Weekend in Bahir Dar

Sprawling open-air market selling produce, spices, textiles, and household goods. Busiest on Saturdays when farmers come from the surrounding countryside.

Tip: Arrive by 8am to beat the heat and see the best selection. Don't bother with the souvenir section near the entrance — the real bargains are deeper in. Carry small bills.

Public park on a hill where Emperor Haile Selassie had a summer palace. Now open to everyone, with shaded paths, lake views, and local picnics.

Tip: Climb to the top of the hill for the best view of Lake Tana and the city. No entrance fee, but you'll likely be asked to sign a guestbook. Weekdays are quietest.

Round church built in the 1970s with a museum containing crowns, crosses, and illuminated manuscripts. The 20 birr entrance fee covers both the church and museum.

Tip: The museum is small but has royal regalia from the Gondar period. Ask the guard to point out the 18th-century processional cross — it's the gold one with the bell. Photography inside costs 50 birr extra.

One of the most accessible island monasteries on Lake Tana, with 17th-century murals and a thatched church. Round-trip by motorboat from town costs about 200 birr per person.

Tip: Hire the boat at the harbour near Ghion Hotel; negotiate hard for a half-day trip covering two monasteries. The 50 birr photography fee inside Azwa Maryam is optional — ask first.

Waterfall on the Blue Nile river, about 400m wide and 45m high. Best visited in autumn when the flow is strongest; in dry season the water is diverted for a hydro plant.

Tip: Go early, before 9am, to see the rainbows in the spray. The bridge crossing costs 50 birr, well worth it for the view.