Afrika in Focus, Tourism - Spotlight on Addis Ababa

Trade the usual winter wander for a city that fuses origins, diplomacy, and nightlife in one sweep.

 Addis Ababa doesn’t whisper its story—it sings it across museum halls, cathedral aisles, market lanes, and skyline bars, and we built a listener’s guide to make every hour count.

We start with the big promise: why Addis rivals and often outshines familiar European stops. As Africa’s diplomatic capital, the city houses the African Union and UNECA, bringing a unique energy you feel on the streets. Then the timeline stretches back millions of years at the National Museum, where Dinknesh—known globally as Lucy—anchors a narrative about human beginnings. From there, the Holy Trinity Cathedral adds imperial memory and Orthodox artistry, inviting a slower pace before the city speeds up again.

Navigation gets easier with our curated picks. Wander Merkato, one of the continent’s largest open-air markets, to read Addis through trade—spices, coffee beans, and textiles moving in a rhythm of their own. Settle into a coffee ceremony where beans are roasted and ground to order, a ritual that turns caffeine into culture. 

For food, we highlight trusted favourites—Yod Abyssinia, 2000 Habesha, and modern rooms with panoramic views—so you can choose between cultural shows and contemporary dining. When night falls, the city keeps going: lounges and clubs stay open to 4 or 5 a.m., making it simple to flow from dinner and dance to rooftop conversations under the lights.  

Addis is also a launchpad. With Bole International connecting the dots across Ethiopia, day trips to the Rift Valley lakes, the Simien Mountains, and Lalibela’s rock-hewn churches become easy additions. 

The result is a break that feels bigger than a city visit; it becomes a journey through layers—heritage, policy, markets, music—stitched together by warmth and hospitality. 

Sources: 

The Africa You Don't See On TV!(Ethiopia🇪🇹)

You Won't Believe this In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia .

THE 10 BEST Restaurants in Addis Ababa (Updated December 2025)

Addis Ababa Nightlife Guide 2025: Must-Try Activities for You

Addis Ababa Nightlife: 10 Unforgettable Experiences

Chapters

• 0:02 Welcome And Holiday Pitch
• 1:59 Subscribe, Follow, And Support
• 3:48 Why Addis Ababa Deserves Your Visit
• 5:18 Diplomacy And Museums: AU And Lucy
• 8:20 Origins Of Humanity And Ethiopia’s Place
• 11:05 Faith, Skyline, And Rapid Transformation
• 13:22 Gateway City And What To Do
• 16:10 Egypt, Ethiopia, And Deep History Claims
• 18:40 Cathedrals, Markets, And Coffee Culture

