What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Photo: Christian Alemu / Pexels
Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia and a large inland city. Most visitors come for its museums, churches and markets. Arat Kilo has the National Museum of Ethiopia, Holy Trinity Cathedral and Unity Park. Piazza has St George's Cathedral and the Adwa Victory Memorial, and Merkato is good for shopping and street life. Entoto Park and Entoto Maryam Church sit in the Entoto Hills. The best months to visit are November, December, January and February.
Plan a few days. Most sights take 1 to 3 hours, but Entoto Park needs half a day. To save time, group your visits by area: Arat Kilo, Piazza, Meskel Square and Merkato. Bole suits first-timers on short stays.
Arat Kilo
The country's main museum is best known for its early human fossils, including a cast of 'Lucy', the famous Australopithecus skeleton found in Ethiopia. Upper floors cover Ethiopian history, royal objects and modern art.
Arat Kilo
This large Ethiopian Orthodox cathedral holds the tombs of Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen. Its stained glass, murals and quiet churchyard make it one of the city's most visited religious sites.
Sidist Kilo (Addis Ababa University)
Housed in Haile Selassie's former palace on the university campus, it presents the cultures of Ethiopia's many peoples through daily objects, music instruments and religious art. You can also see the emperor's preserved bedroom and bathroom.
Grand Palace (Arat Kilo)
The grounds of Emperor Menelik II's palace, now open to visitors, include historic palace buildings, the banquet hall, gardens and a small zoo. It gives a rare look inside the old seat of Ethiopian power.
Merkato
Often described as one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, Merkato is a maze of streets selling spices, coffee, cloth, crafts and recycled goods. It is crowded and easy to get lost in, so many visitors go with a local guide.
Entoto Hills
The forested hills above the city were Menelik II's base before Addis Ababa was founded, and the Entoto Maryam Church is where he was crowned. The park adds walking trails, viewpoints over the city and cafés, with cooler air thanks to the height.
Meskel Square
This small museum tells the story of the violence under the Derg military government, with photos, personal items and the remains of victims. It is a sobering but important visit for understanding modern Ethiopia.
Piazza
An octagonal Orthodox cathedral built by Menelik II to celebrate the victory at Adwa, with paintings by noted Ethiopian artists. A small museum on site shows crowns, robes and religious objects.
Piazza
A large modern memorial and museum honouring the Ethiopian victory over Italy at the Battle of Adwa. Exhibits explain the battle and its meaning for Ethiopia and for Africa's fight against colonial rule.
Mekanisa
An art space with buildings made from mud, straw and stone in traditional styles, set among gardens and contemporary art. It is a calm contrast to the busy city centre and has a café and shop.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best month: January | 22°C / 8°C | 2 days (8 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 9.7/10 |
| Best month: February | 23°C / 10°C | 5 days (21 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 9.0/10 |
| March | 23°C / 11°C | 9 days (53 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 8.2/10 |
| April | 23°C / 11°C | 16 days (115 mm) | 10.6 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| May | 22°C / 11°C | 15 days (121 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| June | 21°C / 10°C | 22 days (203 mm) | 10.4 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| July | 19°C / 10°C | 31 days (345 mm) | 8.7 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| August | 19°C / 10°C | 31 days (307 mm) | 9.1 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| September | 19°C / 9°C | 24 days (207 mm) | 10.4 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| October | 20°C / 9°C | 6 days (36 mm) | 11.3 h/day | 8.9/10 |
| Best month: November | 21°C / 8°C | 3 days (9 mm) | 11.2 h/day | 9.5/10 |
| Best month: December | 21°C / 8°C | 1 day (2 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 9.9/10 |
Dry and sunny, with highs around 21.5°C, lows near 8.1°C and only 1.5 rain days. A best month, with a score of 9.7.
Highs of 22.6°C and 4.9 rain days. It stays mostly dry, with 10.9 sun hours a day. Rated best, with a score of 9.
The warmest highs of the year, at 23.1°C. Showers return, with 9.2 rain days. Still rated best, with a score of 8.2.
Highs of 22.5°C, but rain days jump to 16.1 and 115 mm of rain falls. Rated good, with a score of 7.
Highs of 22.1°C, with 14.8 rain days and 121 mm of rain. There is still plenty of sun between showers. Rated good, with a score of 7.
The main rainy season begins, with 21.7 rain days and 203 mm of rain. Highs drop to 20.7°C. Rated good, with a score of 7.
