The beautiful and historic Dire Dawa city of Ethiopia

Dire Dawa (Amharic: ድሬ ዳዋ, Oromo: Dirre Dhawaa), nestled in eastern Ethiopia near the border of Oromia and Somali Regions, is one of Ethiopia’s two chartered cities, alongside Addis Ababa. Originally under Oromia’s administration, Dire Dawa became a federally administered city in 1993. Divided into two woredas—the urban city proper and the non-urban Gurgura woreda—it lies along the Dechatu River, encircled by cliffs, with its western outskirts touching the Gorro River, a tributary. 

As an industrial hub with bustling markets and the Dire Dawa Airport, the city is a vibrant center of commerce and culture. With a projected population of 440,000 for the entire chartered city and 277,000 for the city proper as of July 1, 2015, Dire Dawa ranks as Ethiopia’s seventh-largest city. Beyond its modern significance, Dire Dawa is a gateway to historical treasures and a melting pot of culinary and cultural traditions. This article explores the city’s historical attractions, vibrant culinary scene, and tips for visitors as of June 12, 2022.

Tips on what to try in Dire Dawa

Dire Dawa is a city where people from all nations and nationalities of Ethiopia live together harmoniously. Every town/city in Ethiopia has its cuisines that are so delicious and mouthwatering to even look at; Dire Dawa got her own too. Those foods in Dire Dawa are adopted by foreigners, but they are so deeply rooted in the city’s identity that they are considered cultural food items. It is not unusual site to see the city’s gorgeous ladies take a stroll in the lively walkways, especially in the afternoon while enjoying these delicious treats. Some of these delicious treats are - Baklava, Mushabbak , and Halawa.

- Baklava

Baklava is one of Dire’s sweet delicacies. It is made from strata of thin, rectangular dough bread, each layer topped with Honey and peanut. A single Baklava costs up to 40 birrs, a considerably low price for such a sweet treat. It is too sweet that a lot of people can’t even finish a single piece. But that does not seem to be an issue with the ladies.

- Mushabbak

Mushabbak is also one of the sweetest foods that are consumed by the Dire’s population. Mushaback has a swirling circular shape. This crispy, sweet, and addictive classic Middle Eastern dessert is reminiscent of the funnel cake. The texture of Mushabbak is crispy on the outside and soft and syrupy on the inside. Mushaback is made of baked dough; melted sugar; oil etc. This delicacy can be bought at an amazingly cheap price of up to 35 birrs a piece.

- Halawa

This sweet delicacy is available in two types, wet Halawa and dry Halawa. The use of peanut as an ingredient gives results in the dry Halawa, This is considered a very classy food, mainly because of its price, but also because it is the sweetest of all and to the additional feature of lasting longer without going bad. It is consumed the most during times of fasting and holiday celebrations. 

Related articles:

• Top 16 of the most beautiful places to visit in Ethiopia
• Tourist attraction sites in Dire-Dawa city: Historical Buildings
• Tourist attraction sites in Dire-Dawa city: Historical towns and villages
• Tourist attraction sites in Dire-Dawa city: Prehistoric caves