The Middle-East has Petra, Ethiopia has Lalibela. Its rock-hewn churches are arguably Ethiopia's top attraction, and they elicit an instinctive awe, whether you're a religious architecture buff or not.

Perched at an altitude of 2630m (8629ft), Lalibela also remains a very isolated place, and a centre of pilgrimage. More than anywhere else in the world, you'll get the impression you've landed in a kingdom at least seven centuries behind your own.

Lalibela's 11 churches are cut straight from the bedrock, so their roofs are at ground level. All 11 churches were built within one century; some, according to legend, with the help of angels. The churches have been kept alive by generations of priests who guard their treasures of ornamented crosses, illuminated Bibles and illustrated manuscripts.