Mekele lies 310 mi/500 km north of Addis Ababa, and two very interesting markets are this town's main draw for travelers. The first sells only rock salt; the second, held on Monday, is a large, lively market that draws rural people on camelback. Day trips can be made 50 mi/80 km north to the oldest buildings in Ethiopia—monasteries (still in use) dating back to AD 300. One monastery, Debre Damo, built on a cliff, is reachable only by a 50-ft-/15-m-long rope. (Women are not allowed to visit this monastery.)