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:02

Good afternoon. Welcome to this week's edition of Africa in Focus. Myself Kwame, a Ghanaian writer, broadcaster, journalist, entrepreneur, historian, and podcaster. And in this edition of Africa in Focus is tourism, we look at tourism. Yes, it's that time of year again, coming up to Christmas uh time, particularly if you live in the US, Canada, Europe, mainland Europe. Come to holiday season. And you know, we we are promoting tourism in Africa. We've been using it for the past couple of years now. Uh, rather than go to US or holiday or go to Canada or go to Europe, right? We are advising you listeners to go to an African country on for your holidays. So as of Christmas coming up and new year, uh, we're gonna give bring you a couple of uh in the next week and next this week and next week, gonna bring you a couple of cities in Africa uh that you must visit or put on your book list. All right, and this and in this week's episode of Tourism in Africa, African Focus, we're looking about the great city of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Alright, so before we get to a show, uh just to give you some uh points that in next week's show we will be doing two shows next week, uh, another show on tourism, and then also previewing the African components, which kicks off in Morocco on the 21st of December. So we're doing you two podcasts this week, and then on the 22nd, we'll have uh Ghana in review for 2025. So, what's happening in Ghana, what's happening in Ghana over the last 12 months, and then on the 29th of December, we'll have our preview or rather review of Africa or the the year in Africa on African content 2025, looking at countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, etc. So, look out for that. So, look out for these podcasts coming up in the next few weeks here on Ghana, African Focus. And if you haven't already, please subscribe to the show, tell your friends, family, social media networks, subscribe to Ghana, African Fix on YouTube, subscribe to Ghana African Fix on Spotify. Uh, look out for the follow look out for uh Ghana African Fix on Spotify. Click the follow button, and that means notify you uh Spotify will notify you each and every time we upload a new podcast. Similarly, on YouTube, uh look out for Ghana African Fix on YouTube, click the notification bell, and YouTube will notify you every time we upload a new thing, a new podcast. Also, if you want to donate to a show to help us to continue to bring out some fantastic content uh from Ghana and from African content, you can donate as little as three of us a month. You can do it either as a monthly uh payment or you can do it as a one-off payment under no obligation. So we we do accept donations uh in kind uh from yourself. So if you want to donate, uh you can click the donate button on the full list of the show. All right, and if you still want to do business in Ghana, even come on holiday in Ghana, look at places to visit to see what to do, then we do offer a service for you where we can, you know, uh make a package for your needs. I've gone more than 10 experience of uh doing business in Ghana. So I do know a lot about the Ghanaian terrain. So if you want to book your appointment with myself, where we can sign pages to give you a lot of advice and sign pages to some agencies that can help you with your villagers to Ghana, then you can email me and I'll leave my email in the full news to the show. All right, so um, let's get into this week's podcast looking at tourism in Africa. This week, looking at the fantastic city of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Now, if you've never been to Addis before, you don't know what you're missing, yeah? Because take it from me, and I've been to Addis, I was there for about a couple of days uh in transit, but I spent a full day there as well, and it is a beautiful city, you know, even compared to when I last was there, and that was 2013. Now, believe it or not, Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, is better than London. Yes, indeed, it's better than London, it's better than Amsterdam, it's better than Madrid, better than Barcelona, better than Oslo, better than Stockholm, better than you know, a lot of European cities, believe it or not. Right, and I'll leave a couple of videos for you to look at for yourself to see how beautiful Addis Ababa really, really is. Yeah, because you know, oftentimes people get a different narrative of Africa, and uh a lot of YouTubers are beginning to change that narrative of Africa. And here on Ghana, Africa, and Fergus, we are changing that narrative too by giving you uh reasons why you must visit Africa, you know, uh this period, and definitely visit the city of Addis Ababa. So, like I said, Addis Ababa is a fantastic modern African city, and you know, why does it stand out? Why you must visit Addis Ababa? Well, Addis Ababa is the diplomatic capital of Africa, it hosts the historic African Union building or headquarters that was first built in 1963, and uh, you know, over since then it's been renovated, I think, more recently by the Chinese, and also it's home to the United Nations Aircraft Commission for Africa, making Addis the continent's political nerve center. So Addis Arabat is also home to the National Museum of Ethiopia, where you can see Lucy. Uh Lucy uh was one of the world's most early human remains, and that was quote unquote discovered. It was already there, but quote unquote discovered by the great British aphropologist, Louis Leakey. And