Addis Ababa the name means “new flower” is of fairly recent origin - Menelik 11 founded the city in 1887. Situated in the foothills of the Entoto mountains and standing 2,400 metres above sea level it is the third highest capital city in the world. The city has a population of about 3.5 million, which is situated, in the foothills of the 3,000 meters Entoto mountain. It is the site of Africa Unions and many Diplomatic mission and NGO’s.The main market-known as Mercato, which is largest open market place in Africa and has a wonderful range of goods and products, items of local art to antiques. Shopping in Addis is a delight and the shops are fairly well stocked with almost all consumer goods. The local jewellery, sold by the weight of gold or silver, is in particularly high demand.

It is impressive to visit the national museum, with a very vast historic icons, The Addis Ababa University, whose campus occupies a palace built by Haile Selassie before the Italian occupation of Ethiopia, houses the Institute of Ethiopian studies and the Ethnological museum. The St George Cathedral was built in 1896 in the traditional octagonal shape in commemoration of Ethiopia’s military success at the Battle of Adwa and houses modern paintings by master Artist Afework Tekle, an Ethiopian painter whose work has won wide international recognition. The Trinity Cathedral built in 1941. The great view of Addis from Entoto Mountains and the Menilek museum was built in 1911.