Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The Addis Ababa skyline seen from Sheger Park during a golden hour sunset.

Ethiopia's high, busy capital, where coffee culture, museums and a long human story sit close together at 2,355 metres.

The place

Addis Ababa is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia, and at about 2,355 metres above sea level it is the highest capital in Africa. The name is Amharic for 'new flower'. The population is around 5.7 million, which makes it one of the biggest cities on the continent and gives it a sprawl of districts rather than one tidy centre. Ridges, valleys and steep streets shape daily life, so a morning of walking can feel like a proper workout at this height.

The city is the country's administrative and financial core, and it is also its main hub for culture and the arts. Government offices, banks, universities and theatres cluster in the central districts, and a steady flow of students, civil servants and visitors fills the cafés there through the afternoon. Most getting around is by minibus taxi along the main roads, with shared rides cheap but crowded.

The weather is kinder than the latitude suggests. Days are mild, nights can turn cool, and the main rains arrive in the summer months, when the streets become slick and the hills turn green. Traffic is heavy at lunchtime and during the evening rush, and busy junctions can take a long time to cross. Food and local transport are modest by international standards, though good hotels in the city are not cheap.

Its story

Addis Ababa was founded in 1886 by Menelik II, Negus of Shewa, after he tired of the cold, misty slopes of Mount Entoto and moved his court down to the hot springs below, a move that Empress Taytu Betul chose the site for and persuaded him to make. Before that, Mount Entoto, the high tableland north of the present city, was one of several candidates for a medieval imperial capital known as Barara. This fortified city served successive emperors for a long period until Ahmad ibn Ibrahim's army burned and looted it. Early European mapmakers recorded the wider district, placing the old city between two mountains on their maps.

The modern city began as a resort town. Its mineral springs drew nobles of the empire, then artisans, merchants and foreign visitors, who settled the slopes and valleys near the palace Menelik built soon afterwards. The town became the empire's capital, and foreign embassies followed. Building happened without any overall plan, so the layout still reflects the hills and the paths people walked long before.

The highlands around the city also feature in research into human origins. A study drawing on DNA from people around the world suggests that early humans left Africa from a place close to Addis Ababa, and that genetic diversity thins out the further one's ancestors travelled from the area. In the decades that followed the founding, a middle class grew up, with stone houses furnished with imported European furniture.

What to see

Culture

Addis Ababa is a melting pot of communities from across Ethiopia's regions, and it has long been the place where people from different backgrounds settle and mix. Cultural assimilation is widely seen here, and it shows in the food, music and speech of the streets. Art and performance are part of everyday life. The National Museum holds ceremonial costumes linked to the Solomonic dynasty and works by Afewerk Tekle, whose paintings include the meeting of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The city's theatres are busy too: the long-running Hager Fikir Theatre has hosted many prominent performers, and the Ethiopian National Theatre sits close to the centre. Coffee is a social ritual, and many conversations take place over long, slow cups. When you enter a church compound, dress modestly and take off your shoes where the floor is covered in matting.

What to wear

Traditional dress in Addis Ababa and across the highlands centres on cotton, usually hand-woven on narrow looms. The most familiar garment is the shamma, a white or cream wrap, often bordered with coloured stripes, worn over the shoulders. Women often wear the habesha kemis, a long white dress with woven bands at the hem and neckline, with a light netela shawl for church and celebrations. Men may wear the shamma too, or a jacket and trousers. Day to day, people in the city dress much as they would in any capital: jeans, shirts, T-shirts and office clothes, with smarter outfits for weddings and Sunday services.

What should a visitor wear? The evenings are cool at altitude, so a light jacket or layers help, and the midday sun can be strong. Choose clothing that covers shoulders and knees, especially for churches, mosques and museums where a guard may ask. Comfortable closed shoes work best on steep, uneven pavements, and a scarf is useful for church visits.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. Mid-November to January gives dry, mild days and clearer views of the surrounding hills. June to September is the main rainy season, when the city turns green but streets get wet and muddy. February to May brings the short rains, with warm days and showers that are heaviest in April and May.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Bole International Airport has two terminals. The older Terminal 1 handles domestic flights and most flights to neighbouring countries, while the newer Terminal 2 handles most other international flights, so check which terminal your airline uses. Taxis into town are easy to find at both terminals; agree the fare first or use a ride app. The railway from Djibouti via Dire Dawa is an option if you are travelling by train.

Budget. low

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources