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Johannesburg: Africa's trendy metropolis
Few cities are so misrepresented and misunderstood as Johannesburg. It’s wise to be wary, but save some of that energy to enjoy one of South Africa’s most exciting cities. Part business hub, part creative capital, it is an energetic metropolis with a growing cultural and nightlife scene, and shaped by distinct neighbourhoods such as Maboneng and Melville.
Johannesburg’s place in history is well served by the world-renowned Apartheid Museum, the former prison site of Constitution Hill and, of course, the streets of Soweto which played a major role in the liberation movement. Johannesburg is just not worth missing out on.
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Top 10 sights in Johannesburg

Apartheid Museum
Johannesburg 2001
South Africa
Tel: +27 11 309 4700
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Opening times: Tue-Sun 0900-1700
Through video footage, first-person stories and interactive exhibits, this is one of the most engaging ways to explore this turbulent period of South Africa’s history.
Constitution Hill
2001 Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel: 011 381 3100
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Opening times: Mon-Fri 0900-1700, Sat-Sun 1000-1500
Few places show the country’s transition to democracy better than Constitution Hill. Tours of this sprawling former prison site take in Section Four where Mandela and Gandhi were held and the new Constitutional Court with its fantastic art.
Mandela House
1804 Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel: +27 11 936 7754
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Opening times: Daily 0900-1645
Mandela’s Soweto home is now a national museum displaying family photos, memorabilia, honorary doctorates and gifts. Close by is the home of Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Arts on Main
2094 Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel: 072 880 9583
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Opening times: Tue-Sun 1000-1600
Art galleries, working studios and public art are the flagship attraction in the lively Maboneng district, which celebrates up-and-coming artists.
Top of Africa
2107 Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel: 011 308 1331
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Opening times: Mon-Fri 0900-1800, Sat 0900-1700, Sun 0900-1400
Inside the 50-storey shopping and office skyscraper of the Carlton Centre, a lift takes visitors to the viewing deck for panoramic views.
Museum Africa
2001 Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel: 011 833 5624
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Opening times: Tue-Sun 0900-1700
A former fruit and vegetable market houses this social and cultural history museum, charting Johannesburg’s history and people through exhibitions such as ‘Ghandi’s Johannesburg’ and ‘My Culture?’.
Hector Pieterson Museum
Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel: +27 11 536 0611
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Opening times: Mon-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1000-1630
A tribute to the 12-year-old student killed during the 1976 Soweto Uprising, this museum uses memorabilia and technology to map the apartheid struggle. A memorial on the spot where Hector was shot is on nearby Khumalo Street.
Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG)
2044 Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel: +27 11 725 3130
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Opening times: Tue-Sun 1000-1700
This vast gallery with 15 halls and sculpture gardens has works by Picasso, Henry Moore and Rodin and from South African artists Sekoto, Pierneef and Battiss.
SAB World Of Beer
2001 Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel: 011 836 4900
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Opening times: Tue-Sat 1000-1800
Egyptian tombs, Johannesburg’s mining townships and Castle Beer are all part of South Africa’s beer history. Tours are followed by tastings in the Tap Room.
Liliesleaf
2128 Johannesburg
South Africa
Tel: 0111 803 7882
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Opening times: Mon-Fri 0830-1700, Sat-Sun 0900-1600
The former nerve centre of the liberation struggle, this award-winning heritage centre explores the 1963 police raid which resulted in the Rivonia Trial, sentencing Mandela and others to life imprisonment.
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Country Information
Country overview
A land of golden beaches, jagged mountains, rich safari plains and barren deserts; South Africa encompasses all these things. The teeming wildlife is as diverse and spectacular as the scenery, with everything from elusive leopards and plodding elephants to playful penguins. South Africa’s cities are also enormously varied, with hustling Johannesburg at its heart,
and cosmopolitan Cape Town an enclave of European chic at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. In between you can lose yourself for days on safari in the bush or explore quaint isolated towns breaking up the arid Karoo wilderness.
