrant coffee anywhere in the country, for example, in small cafes located on markets or near highways. Surprisingly, coffee is made even in such modest venues. The guests of Ethiopia can buy different types of this popular beverage and accessories for making them in multiple gift shops.

The national cuisine of Ethiopia deserves a special attention too. It was formed under the influence of nearby countries and European colonizers. The natives also have a special type of bread called indjera that resembles flatbread. Another popular national dish is vat ragout that is made of different ingredients. These are fish and meat versions of this specialty and any vegetables can be added to it.

Connoisseurs of flourishing dishes should taste tibs, juicy beef chops. Most of the national meat dishes are served with hot spices. Gourmets will be certainly impressed by prices here, as they are quite low at local restaurants. You can have incredible dinner with the most popular national specialties at a reasonable price. Besides coffee, another national beverage is honey wine called tedj.