Stand at Meskel Square and look north-west up the rise of the road towards Sidist Kilo, and the city lays itself out in front of you: Africa Hall, the Parliament building, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Museum, the university. It is a walk that tells you more about Addis Ababa than any single stop along it.
Addis Ababa suits travellers who are curious about history, religion and living culture rather than polished attractions. The city sits high, the air is thin and cool, and the best days mix churches and museums with markets and mountain air.
This guide covers the sights named in the source material, with practical notes on what to combine and when to go.
Top things to do in Addis Ababa
1. Walk from Meskel Square to Sidist Kilo
This road is the spine of the city's civic and cultural life. Along the way you pass Africa Hall, the Parliament building, the palaces, the Hilton Hotel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, the Sheraton Hotel, the first modern school built by Emperor Menelik II in the 1880s, Holy Trinity Cathedral, the National Museum and Addis Ababa University, which hosts a former palace and museum.
Do it on foot if you have the time, since the sequence is the point. Continue past Sidist Kilo and the road steepens, with the Entoto college, the US Embassy and the Shiro Meda market on the right-hand side.
2. Unity Park
Opened in October 2019, this is one of the principal sights in Addis Ababa. It is open daily from 09:00 to 16:00, with last entry at 15:00.
Because last entry is at 15:00, plan it as an afternoon stop rather than a late one, and give yourself room to walk the grounds properly.
3. National Museum of Ethiopia
On King George VI St, between Arat Kilo Ave and the University of Addis Ababa Graduate School, and open 08:30–17:00. The most famous exhibit is the replica of Lucy, an early hominid, and the collection spans thousands of years of Ethiopian civilization, from sculptures to clothing to artwork, both traditional and modern.
The displays are modest and much of the museum is undergoing renovation and closed, so treat it as a focused visit. It sits naturally on the Meskel Square to Sidist Kilo walk.
4. Ethnological Museum
On Algeria St, also known as the Museum and Library of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies. Exhibits cover the history and culture of Ethiopia, with displays on the country's various ethnic groups including outfits, instruments, tools and other artefacts. It is housed in the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie, and you can visit his bedroom.
It is on the university campus, which places it on the same route as the National Museum and the Sidist Kilo walk. Hours are 08:00–17:00 Monday to Friday and 09:00–17:00 at weekends.
5. Holy Trinity Cathedral
Off Niger St in the Arat Kilo area, built to commemorate the country's liberation from the Italians, with many victims of the occupation buried here. Emperor Haile Selassie's body was moved here in 2000, which is why locals call it Haile Selassie Church. The surrounding cemetery holds notable Ethiopians, including Patriarchs, Prime Ministers, athletes, musicians and football commentators, and the suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst is buried in the churchyard. There is a small museum on the site and a number of smaller churches.
Hours are 08:00–13:00 and 14:00–18:00, with the museum at 08:00–12:00 and 14:00–17:00. As with all churches in Ethiopia, shoes must be left outside.
6. St George's Cathedral
At the north end of Churchill Rd in the Piazza area, north-west of Menelik Sq, built in 1896 to commemorate Ethiopia's victory over the Italians. The cathedral is an octagonal building, and as you walk around it you will notice people praying beside the walls. The interior is decorated with large paintings and mosaics.
The cathedral can only be visited with a guide, and the nearby museum has a well-displayed collection including ceremonial clothes and ancient manuscripts. Museum hours are 09:00–12:00 and 14:00–18:00. No photography is allowed in the museum, but you can take photos inside the cathedral without flash.
7. Gola Saint Michael Church
In the city centre, next to the Federal immigration office, this is one of the many old churches in Addis Ababa. You can see old paintings by many Ethiopian celebrity artists, and there is a museum displaying church articles given by famous people of the country, including Emperor Haile Selassie and his Empress.
Pair it with the city-centre stretch of the Meskel Square to Sidist Kilo route, since it sits close to that line of sights.
8. Entoto Mountains and the first churches
The marketplace of Shiro Meda sits at the foot of the Entoto Mountains, which rise to 3,300 m above sea level, and traditional craftsmen there sell homemade fabrics, pots and other craftwork. On the mountain you will find the first churches of Addis Ababa, called Saint Mary and Saint Raguel, and a smaller palace of Menelik II.
