Lalibela's Saturday market is one of the more authentic rural markets in northern Ethiopia, drawing traders from the surrounding Lasta highlands every week. The market spreads across an open area at the edge of town and is at its most active in the early morning hours. Goods on offer include live animals — goats, sheep, and chickens changing hands amid considerable noise — as well as grain, spices, honey, injera bread, and traditional cloth.
Browsing the market alongside Ethiopian villagers rather than other tourists gives a real sense of the region's rural economy. Beyond the food stalls, you will find traditional handicrafts: woven baskets, leather goods, and wooden crosses that are less processed than the items sold near the churches. This is not a tourist market — it is a working market that visitors happen to be able to attend. Bring cash in small denominations, dress modestly, and wander rather than shop aggressively.