The original capital of Ethiopia, Axum was once a hugely influential city back in the days of the Axumite empire. Its glory days are long gone, but the relics that remain from that time are fascinating, and it’s one of the most culturally significant regions of Ethiopia.

Axum is one of the most culturally significant places in Ethiopia. As with much of Ethiopia, exploring this town is to walk the tightrope between facts and legends, and no doubt the local guides will try and sway you towards the latter. That’s all part of the fun.

Axum is most famous for its Stelae field, where giant obelisks rise dozens of metres into the sky. These incredible structures became a UNESCO World Heritage Site back in 1980. They have fascinating history dating back to 400 BCE.

Axum is less built up than many of the other towns in the north of Ethiopia, and the lack of quality hotels here mean most visits are kept to just one night. The Stelae and the nearby churches can be explored in an afternoon, and Axum is ideally located as a springboard for further explorations of Tigray and the Gheralta Mountains.