Take a taxi or a bus up unless you intend to walk it yourself. Walking the mountain, especially between the churches, gives you rural life, the city, forest and landscape intersected by farmlands and farmers' trails, and it is from here that Menelik II and Queen Taitu conceived the establishment of Addis Ababa.
9. Addis Ababa Museum
On Bole Rd near Meskel Square, focusing on artefacts and exhibits from Addis Ababa. The building was once a palace where Ras Biru Habte-Gabriel, a former Minister of War, resided.
Hours are 08:30–12:30 and 13:30–17:30 Tuesday to Friday, and 08:30–11:30 on Saturday. It is a natural companion to the Red Terror Martyrs Memorial Museum, which is adjacent to Meskel Square.
10. "Red Terror" Martyrs Memorial Museum
On Bole Rd at Meskel Sq, adjacent to the square, open daily 08:00–18:30. It concerns those who lost their lives in the time of the Derg, and opened in 2010 with a modern style of display. The memorial does not set out to be an encyclopaedic collection but a simple and powerful reminder.
It is worth a quick visit and will not take more than about 15 minutes. Entry is by donation.
11. Medhane Alem Cathedral
On Cameroon St in Bole subcity, near Bole International Airport. Its name means "Saviour of the World". Built in 1890, it has a relatively plain exterior but a colourful interior, particularly inside the dome.
It is the practical stop if you are already in the Bole area, for instance before or after a flight.
12. Anwar Mosque
In the Mercato district, impressive for its arcades and several minarets, and repainted at least twice in the 2010s and early 2020s.
Combine it with the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Nativity, also in the Mercato district, to make one trip to the market area.
13. Roman Catholic Cathedral of Nativity
On Wawel St in the Mercato district, a brick church with a square tower. Masses are held in Amharic and Ge'ez.
It pairs directly with Anwar Mosque, so you can see both in a single Mercato outing.
14. Arat Kilo and Sidist Kilo monuments
Arat Kilo Avenue is marked by a statue built in commemoration of the Ethiopian day of victory during the Second World War, while Sidist Kilo Avenue is marked by a statue commemorating some 39,000 residents of Addis Ababa killed by Italian fascist troops. Around Arat Kilo you will find part of an old town known as Serategna Sefer, literally the residential area of labourers.
These sit on the same road as the Meskel Square to Sidist Kilo walk, so you pass them rather than making a separate trip.
15. Ethiopian Railway Museum
On Yima Dernisse Street at La Gare, in the old French-built railway station of the city. There is no formal office within, but you can see 1930s carriages and locomotives on display outside, and there is a restaurant and a cafe.
Much of the area around the station is under construction for a new high-rise residential district, so expect building work nearby. The Lion of Judah of Menelik stands near the former railway station, so see the two together.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Meskel Square and walk the road towards Sidist Kilo, taking in Africa Hall, the Parliament building, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, the first modern school, Holy Trinity Cathedral, the National Museum of Ethiopia and Addis Ababa University. If time allows, add the Addis Ababa Museum near Meskel Square before you set off.
Afternoon: Continue to Sidist Kilo and on to Shiro Meda at the foot of the Entoto Mountains, then head up the mountain to Saint Mary and Saint Raguel and the smaller palace of Menelik II. If you would rather stay in the city, use the afternoon for the Ethnological Museum on Algeria St and St George's Cathedral in the Piazza area.
Evening: Return to Meskel Square for the "Red Terror" Martyrs Memorial Museum, which is open until 18:30 and takes only about 15 minutes, then finish with a meal near the square.
Frequently asked questions
When should I visit Unity Park?
It is open daily from 09:00 to 16:00, with last entry at 15:00, so plan to arrive well before mid-afternoon.
Can I visit St George's Cathedral on my own?
The cathedral can only be visited with a guide. The nearby museum is open 09:00–12:00 and 14:00–18:00, and photography is not allowed inside it, though you can photograph the cathedral interior without flash.
Is the National Museum of Ethiopia fully open?
Much of the museum is undergoing renovation and closed, though the replica of Lucy and a wide range of artefacts remain the reason to go. It is open 08:30–17:00.
How do I reach the Entoto Mountains?
You can take a taxi or a bus up the mountain unless you prefer to walk it yourself. The walk between Saint Mary and Saint Raguel is the rewarding part, and Shiro Meda market sits at the foot of the mountains.
Pick the walk from Meskel Square to Sidist Kilo as your first morning, and the rest of Addis Ababa will arrange itself around it.