An Easy 3-Day Addis Ababa Itinerary
I’ve mapped out an action packed 3-day Addis Ababa itinerary based on my own trips to the city. I’ve visited twice in 2026 already. My first trip was short, just 3 days and then I went back for a week. This itinerary complies the best of what I did over those trips.
If you have the chance to do a layover in Addis while flying Ethiopian Airlines, take it. It’s worth it. There are so many places around the city that it’s impossible to include everything, so these are my main highlights. I’d also recommend checking my Google Maps Pins to complement this itinerary.
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3-Day Addis Ababa Itinerary
Day 1: Culture and Classics
Morning
Kick off your first morning at Blue Hen in Kazanchis for breakfast. Afterward, grab a taxi to the National Museum to see the remains of Lucy and explore Ethiopia’s culture and archeological history.
From there, meet up with Habesha Wonders for a guided tour of the Mercato, which is easily one of the highlights of this 3-day Addis Ababa itinerary.
Afternoon
For lunch, head to the historic Addis Ababa Restaurant for a traditional meal (included if you’re on the tour) and follow it up with a caffeine fix at the legendary Tomoca Coffee nearby.
Walk to the Adwa Victory Memorial and the nearby museum, entering isn’t a must but it’s interesting as it’s a newer site commemorating the historic victory over Italy.
Evening
After resting up, head to the River Walk area by the Ghion Hotel for the 7 p.m. light show. It’s free and has a great local vibe.
Cap off the night with a fancy dinner at Marcus Addis. The views are the best way to see the city’s skyline!
You could walk back to your hotel along the Unity Park road to get this amazing view around the viewpoint.
Day 2: Parks and Artisans
Morning
Start with breakfast at Enitewawek Cafe before visiting the Makush Art Gallery to browse their massive collection. It’s a short walk over to Aster Coffee for a mid-morning macchiato.
Then, take a taxi up to Entoto Park for some fresh air and panoramic views. Start at the church and then walk down to the park as the church closes its doors to visitors in the afternoon. People love Entoto and it’s a must for a 3-day Addis Ababa itinerary.
Afternoon
Take a taxi back down the mountain to the Shiro Meda Markets for beautiful textiles, and grab lunch at Fikir. This is an unassuming lunch spot but is filled with locals. This part of the day adds a nice local element to your 3-day Addis Ababa itinerary.
Afterward, taxi over to the stadium leather markets to hunt for high-quality jackets and bags.
Evening
Go back to your hotel to refresh before heading to Union Restaurant for an early dinner around 6pm.
Finally, end your night with some authentic Ethio-jazz at the African Jazz Village. The jazz starts at 8pm, but you’ll want to show up by 7:30 to get a seat.
Day 3: History and River Walks
Morning
Get breakfast at Tryst, then walk over to the Palace museum. Get the ticket for Haile Selassie’s car museum and the palace. You’ll get a guide for the palace museum. (I only did the car museum and think the full tour would have been a better experience).
Then, stroll along the new River Walk towards the Lion of Judah Monument. The river walk is unique part of this 3-day Addis Ababa itinerary because it’s not technically on the map yet! However you can enter from around Ghion hotel and just continue along the path.
Afternoon
Stop for lunch at Akkoo Coffee in the Post Office area before checking out the Ethiopia-Cuba Friendship Memorial. Entrance is 100 birr but you can just check it out from the cafe too.
Spend the rest of the afternoon shopping for souvenirs at the Post Office shopping mall and then visit the Golla Art Gallery to see the beautiful old yellow house and art.
Evening
For your final evening, head out for drinks and dinner at Selo Bella Bet to experience a modern take on a traditional Ethiopian atmosphere. You’ll mostly find locals having the traditional beer. Have dinner from either the hummus or traditional menu. And, be sure to walk to the second floor with the traditional liquor, Areki. It tastes like arak/raki and is made up of a few different flavors. The staff here is soooo nice and you may even end up having a little tasting of each flavor before picking your shot.
Tips for Visiting
Personalize your trip
You can easily swap out the restaurants or sites in this 3-day Addis Ababa itinerary with suggestions from my dedicated food guide, cafe guide, or What to Do in Addis post.
You may want to go on this popular food tour to get a sense of the city’s offerings. Or if you don’t have long in the city, I originally found Habesha Wonder through reviews for this 4-hour layover tour and reached out to customize my day. You could do the same.
Where to stay in Addis Ababa
I recommend staying in Kazanchis for this 3-day Addis Ababa itinerary. There are a few great streets off Guinea Conakry St with cafes, restaurants, and small souvenir shops, and it’s a convenient base for getting around. I stayed at the Radisson Blu (as Wilhelm’s plus one on his work trip), but I also like the look of Elilly International Hotel (where I had sunset drinks one evening)
Another area I suggest is Bole (near the airport). There are popular restaurants and shops around there too. In Bole, I like Liyu Hotel Apartment and Crescent International Hotel.
Getting around Addis Ababa
When we visited, we used a mix of taxis and walking. Using an e-hailing app will usually give you the best price. If you take a taxi off the street, expect to pay around 100 birr more than what you see on apps like Yango or Taxiye. I used Yango and paid for each ride in cash.
Safety in Addis Ababa
Walking around Addis Ababa felt relatively safe overall. We did have one incident at night when we were walking a bit aimlessly, and two young men tried to grab my husband’s phone from his pocket. He shouted “police” and they immediately apologized and walked away.
The cover picture is around the Stadium leather shops.