Sometimes known as the ‘Camelot’ of Ethiopia, Gondar is steeped in history and legend. The conventional view maintains that Gondar is rivetting, and it is definitely one of the best places to visit in Northern Ethiopia – however, some travellers are a little underwhelmed. If your itinerary is tight, this is the place on the northern circuit you might think of dropping in order to spend extra time elsewhere. Allow an hour and half for the royal enclosure and another half hour for the church of Debre Berhan Selassie with its notable wall paintings.

That said, the royal enclosure should prick the imagination into life and in their setting its buildings are impressive if clumsy, a curious cross-over between African, European and other influences. There are six buildings on the site, the most imposing being the three-storey Fasilidas’s Castle, built around 1640. Some may find the next most interesting structure is the lion cages, which are said to have housed live lions until the 1990s.

The church of Debre Berhan Selassie is a few minutes’ drive from the royal enclosure. Shaped like an ark, a rectangle rather than the traditional circle, its star feature is the paintings covering the walls corner to corner, and especially the roof with its 80 cherubic faces in neat rows. They are reckoned to date from the 17thC. Be ready for worshippers prostrating themselves and for explanations of Eastern Orthodox Christian rituals, all fascinating and atmospheric.

Our best choice of lodging here is Mayleko Lodge. With a low-key entrance in farmland close to Gondar’s airport (no noise; shuttle service), and a group of 20 neat thatched bungalows in a quiet garden, at first it seems underwhelming. But once inside, things perk up, for the huts, made of natural, sustainable materials, are simple but chic.