Taking the historic route north from Addis Ababa the first stop is Debre Libanos, 110 kilometres north of the capital. Here you can find reminders of Saint Tekle Haymanot, the 14th century holy man, who stood on one leg for 7 years in a cave at Debre Libanos.

A wonderful modern cathedral marks this spot, the center of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church for hundreds of years. Nearby an old ‘Portuguese bridge’ is visible from the main road.