Geography
The Republic of South Africa fills the southern tip of the continent and is lapped by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Indian Ocean to the east, and a swirling mixture of the two at the very tip.
It totally encloses the independent kingdom of Lesotho, and is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland to the north.
A vast, interior plateau has sharp escarpments that rise above the lowland plains. Mountainous regions include the Drakensberg and Magaliesberg.
The west coast is arid, while the south and southeast coasts are semi-arid, with vegetation fringed by sandy beaches and rocky coves.
In contrast, the subtropical northeast has lush wetlands and coastal forests. The wildlife viewing areas are scattered throughout the country, with the famous Kruger National Park so vast that it encloses a wide variety of eco-systems.
Of its nine provinces, Gauteng, which houses Johannesburg and Pretoria in the northeast, is the smallest and most densely populated. The Northern Cape is the largest province covering between a third and quarter of the country, but containing only a tiny percentage of the population in this territory of desert and semi-desert wilderness.
General knowledge
Key facts
Population: 55.5 million (estimation 2016)
Population Density (per sq km): 42
Capital: Cape Town (legislative); Pretoria (executive); Bloemfontein (judicial).
Language
The official languages are Afrikaans, English, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Ndebele, Sepedi, Setswana, Siswati, Süd-Sesotho, Tshivenda und Xitsonga.
Currency
Rand (ZAR; symbol R) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of R200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of R5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents.
Electricity
220/230 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs have three fat round pins.
General business opening hours
There is no single office opening time and it varies from business to business, generally from either 0800 or 0900 to 1630 or 1700, Mon-Fri.
Public Holidays
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2018 – December 2019 period.
Note
Holidays falling on Sunday are observed the following Monday.
2018
New Year’s Day: 1 January 2018
Human Rights Day: 21 March 2018
Good Friday: 30 March 2018
Family Day: 2 April 2018
Freedom Day: 27 April 2018
Workers’ Day: 1 May 2018
Youth Day: 16 June 2018
National Women’s Day: 9 August 2018
Heritage Day: 24 September 2018
Day of Reconciliation: 16 and 17 December 2018
Christmas Day: 25 December 2018
Day of Goodwill: 26 December 2018
2019
New Year’s Day: 1 January 2019
Human Rights Day: 21 March 2019
Good Friday: 19 April 2019
Family Day: 22 April 2019
Freedom Day: 27 April 2019
Workers’ Day: 1 May 2019
Youth Day: 16 and 17 June 2019
National Women’s Day: 9 August 2019
Heritage Day: 24 September 2019
Day of Reconciliation: 16 December 2019
Christmas Day: 25 December 2019
Day of Goodwill: 26 December 2019
All information subject to change.
Flight and accommodation
Nightlife in Johannesburg
Johannesburg packs a punch with its glitzy nightclubs, cool terraces, Soweto bars and cultural hotspots.
Johannesburg packs a punch with its glitzy nightclubs, cool terraces, Soweto bars and cultural hotspots.
Liberation Cafe
2092 Johannesburg
South Africa
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This open-fronted bar with a jukebox serves up great cocktails and tapas-style food.
Living Room
2094 Johannesburg
South Africa
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This alfresco rooftop bar in Maboneng is great for end-of-the-week drinking and dancing.
Sakhumzi
1804 Johannesburg
South Africa
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Sakhumzi, with its cocktail and cigar bars, is one of several bar-restaurants on Soweto’s Vilakazi Street where Mandela once lived.
Latinova
2196 Johannesburg
South Africa
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In Rosebank’s Design District, this swanky club with outdoor lounge plays Latin beats.
The Market Theatre
Johannesburg 2048
South Afrika
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Open since 1976 during apartheid, it’s still top for independent theatre and has a bar and bistro.
Flight and accommodation
Restaurants in Johannesburg
An explosive restaurant scene makes Johannesburg one of the best African cities for foodies, be it for haute cuisine, fusion food or laid-back brunches.
An explosive restaurant scene makes Johannesburg one of the best African cities for foodies, be it for haute cuisine, fusion food or laid-back brunches.
