Gondar: See
1 Fasil Ghebbi (Royal Enclosure). The remains of a royal fortified city that was founded by Fasilides (Fasil), emperor of Ethiopia from 1632 to 1667, and was the home of the emperors in the 17th and 18th centuries. Dubbed the African Camelot, the 70,000sqm ghebbi (enclosure) contains six castles, three churches, a library, steam baths, and lion cages (now vacant). It is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. You MUST pay for a guided tour and the entrance fee. You can usually stop for a traditional coffee at the entrance. Ticket also includes Fasilides' Bath. 200 birr for foreigners. (updated Jan 2018)
Fasilides' Castle (Fasil Gemb), built in 1640.
Iyasu's Palace, the home of Iyasu I, emperor from 1682 to 1706, the son of Yohannes I and grandson of Fasil. An earthquake and bombings by the British destroyed its once ornate and lavish interior, but the structure remains mostly intact and is the largest in the compound.
Dawit's Hall, built by Dawit III, emperor from 1716 to 1721 and son of Iyasu.
Mentewab's Palace, belonging to Mentewab, empress from 1723 to 1730, the wife of Emperor Bakaffa, Dawit's brother.
2 Fasilides' Bath. Across town from the Royal Enclosure, it once served as the bath for King Fasilides. Today it is used as a baptismal during Timket (18-21 January) where 30-40,000 people from all over the country gathers for swimming and mass. Same ticket as the Royal Enclosure. Halfway between the Atse Tewodros statue and Fasilides' Bath is a goat market which is interesting to see. Just before Fasilides' Bath on the same block is a place which serves beer, with a nice garden, next to a weaving workshop which makes fabric sold locally. (updated Dec 2019)
3 Debre Birhan Selassie Church. On the eastern outskirts of town, it seems more like a fortress than a church at first glance. This is because the local churches were once vulnerable to attacks by the Sudanese. There are twelve towers guarding this church, each representing one of the twelve apostles. The church was built at the end of the 17th century. It is worth visiting to see its amazing ceiling with intricately painted angels, and the other religious paintings covering the walls. At one stage there were 44 churches in Gondar but the Sudanese attacks in 1888 destroyed 43 of them. It is said that this church survived because of bees that repealed the attackers. 200 birr. (updated Dec 2019)
4 Atse Tewodros Square. The traffic in this busy intersection in the centre of town drives around a statue of the warrior emperor Tewodros II (ruler from 1855 to 1868).
Gorgora is a beautiful small town on the northern shore of Lake Tana about 70 km (43 mi) from Gondar. It has some interesting relics from its brief time as Ethiopia's capital, and the lack of tourists adds to their charm. It is also good for bird-watching. There is an early morning bus from Gondar (20 birr) and occasional minibuses. …