Five incredible things to do in Johannesburg
Five incredible things to do in Johannesburg
| by Willem Steenkamp
Johannesburg (colloquially, Jozi, Joburg or Egoli) is South Africa’s – and Africa’s – City of Gold. And trees: many claim, unfortunately erroneously, that it comprises the largest man-made forest in the world.
What it certainly is, however, is one of the most wooded cities in the world, with the City of Johannesburg having claimed to have counted more than 11-million trees in the metropolitan area.
That makes Johannesburg, a city that exploded into existence in the 1880s after gold was discovered, arguably the greenest city in South Africa. Originally grassland, over the decades millions of trees – many, alas, exotic – were planted for timber for the mines but also for aesthetic reasons.
It does mean that the city boasts spectacular public parks and abundant birdlife nowadays, however. From the common Cape sparrow to the cacophonous Hadeda ibis, the city is home to over 350 bird species.
A stroll at the Johannesburg Botanical Garden and Emmarentia Dam
Called simply “Emmarentia” by locals, this is one of Johannesburg’s most popular parks. Originally part of a farm owned by the Geldenhuys family, along with the adjacent suburbs of Linden, Greenside and Emmarentia, it is a well-maintained, eye-catching green spot in the city.
Emmarentia comprises two distinct parts: the large botanical garden (including a rose garden) and the dam, named by farmer Lourens Geldenhuys for his wife. The dam is a popular boating spot, and is inhabited by scores of waterfowl. The garden itself features plenty of walking and biking trails, rolling lawns and lots of shady spots for picnicking, as well as a tearoom for a light meal and refreshments.
Emmarentia is open every day between 6am and 6pm. Entrance is free.
Keyes Art Mile
Situated in the upmarket residential and business district of Rosebank, the Keyes Art Mile is an epicentre of Johannesburg’s vibrant art scene.
Comprising a row of the city’s finest art galleries along Keyes Avenue (and in adjacent streets), as well as a clutch of fine-dining restaurants and one of the best gourmet burger joints in the city, the art mile is a perfect place to nourish both body and soul.
Popular Keyes Art Night events take place on the first Thursday evening of every month, featuring late-night gallery openings, live music, food trucks and pop-up bars.
Cradle of Humankind
Just outside Johannesburg (only about 45 minutes’ drive), the Cradle of Humankind is one of the most important sites globally for studying the origins of humanity. And when it comes to palaeontology, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. And giving.
For nearly a century, important fossils – some three million years old – have been discovered and identified in this area, which encompasses a huge limestone cave system. Examples include the skull of “Mrs Ples” (Australopithecus africanus), “Little Foot” (the most complete Australopithecus skeleton ever found), and the hominin species Homo naledi and Australopithecus sediba.
The Cradle was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 for its outstanding value in documenting human evolution. The Maropeng Visitor Centre, situated in the area, and the Sterkfontein Caves are popular tourism and research hubs. Plus, the surrounding countryside is filled with great food-and-drink options – perfect for a hearty breakfast or leisurely lunch on your day trip.
Pamper yourself
Johannesburg boasts a plethora of first-class day spas, and your Travel Architect can assist you to find the perfect one for you. But a superb option is the award-winning Spa at Fairlawns, set in the gardens of the beautiful Fairlawns Boutique Hotel and Spa in Morningside, in Johannesburg’s leafy northern suburb of Sandton.
This Balinese-style spa is designed to boost wellness and rejuvenate the body and mind, offering a range of half- and full-day treatments for singles and couples. Imagine a full-body massage in one of its secluded outdoor areas, surrounded by the sounds of nature and a softly babbling stream.
You can also combine your treatment with a delicious meal – either before or afterwards – at Amuse-Bouche, the hotel’s excellent restaurant.
Vilakazi Street: food for the soul
No visit to Johannesburg is complete without a visit to one of its world-famous neighbourhoods: Soweto. And one of the first places to check out is Vilakazi Street, the only thoroughfare in the world to have been home to two Nobel Peace Prize laureates (Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu).
It’s a street with a long (and sometimes tragic) history. Besides Mandela and Tutu, the street’s namesake, Benedict Wallet Vilakazi, lived here. A novelist, poet and linguist, Vilakazi was the first Black South African to achieve a PhD. Infamously, it was in Vilakazi Street that police fatally wounded 12-year-old Hector Pieterson on 16 June 1976; there is a memorial to him and a museum nearby, and South Africa’s Youth Day is marked on 16 June.
Nowadays Vilakazi Street is a celebration of South Africa’s soul. It’s a place of remembrance, art and good living. Visit the museum at Mandela’s house, buy a funky bucket hat or hand-painted sneakers, and enjoy a delicious, authentic township-style lunch at Sakhumzi Restaurant, one of Johannesburg’s most famous eateries and among several on the street.
There’s gold to be found
There’s a reason beyond the ubiquitous gold mines that Johannesburg is called the City of Gold. You barely have to look around to spot the sparkly nuggets of fantastic people to meet, interesting things to do and fascinating places to visit.
For a city not even 150 years old it’s got loads of history – did you know that Mahatma Gandhi lived in Johannesburg and developed his philosophy of passive resistance there? Or that the art-filled Constitutional Court is housed on the site of a notorious prison (where even Gandhi was locked up)? But it also has lots of incredible flavour: it’s a riot of voices, music, the arts and world-class food.
It’s impossible to not love every second spent in Johannesburg, a true South African melting pot where there’s so much to explore, and where you’ll find creative and engaging people of all stripes and make lifelong friends in seconds.
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