Qunu Grill
2196 Johannesburg
South Africa
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Price: Expensive
South African ingredients inspire the menu at the Saxon Hotel’s renowned restaurant.
Level Four
2196 Johannesburg
South Africa
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Price: Moderate
Modern dishes devised by individual chefs are behind the success of this hotel restaurant.
Canteen
2094 Johannesburg
South Africa
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Price: Moderate
Alfresco dining from Thursday to Saturday plus Sunday rooftop salsa in the adjoining bar.
Tashas
Johannesburg
South Africa
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Price: Cheap
Pastas, quesadillas, cocktails and craft beers on the menu at Tashas with outlets across Johannesburg.
The Ant Cafe
2092 Johannesburg
South Africa
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Price: Cheap
Unpretentious restaurant serving crispy pizzas and delicious salads on Melville’s main street.
Flight and accommodation
Calendar of events
FNB Dance Umbrella
6 – 18 March 2018
Website
Venue: Wits Theatre, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein, The Dance Factory, Newtown, Market Theatre
Celebrating contemporary choreography and dance in South Africa, this event is a firm favourite among young artists.
The Rand Show
30 March – 8 April 2018
Website
Venue: Joburg Expo Center
The largest consumer trade fair in South Africa and usually held around Easter, this show encompasses home furnishings, architecture, design, science, technology, gardening, animal shows, competitions and adventure rides
Decorex
8 – 12 August 2018
Website
Venue: Gallagher Convention Centre
A themed interior decoration, design and lifestyle exhibition.
Gauteng Getaway Show
14 – 16 September 2018
Website
Venue: Ticketpro Dome, Olievenhout Avenue, Johannesburg-North Riding
Dedicated to travellers and adventurers, this event showcases over 350 exhibits including travel destinations, caravans, camping equipment and adventure accessories. There is also a Travel & Taste theatre feature great wine and food, as well as a live music stage.
Joy of Jazz
September 2018
Website
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre
The oldest jazz festival in South Africa, this cultural event takes place once a year at the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg.
RMB WineX (Wine festival)
24 – 26 October 2018
Website
Ort: Sandton Convention Centre
From Souvignon Blanc to Pinotage, this festival boasts around 800 wines available for tasting. The event also features fine brandy, quality glassware and artisanal olives.
All information subject to change. Please check the dates on the relevant event organizer’s website.
Flight and accommodation
Hotels in Johannesburg
Luxury global chains, family-run guesthouses, cool hostels and everything in between can be found
in the diverse suburbs which make up South Africa’s dynamic metropolis.
Saxon Hotel, Villas And Spa
Johannesburg, Gauteng 2196
South Afrika
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Category: Expensive
Ultimate luxury on 2.5 hectares (6 acres) of land, this all-suite hotel was Mandela’s home when he wrote his autobiography.
Ten Bompas
2196 Johannesburg
South Africa
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Category: Expensive
All-suite design hotel with celebrated Winehouse restaurant and glass-fronted wine cellar.
The Maslow
2031 Johannesburg
South Africa
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Category: Moderate
Business-centric hotel with popular bistro restaurant, techno gym and Africology Spa.
Willy’s Chateau
2094 Johannesburg
South Africa
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Category: Budget
Family-run German bed and breakfast with outdoor pool in the suburb of Kensington.
Flight and accommodation
Best time to visit
Today: Tuesday, 24.04.2018 18:00 UTC

sunny
temperature
18°C
wind direction
northwind speed
8.125 mph7 days forecast
Thursday
26.04.2018
25°C / 17°C
Friday
27.04.2018
27°C / 19°C
Saturday
28.04.2018
24°C / 18°C
Sunday
29.04.2018
24°C / 18°C
Monday
30.04.2018
26°C / 16°C
Tuesday
01.05.2018
20°C / 14°C
Wednesday
02.05.2018
22°C / 14°C
Climate & best time to visit South Africa
Being in the southern hemisphere, South Africa’s seasons are the opposite of European seasons. The climate is seasonal, but the country enjoys at least seven months of sunshine, with temperatures dropping in the winter months of May to August. April and May are the most temperate months. Temperatures above 32°C (90°F) are fairly common in summer, and frequently exceed 38°C (100°F) in the lower Orange River Valley and the Mpumalanga Lowveld. The barren Northern Cape has some of the most extreme temperatures, sometimes cracking 40°C (104°F) in summer and plummeting to below freezing in winter.
