Founded in the mid-nineteenth century by Emperor Yohannes IV, Mekele is now the largest and most economically vibrant city in Northern Ethiopia.

Mekele provides an excellent base to explore the wider region of Tigray. Sights within the city include the palace of Yohannes IV (now a museum), and the churches of Saint Teklehaimanot, Medhane Alem and Kidane Mihret.