Markets

No visit to Harar would be complete without wading through the shambolic markets that sprawl outside Harar Gate and Shoa Gate. At first sight this minicity appears to be an impenetrable latticework of tiny streets and alleys; on closer inspection it reveals a careful organisation with different sections. It's a great place to ramble.

You could start with the Smugglers' Market, southeast of Canal Cafe; it's chock-full with goods from Asia. The adjoining Recycling Market is a stunner: witness the workmanship and watch men beating metal into every single useful utensil or spare part. Then elbow your way through the Asma'addin Bari Market (New Market; also known as the Christian Market), near Shoa Gate. Look out for the etan (incense) from Jijiga; it's sold for the famous coffee ceremonies. The odoriferous spice market is filled with bark, roots and twigs used in the preparation of traditional medicine. Make sure you save energy for the no-less-animated Oromo Market, off Erer Gate. With its heaps of vegetables, it's exotic and colourful by the bucketload.