It’s pleasantly warm and sunny in spring and autumn, and delightfully hot in summer (November-March) with frequent heavy tropical rains and sudden spring and summer hailstorms to cool things down. The thunder and lightening storms over Africa’s big skies can be quite spectacular, but are best enjoyed through a window, not out in the open. These tropical storms can be vicious too, often causing flooding and turning urban streets into temporary streams, making driving hazardous. Wait an hour and it will all be over.
Even in winters South Africa’s chill is nothing compared with European standards, with mild frost occasional, and snow a rarity. The rainiest months in Cape Town are May to August, although the weather in Cape Town is generally difficult to predict and can deliver all four seasons in one day.
Christmas can be just too hot for game viewing in the safari parks, and it’s also peak season for South African holidaymakers. Cape Town is a magnet for Jo’burgers at Christmas, so best avoided – visit in spring and autumn, when the weather is good and the crowds are smaller. Of the main cities, Durban is the hottest and can get remarkably hot and sticky in the summer. But it’s perfect in winter, where you can still wear shorts in temperatures that the locals consider a bit nippy.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
absolute max | absolute min | Ø absolute min | Ø absolute min | relative humidity | Ø precipitation | days with deposit > 1mm | sunshine duration | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan | 41 °C | 8 °C | 32 °C | 18 °C | 57 % | 98 mm | 9 | 8.0 h |
Feb | 39 °C | 8 °C | 31 °C | 18 °C | 59 % | 84 mm | 6 | 9.1 h |
Mar | 40 °C | 6 °C | 30 °C | 16 °C | 60 % | 85 mm | 6 | 8.2 h |
Apr | 35 °C | -2 °C | 28 °C | 12 °C | 60 % | 43 mm | 4 | 8.7 h |
May | 35 °C | -3 °C | 25 °C | 6 °C | 56 % | 15 mm | 2 | 9.2 h |
Jun | 30 °C | -5 °C | 22 °C | 2 °C | 54 % | 5 mm | 1 | 8.9 h |
Jul | 30 °C | -6 °C | 22 °C | 2 °C | 50 % | 2 mm | 0 | 9.2 h |
Aug | 35 °C | -5 °C | 25 °C | 5 °C | 43 % | 5 mm | 1 | 9.8 h |
Sep | 37 °C | -4 °C | 29 °C | 10 °C | 42 % | 12 mm | 2 | 9.4 h |
Oct | 40 °C | 0 °C | 31 °C | 14 °C | 47 % | 44 mm | 5 | 8.9 h |
Nov | 40 °C | 5 °C | 31 °C | 16 °C | 51 % | 63 mm | 6 | 9.0 h |
Dec | 43 °C | 5 °C | 32 °C | 17 °C | 55 % | 83 mm | 8 | 8.6 h |
year | 43 °C | -6 °C | 28 °C | 11 °C | 53 % | 539 mm | 50 | 8.9 h |
Flight and accommodation
Phone calls & Internet
Telephone/Mobile Telephone
Dialing Code: +27
Telephone
To call home, the cheapest way is to use Skype or an international calling card like the WorldCall card from the national operator, Telkom. That lets you call any destination from a Telkom line, including those in hotels, at standard Telkom rates. Area codes are used even for local calls.
Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. Coverage extends to most of the country except the very remote areas. GPRS for data coverage is also widespread. Airport kiosks can sell you a phone or local SIM card if you show some ID.
Internet
Internet cafes are common in towns throughout the country and wireless is available at airports and in upmarket hotels. Most hotels charge for connectivity and it’s far cheaper to find the nearest internet café.
