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location.beaches.districts
location.beaches.districts_subtitle
Piazza
hotelsHistoric Italian-influenced district. Old Addis character - shops, cafes, markets. Where city began. St. George Cathedral nearby. Walking area during day. Authentic but watch belongings.
Bole
hotelsModern district near airport. International restaurants, hotels, malls. Where expats and diplomats live. African Union headquarters area. Most tourist-friendly infrastructure.
Merkato
hotelsLargest open-air market in Africa! Everything sold here - spices, coffee, textiles, livestock. Overwhelming, chaotic, amazing. Go with guide. Morning best. Ultimate Addis experience but not for faint-hearted.
faq.title
faq.subtitle Addis Ababa
E-visa available for most countries - apply online, $82 (30 days) or $102 (90 days). Visa on arrival for many but e-visa smoother. Transit passengers get free transit visa. Ethiopian Airlines passengers often get visa assistance.
Ethiopia is birthplace of coffee! Ceremony involves roasting beans, brewing in jebena pot, serving three rounds. Takes 1-2 hours. Social ritual. Found everywhere - participate! Buna (coffee) deeply cultural. Best coffee you'll ever taste.
Addis Ababa relatively safe. Check regional situation (Tigray conflict, etc.) before northern travel. Capital fine for tourists. Normal precautions. Ethiopia never colonized - unique proud culture. People generally welcoming.
Never colonized! Own alphabet, calendar (7-8 years behind), time system (sunrise = 1 o'clock). Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity ancient. Injera cuisine nowhere else. Lucy skeleton here. Completely different from rest of Africa.
Travel Tips
Useful tips for visiting Addis Ababa
Experience Ethiopian coffee ceremony - birthplace of coffee! Found everywhere. Beans roasted in front of you, served in three rounds. Takes hour+ but essential cultural experience. Best coffee in the world, incredibly cheap.
Visit National Museum - Lucy skeleton (3.2 million years old)! Oldest human ancestor. Also Ethiopian art, history. Small but significant. ~200 ETB entry. Where human history began.
Eat injera with wot (stews) - unique spongy bread, eat with hands. Vegetarian fasting food excellent (Wednesdays, Fridays). Kitfo (raw meat) for adventurous. Food nowhere else in world. Communal eating tradition.
Altitude 2400m - take it easy first day. Ethiopia uses unique calendar (7-8 years behind) and time (sunrise = 1 o'clock). Confirm meeting times in 'European time' or 'Ethiopian time' to avoid confusion!
Weather
Average temperature by month
Now
9°
9°59%7 м/с
Today
22°8°
22°8°Tomorrow22°7°
22°7°Thu22°7°
22°7°Fri23°8°
23°8°Sat22°9°
22°9°Sun23°10°
23°10°Mon24°11°
24°11°22°
8°Jan
23°
10°Feb
23°
11°Mar
23°
12°Apr
23°
11°May
23°
12°Jun
20°
12°Jul
19°
11°Aug
20°
9°Sep
21°
8°Oct
21°
7°Nov
21°
8°Dec
location.transport.title
location.transport.subtitle
location.transport.bus
—location.transport.taxi
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Prices
Cost of food, accommodation and services
Cafes & Restaurants
Budget meal
100 - 250 ETB
~175 $
Mid-range
400 - 1,000 ETB
~700 $
Fine dining
1,500 - 4,000 ETB
~2,750 $
Street Food
Local dish
50 - 150 ETB
~100 $
Drinks
Coffee
30 - 100 ETB
~65.0 $
Local beer
50 - 150 ETB
~100 $
Groceries
Water 1.5L
15 - 40 ETB
~27.5 $
Prices are approximate and may vary by season and area.
Accommodation
Hotels and rental prices
Hostel dorm
400 - 800 ETB / night
~600 $
Guesthouse
1,000 - 2,500 ETB / night
~1,750 $
Hotel 3★
4,000 - 8,000 ETB / night
~6,000 $
Hotel 5★
12,000 - 35,000 ETB / night
~23,500 $
Prices are approximate. Book in advance during high season.
location.payment.title
location.payment.subtitle
location.payment.accepted_cards
VisaMastercard
location.payment.atms
limited
location.payment.cash
Cash remains king. Essential for gas stations, many restaurants, small shops despite some digital growth. ATMs unreliable (6 of 10 often non-functional). Carry sufficient birr daily. Digital payment limits raised to 300,000 ETB (May 2025).
location.payment.currency_exchange
Commercial Bank of Ethiopia main option. EthioXchange.com and Addis Fortune track rates from 29 banks. Banking system supplies $500M USD monthly forex. ATMs dispense only ETB (not USD). Exchange at major banks, avoid poor hotel rates.
location.payment.tipping
10%
Tipping appreciated 10% in restaurants. Hotel staff 50-100 ETB. Guides 100-200 ETB per day.
Safety
Medium safety level
Follow standard precautions
Addis Ababa relatively safe for Africa. Petty theft exists - watch bags. Avoid political gatherings. Some regional instability (check before travel). Altitude 2400m affects some. Friendly people, proud culture. One of Africa's safest capitals.