Tough weather: this is the wettest month, with rain almost every day. Expect 30.6 rain days, 345 mm and highs of only 19.1°C. Rated good, at 7.
Another very wet month, with 30.9 rain days and 307 mm of rain. Days are cool, with highs of 19°C. Rated good, with a score of 7.
The rain eases but stays heavy, with 24 rain days and 207 mm. Highs are around 19.2°C. Rated good, with a score of 7.
The dry season returns, with only 5.5 rain days and the most sun of the year, at 11.3 hours. Highs of 20.3°C. Rated best, at 8.9.
Dry and clear, with 2.5 rain days and 11.2 sun hours a day. Highs of 20.9°C, with cool nights near 8.2°C. Rated best, at 9.5.
The top-scoring month, at 9.9. There is almost no rain, with just 0.5 rain days. Highs of 21°C, but the coldest nights, near 7.6°C.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Ethiopia →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, nightlife, short stays
This modern district around Bole Road sits close to the international airport and has the widest choice of restaurants, cafés, bars and shops in the city. It is the easiest base for a first visit, especially if you arrive late or leave early. Traffic on Bole Road is heavy, and ongoing construction can make some streets noisy and dusty.
Good for history lovers, budget travellers, street life
Piassa is the old city centre, with Italian-era buildings, traditional cafés and pastry shops, and easy access to Merkato, one of Africa's largest open-air markets. Staying here gives you a strong sense of everyday Addis life. Many buildings are old and worn, and crowded streets mean you need to watch for pickpockets.
Good for families, quiet, longer stays
This leafy residential area in the southwest is home to many embassies, international schools and expats, with calmer streets and some good restaurants. It suits travellers who want a quieter base after busy days of sightseeing. It is a longer ride from Piassa and the northern museums, so you will rely more on taxis.
Good for museum-goers, students, culture
Arat Kilo and nearby Sidist Kilo form the university quarter, within reach of the National Museum and the Ethnological Museum on the Addis Ababa University campus. The area has a relaxed, academic feel with local cafés and bookshops. Accommodation choice is limited compared with Bole, and the northern part of the city is hillier.
A soft, sour flatbread made from teff, a small local grain. It is the base of most meals: stews are served on top, and you tear off pieces to eat with your right hand.
A slow-cooked chicken stew with berbere spice, onions and spiced butter, usually served with a hard-boiled egg. Families often make it for holidays and celebrations, especially at Ethiopian Christmas and Easter.
Minced raw beef mixed with spiced butter and mitmita chili powder. You can ask for it lightly cooked. It is often eaten with a mild fresh cheese and greens in kitfo houses across the city.
A thick, smooth stew made from ground chickpeas or other legumes. It is cheap, filling and vegan, so it is a common choice on Orthodox fasting days, when many locals eat no meat or dairy.
Pieces of beef or lamb fried with onions, peppers and spices, often brought to the table sizzling in a clay dish. Locals eat it for lunch or with friends over drinks.
Ethiopia is known as the birthplace of coffee. In the coffee ceremony, beans are roasted, ground and brewed in a clay pot, often with incense. Families and small cafés hold it as a social ritual.
December, January, November and February are the best months. December scores highest at 9.9, with only 2 mm of rain and 0.5 rain days. January (9.7) and November (9.5) are almost as dry. Days are mild, with highs around 21°C, and the sun shines for about 11 hours a day.
August rates as a good month, but it falls in the middle of the rainy season. It averages 30.9 rain days and 307 mm of rain, so expect wet weather almost every day. Highs reach 19°C and lows 10.2°C, and you still get about 9.1 hours of sun. The city is green at this time of year.
The main rains fall from June to September. June has 203 mm, July 345 mm, August 307 mm and September 207 mm. July is the wettest month. April and May are also fairly wet, with 115 mm and 121 mm. From October the rain drops quickly: October has 36 mm and December only 2 mm.
Nights are cool all year, with average lows between 7.6°C and 11°C. December is the coolest month at night, with a low of 7.6°C. Lows stay between 7.6°C and 8.5°C from October to January. Daytime highs are mild, from 19°C in August to 23.1°C in March, so pack a warm layer for the evenings.
A few full days let you see the main sights without rushing. Entoto Park and Entoto Maryam Church take half a day. Unity Park and Merkato need 2–3 hours each. The National Museum of Ethiopia, Ethnological Museum, Adwa Victory Memorial and Zoma Museum take 1–2 hours each. The National Museum and Holy Trinity Cathedral are both in Arat Kilo, so you can pair them.
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