uh, you know, when he wanted when Leakey wanted to find the origins of humanity, he didn't go to America, he didn't go to India, he didn't go to China, he didn't go to Australia, he went to Africa because contrary to what many big people think, yeah, and still and still maintain, Africa is the home of civilization, not Europe, not America, not Greece, not Rome, but Africa. Africa is the modern, or rather, is is the home of civilization culture. And so Louis Leakey, the great British anthropologist, went to Ethiopia to you know uh see to do some anthropology and get to see the bones of this woman that he called Lucy. Her actual African name, her Ethiopian name was Dimkrunish. Yeah, he gave her Lucy because obviously, as the Europeans do, they can't pronounce African names and want to give put their names on things that they said could discover. But she had the Ethiopian name called Dinquranesh, yeah, and those bones were more than 3.5 million years old. Yeah, however, as you keep on saying, Ethiopia is just a part of the African Drixal, yeah. So humanity did not begin, it did not begin in Ethiopia. Humanity began in deep, deep down Southern Africa, so where you know commonly South Africa is that's deep down, deep, deep down, uh you know, the Khoisan, so called Bush people, Bushman. They are the original people of the world, yeah, and where we and where everyone comes from. Yeah, they they are they were the first human beings on the planet, the San Khoi. Yeah, this is before then the migration up the now towards the Great Lakes area where DR Congo, Uganda, Rwanda with, you know, and then humanity also developed from there as well. But Ethiopia is like in in the in the in terms of in the past form of African history or world history, Ethiopia is like you know, joining criminally because if you dig bones from the San Khoi, yeah, people, they are millions, millions of millions of years old. This bone dug up by Lewis Leaky that was already there in Ethiopia from Denkon, circle Lucy, is 3.5 million years. Yeah, signifying that the black woman who we all come from is the oldest human being on the planet. Yeah, yeah. There's no there's no human being who is before the black woman. Yeah, the African woman, black woman is the original human being from where all human beings came from. So I would definitely recommend you go to a National Museum of Ethiopia where you can see for yourself uh the bones of the Inchonist called Lucy, uh called the Astralopus facetus afhrinis in the Latin language. Again, on your trip to Ethiopia, Addis has a strong religious heritage, and the Holy Trinity Cathedral is a landmark of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity with imperial tombs and standings sustained glass. Again, also, you can marvel at the beauty of Addis because Addis Araba is a rapidly transforming city with new infrastructure, a modern skyline that can rival anything in North America and Western Europe, and vibrant neighborhoods blending tradition with innovation. Now, you know, like I said, I last went to Addis in 2013, and Addis Araba has witnessed a rapid transformation within that 12-year period between 2013 and 2025. So when you go there this year or next year, you will see what I mean. Addis Araba is a fantastic city with a in a modern skyline, new infrastructure, and also vibrant neighborhoods that you know um complement the city. Now, Ethiopia, you know, is another gateway, you can say it's part of gateway to Africa. So through Bale International Airport, which is one of Africa's busiest hubs, add this connected to Ethiopia's diverse landscapes. So from the Riff Valley, lakes to the highlands. Now, when you get to Addisaba, these are things to do. So, like I said, you can explore the National Museum and Ethiopia's ancient history, which which dates even before Egypt, yeah. Because as African historians, we say Egypt is the Egypt is the daughter of Ethiopia, meaning that Ethiopia came before Egypt, yeah, and a lot of the Egyptian culture is actually predicated on Ethiopian culture. And when I'm talking about Egyptian, I'm not talking about the Arabs who you know control Egypt from the 25th dynasty. No, I'm talking about the indigenous Egyptians who are black like me, black like the ace of space, black like Cole. They are the indigenous Egyptians, not Muhammad Salah, right? Not these fake half-cast Egyptians that you see, you know, in today when you go to Carino. They are imposters. The original Egyptians are black like this spades. So, you know, you can visit uh this museum to look at Ethiopia's ancient history that goes back seven millennia. You can also visit uh the like I said, the Holy Cathedral Trinity and see the tombs of Emperor Hades Selassie, who's the descendant of King Solomon, believe it or not, King Solomon, the Bible. Yeah, if you if you believe the Bible, read the Bible, yeah. King Solomon, yeah, his descendant is or was Emperor Hades Solassie the Great, Emperor of Ethiopia, who passed away, I believe, in the 70s or 80s, yeah, and also Empress Manem. So again, definitely worth a visit to the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis. You can also wander through Mekkato, spelt M-E-R-K-A-T-O, one of Africa's largest open markets. So in Ghana, we have Kelitia in Kumase, which is a massive open market, but this one here in Addis is huge as well. You know, Mekkato. Well, well worth a visit. Yeah. And also one thing about Addis Alabama, Ethiopia generally, is that the coffee culture is huge in Ethiopia and Addis. So again, on your visit to Addis Araba, you can experience