Flight and accommodation
Shopping in Johannesburg
Key Areas
In this sprawling city, knowing where to shop is key. For boutique clothes and gift shops, the suburbs come up trumps such as Melville’s 11th Street and 4th Avenue in Parkhurst. For art and trinkets, head to the up-and-coming district of Maboneng near downtown Johannesburg.
Markets
Every Saturday, the Neighbourgoods Market in Braamfontein takes place in a brick warehouse, selling crafts, food and drink. Also on Saturdays is the Market Square Market opposite Market Theatre. Sandton Craft Market off Nelson Mandela Square is open daily and has a good selection of high-quality gifts and artwork. For traditional souvenirs, Rosebank’s craft market next to the mall is a decent option.
Shopping Centres
Eastgate, Cresta, Sandton City and the mini malls which make up Rosebank Mall are among the largest malls in Johannesburg. For independent shopping, 44 Stanley (Stanley Avenue, Milpark) in a disused building featuring local designers and interesting restaurants.
Flight and accommodation
Traveller etiquette
South Africa’s biggest cities are very westernised and hold few cultural surprises for Europeans. Handshaking is the usual form of greeting, sometimes in a more elaborate African handshake that foreigners will pick up readily. Casual wear is widely acceptable, especially in less formal Cape Town. Smoking is prohibited in public buildings and on public transport.
The presence of so many diverse ethnic backgrounds certainly adds some spice outside of the main business centres.
Rural areas most likely to be visited by travellers include Zulu land in KwaZulu Natal where communities are based in small traditional villages with round huts (rondevals) and a few hustling, bustling relatively poor towns.
In Durban you’ll be entertained by beach-front Zulu dancers wearing full animal skin tribal regalia. A more modern form of culture is the now commercialised Gum Boot dance, performed in wellingtons and mining outfits and developed in men’s only mining hostels when entertainment was scarce.
Flight and accommodation
Health
Main emergency number: 10111
Food & Drink
Mains water is safe to drink. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption, as are local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables. Diarrhoea remains the most common cause of ill health in travellers, with South Africa graded as an intermediate risk country. The standard of food safety and preparation is generally good and poses little threat to your health, but sensitive travellers should follow the advice to ‘cook it, peel it or leave it.’
Other Risks
Avoid swimming and paddling in stagnant or slow-moving water as there is a low risk of contracting bilharzia, and a risk of catching E.coli. Cholera is spread by contaminated food or water and occurs in some rural areas of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, where it can be picked up from swimming in contaminated streams. Swimming pools that are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Vaccinations against tuberculosis and hepatitis B are sometimes recommended.
Department of Health statistics show the prevalence of HIV/AIDS remains high despite increasing efforts to combat it, with 178 out of 1,000 adults infected, compared to a global average of just 8 in 1,000. Malaria is found in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the north-east of KwaZulu-Natal, and the Department of Health recommends taking preventative drugs during the peak period between September and May.
Sunburn is a much more common risk, with the African sun being far fiercer than most people realise. Tourists are also vulnerable to theft or mugging and the usual precautions apply – keep jewellery, cameras, handbags and other valuables out of sight, do not carry large sums of money, and avoid walking at night or along isolated beaches and streets. Motorists should park in well-lit areas, be alert when waiting for traffic lights to change, and if a hijacking does occur, keep your hands where the attackers can see them and do not try to resist.
Contractual physician of Lufthansa
Dr. Teeger, Joseph7 Third Street
Houghton Estate 2198
Johannesburg
Republic of South Africa
Tel. +27-11-728-4298
Please note that Lufthansa accepts no responsibility for the treatment nor will it bear the cost of any treatment.
Flight and accommodation
Visa & Immigration
IATA Travel Centre
The IATA Travel Centre delivers accurate passport, visa and health requirement information at a glance. It is a trusted, centralized source for the latest international travel requirements. The IATA Travel Centre is the most accurate source available because it is based on a comprehensive database used by virtually every airline, and information is gathered from official sources worldwide, such as immigration and police authorities.