Vintage Coffee Shops, Restaurants, Sightseeing in Addis Ababa
Description
This tour combines all sorts of activities one could ask for in a day. We will allow guests to improvise it based on interests and time so they could explore more. We will guarantee the discovery of all the hidden gems of Addis Ababa. Traditional Coffee ceremony and coffee in a vintage coffee shop, visit some of the old and authentic restaurants to try local dishes. Like we do with our other tours, we prioritize tourists comfort and joy which allows everyone to cheer all what we offer. We will make sure you make the best out of your time in Addis Ababa.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visiting the national museum will give broaden traveller's general information about Ethiopia. It consists of several antiquities and paintings and the famous Lucy - the oldest hominid skeleton, ancestors of humanity. You will have detailed explanations
This will be our lunch stop to experience the delicious cuisine which comprises all types of vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. It is the best place to feel the authentic taste - we might change it to Taitu hotel depending on how we are doing on time.
Piazza is geographically the center of Addis Ababa, where King Menelik's Statue gracefully stands. We will walk through the streets, people-watching, italian-influenced architecture, and GREAT view from the Municipality office all the way down to National Theatre. Coffee stop at one of the oldest Cafeteria. Relaxing time interacting with locals.
Described as the 'Time Square of Ethiopia' Meskel Square is the largest open-air area inside Addis Ababa, used for different purposes primarily for the annually celebrated Meskel ceremony, which marks the finding of the True Cross, other public meetings, and sometimes music concerts. We walk through the terrace, hanging out for a while. It is a peaceful place regardless of the presence of people. We will then have another Cup of Coffee at special place with detailed information about Coffee origin, significance and international influences.
Mercato is the largest open-air in Africa where everything happens at blink of eye. This is the most important/central market of Ethiopia setup in different sections including the spices area, recycling zone, fruits and vegetables, clothes. Mercato is one best photogenic spot to witness the authentic lifestyle in Addis Ababa.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We are open to pick up travellers wherever they are and will drop them back
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(23)
My experience was great! Super nice and knowledgeable guide, great english, and a lot of flexibility on the plans. Recommend!
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We are happy to know that you have enjoyed your day in Addis Ababa. Regards
Had an unplanned layover in Addis due to recent regional events and so had a lot of time to revisit parts of addis a long time ago back and spoke to gashaw who came up with a great itinerary for me to visit and he disappoint. He has great local knowledge and is able to show many parts of the city that I would not have seen otherwise. Highly recommended tour with a great tour guide
I had an amazing experience touring Ethiopia in February 2026 with Aspire Ethiopia Tours. The trip was perfectly organized, offering a well-planned itinerary that truly showcased the rich culture and history of the country. A special shoutout to our guide, Gashaw, whose deep knowledge, friendliness, and professionalism made the journey unforgettable. Thanks to him, every moment was insightful and enjoyable. Highly recommend Aspire Ethiopia Tours!
Hola Gaby, Thank you for your time to write us a great review about your time in Ethiopia. It was our pleasure to guide you around the different parts of Ethiopia. Regards,
Very knowledgeable guide with great story telling and very welcoming ! We went to the Mercato and the national museum ; he brought us to a great coffee shop. Generous tour !
Hello, Thank you for your review of the nice time you had with our guide. We are happy to know that you enjoyed your day visiting the highlights of Addis Ababa, and hope to welcome you back in the future.
Tour simply wonderful! The guide Gashaw was extremely professional and friendly, in addition to excellent driver! The coffee and meal schedule was super well elaborated and Gashaw did not spare efforts to find a cafeteria where he could buy another variety of excellent Ethiopian coffee! Note ten!
We thank you very much for sharing such a nice review of the food and coffee tour in Addis Ababa. We are very happy to know you had a great time tasting the delicious local coffee and food. We hope to see you again in the near future. Obrigado!
This tour was truly worth it from beginning to end. We started with lunch at a local restaurant and then experienced a traditional coffee ceremony. Gashaw was always attentive and made sure I felt comfortable everywhere we went. The places and restaurants that we went through were local and traditional, this is why this tour was so special. Gashaw was an amazing guide. Thank you!
We had a wonderful day with Gashow. He was such a source of knowledge about Ethiopian history and culture and passionately shared it with us throughout the day. We started off at the museum where Gashow gave us interesting historical accounts and provided a background on the country before going out to explore unique coffee shops and a delicious lunch. He took us through the market, which was fascinating, especially the recycling section. Gashow was extremely accommodating- we had mentioned we like honey so he took us to a local honey shop and also to a variety of neighborhoods which helped us understand Addis Ababa better. Gashow never stopped being focused on sharing about the sites throughout the seven hours we were together. He also made sure we took a variety of photos which we will always treasure from this special day. We would highly recommend this tour with Gashow to anyone visiting this vibrant city!
Thank you very much for such a nice review of your day trip with us in Addis Ababa. We are happy to know that you have enjoyed all the different activities you have done covering all the highlights. It was indeed an amazing day. We hope to welcome you in the future for longer trips. Regards, Aspire Ethiopia Tours
Fitsum was a terrific guide and very friendly. He took me around to many different places and catered the experience to my interests - such as taking me to a place where women make pottery because he heard that my spouse works in a similar field. My only complaint is that the main Aspire Tours office needs to respond to messages and calls in a better and more timely manner. But their guides are top notch. Fitsum knows Addis in and out, he’s a real expert who has studied history and culture at a great University and spending the day with him was comfortable and enjoyable. I felt like I had met him long ago already.
Hello Pat, We sincerely thank you very much for your positive reply given the fact that we were slightly not on time. We are happy you have enjoyed the overall experience in Addis Ababa with our guide. We would like to apologize for the inconveniences caused while arranging the guide and driver. Regards, Aspire Ethiopia Tours
A day around Addisababa will always remain a beautiful memory for me. Gashaw and I met at my hotel and headed to the University and the former home of Hailie Selassie. I learned a great deal about Ethiopian history and was able to see regional artifacts and cultural items. My guide is not only a lovely person but also very knowledgeable with a talent to weave a story around historical facts. We had lunch at a modern restaurant and took a drive up the mountain for stunning views of the city. We had the most delicious coffee break before heading to the Merkato, a very interesting experience in itself. I loved my day touring the city and hope to return again.
Had a full day tour around Addis Ababa and it was great. Desale is a brilliant tourguide and he's a walking encyclopedia. Greatly recommended! 👍
