✝️ Lalibela

Lalibela, Ethiopia

Best time: October to March, the dry season; Ethiopian Christmas and Timkat fall in January

Eleven churches carved downward out of solid rock in the 12th century. Cross-shaped Bete Giyorgis is the most famous, and the site is still a living pilgrimage place for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians.

Good to know

• The Amhara region has seen armed conflict in recent years; check your government's travel advice before going.
• Domestic flights from Addis Ababa take about an hour.