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Guide to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Click to go to Flight Prices for Addis Ababa
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Addis AbabaThe capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa is a place away from conventionalism. Yes, there are the typical commercial districts lined with glass skyscrapers, but youll be hard pressed to find a city where tradition huts can be found alongside the steel goliaths. It is well known throughout the archaeological world that Ethiopia is the land where the earliest human remains where found, and Addis Ababa has become emblazoned as the place to go for excavation findings. However, apart from the ancient bones, Addis Ababa provides excitement for the ordinary traveler just the same. Walk the busy streets until you find citys Merkato, the famous open-air market. Numerous sites within Addis Ababa allow you splendid views of the hills and the rooftops. Visit Addis Ababa, where life is found in even the smallest nook, and where youre sure to get lost in the magic of its simplicity and its history.
When to go:
When traveling to Addis Ababa, its best to avoid the rainy season of summer, but whether you choose winter, spring, or autumn, the city remains a pleasant destinations. Temperatures shift ever so slightly throughout the year, and apart from the humidity of June to September, youll never have to alter plans around climatic changes. Events happen here on a rather consistent basis, with most activities occurring around Christian holidays. On these particular days, youll see children dancing the avenues in costumes and hear the rumbling of drums from morning til night.
Getting there and around:
Connections to Addis Ababa Airport are many around African continent as well as Europe and the UK. A few major-city connections to the North America are available as well, though less prevalent. Ethiopian Airlines dominates the airports daily in/out schedule; international carriers such as Lufthansa have a fairly large handle on foreign travel as well. The terminal is complete with a 24-hour bank, a bureau de change, duty-free shopping and a few restaurants and bars for those waiting longer than anticipated. Travel to Addis Ababa can be done by bus, but we advise you to take a taxi, albeit at a significantly higher cost. Taxis are safer, youre less prone to falling prey to thievery, and youll have direct access to your
Most people use the bus to get around Addis Ababa, but if you can, walk. It may be hotter and/or dustier than you may have expected, but theres no better city experience than becoming one with the pedestrian crowd. If you must travel by vehicle, hire a taxi, and dont be afraid to bargain; the art of the haggle will come in handy when making your way around Addis Ababa.
Attractions:
Addis Ababas biggest attraction is the Ethnographic Museum, with the National Museum coming in at a close second. The Ethnographic Museum boasts an extraordinary array of cultural artifacts, trinkets, and memorabilia that far outnumber any other establishment in the city. The National Museum, though smaller, has something the Ethnographic Museum cannot trump: the fossils of the 3.5-million-year-old Lucy, humans earliest known ancestor.
To delve right into the social center - also its largest marketplace - visit the Merkato. Youll find everything you can think of, and you might emerge with something you never though youd have an interest in!
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