Ethiopian coffee culture in traditional coffees. And believe it or not, most of the coffee that is sold in the West, i.e., in coffee shops like Starbuck, Costa Coffee, Cafe Nero, actually consume Ethiopia, place like Ethiopia, Wanda, Kenya. Yeah, because Ethiopia, countries like Ethiopia, but particularly Ethiopia, has some of the world's best coffee. Yep. So I would definitely recommend you go into an Ethiopian coffee shop and sample the world-famous Ethiopian coffee. Again, as part of the ship in Addis, you can discover modern Addis with its new parks, its lush green sites, its vibrant skyline and culture centers. So, why would you go to why would you spend your time to get to Addis? So essentially, Addis Araba is quite a unique capital in Africa. It's a very, very vibrant city with a rich culture and identity. And the name Addis Aba means new flower in the Achamaic language, symbolizing Ethiopia's renewal and resilience. As mentioned already, you know, blended the old and new. So few cities in the world, let alone on the African continent, combine ancient heritage, i.e. Dinkrunish or so-called Lucy, orthox churches, with modern African ambition, the skyscrapers, and also the head of the AUA quarters, see so seamlessly. Again, Alisaraba is not just a city to visit, it's a gateway to Ethiopia's wider churches. So you can go to Lalabella's rock hewn churches and also the Simeon Mountains and the Red Valley, which are outside Alisahaba. So, as part of this great city, you also want to sample the Ethiopian Ethiopian food and also the nightlife. So, you know, Ethiopia is famous, or rather, Ali Sahaba, Ethiopia is famous for its cuisine. So some of the restaurants I can uh point that you go to and sample traditional Ethiopian food include Yod Abyssinia, traditional restaurant. I'll put all this in you know in the funnest of the show so you don't have to worry about the spelling. So Yod Abyssinia traditional restaurant, which is famous for cultural shows, live traditional music, and authentic Ethiopian cuisine. Uh, another restaurant called 2000 Habita Culture Restaurant, another rest hotspot for injura, kitful and dance performances in the live setting, and also the Markets Addis Restaurant on Skybar, which offers fine dining with panoramic views of the city center, and also ideal for modern night out. There's also a Henan restaurant, highly rated fine dining spot, blending Ethiopian and international flavors. And there's also a golden plate restaurant within the Bale area. Bale is basically where the international airport is, and obviously it's part of the Bale facility. There are a number of really, really fantastic restaurants. Golden Plate Restaurant is one of them, and that's known for its quality dishes and stylist atmosphere. Now, in terms of nightlife, yeah, there's a flirt lounge addis, which is a stylist lounge with music and cocktails, and that's open to 4 am in the morning. The Wave Cabin Lounge, it's a popular late night club, again open to 5am in the morning. So with this, you know that Addis has a very, very vibrant nightlife and open to the very early hours. There's also another club called Roe X Lounge, a small but lively club on Namibia Street in Addis, and also uh Surrender Nightclub, world rated for its atmosphere and music, open to 4 a.m. in the morning. So if this is just a flavor of you know uh some of the nightlife and restaurants in Alisaraba, definitely one of the worth going to some of those restaurants and nightclubs, which blend tradition and modernity. So you can start your evening with a cultural dinner and live dance, and then move on to rooftop bar or nightclub. Again, if you've got a lot of energy, you you could go clubbing. And as I mentioned, the clubs are open till about 4-5 a.m. in the morning. Make it Adatabah one of East Africa's most vibrant nightlife cities. So in short, Adatabah's food scene is rich with cultural restaurants and fine dining, while it's nightlife offers everything from traditional dance houses to modern clubs that pulse until sunrise. And these clubs and nightlife can have to compete with anything on the African continent, let alone what we have in Europe or North America. So, in short, I would recommend you go to Ethiopia and particularly uh Addis Araba and sample the great culture, great history of Addis Arab. So, in short, Addis Araba, obviously, history, diplomacy, culture, and modern African energy all in one place, making Addis Araba a compelling city for you to visit either this year or definitely next year. Alright, so like I said, I'll put a couple of uh videos in the footnote for you to have a look at so you can see for yourself uh the splendor of Addis Araba, and also I'll put in the finish to a show, you know, where you can go to eat and some of the nightlife thing as well. Alright, so this has been it for African Focus Today, looking at tourism and the content. This week look at Addis Ababa. Next week, I'll find another city for you, and we have a double billing for you because we also will be talking about the forthcoming African Ponations, which kicks off in Morocco on December the 21st. So we tell you you know more about that in the next week's show. So from then, open from then, open till then, sorry, for myself Kwame and from all the crew here on Africa in Focus. Thank you very much for listening. Don't forget to subscribe, subscribe to Ghana, African Focus on YouTube, subscribe to Ghana, African Focus on Spotify. Alright, tell your friends, family, social media networks, and we see you next week for some more Africa in focus.