Activities
Soweto township is one of the areas that make Johannesburg famous. It is a sprawling jumble of African workers’ houses that was once home to Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Mandela’s former residence is now the Nelson Mandela National Museum. To the northeast, Herman Ekstein Park encompasses a boating lake and Johannesburg Zoo.
There are a lot of fun activities and things to do in Johannesburg. Including art galleries and cultural institution studios where visitors can learn about the traditional cultures. Visitors in search of buzzing nightlife will find that Johannesburg has lots of hotspots to offer. From pubs to clubs and shebeens, each venue promises a night of pure excitement and of course, Johannesburg is also one of the premium shopping destinations in Africa. Here you can take your pick of locally crafted items or find international brands at great prices.
Climate
Johannesburg’s climate is much milder drier than its latitude would suggest, the city enjoys a sunny climate, with the summer months from October to April. Winter have lild days and cool nights and snow is a rare occurrence
Eating Out
Eating out in Johannesburg is inspiring. Get ready to delight your taste buds with cuisine which rivals those found anywhere in the world. It offers everything from pavement dining to five star gourmet cuisines. Eating outdoors in the summer is a treat and you can have your pick from the wide array of African wine on offer. Cards are accepted for payments but note that from mid December to early January most of the locals move to the coast for holidays which makes the restaurants in the city close.
Getting Around
Getting around in Joburg can be done by taking the public transport system, train and you can also rent a car. Most visitors find it easy to rent a car for movement in and around the city as the public transport system does not extend its services to some neighborhoods. Buy a good map, rent a car while you visit.
Kids Attractions
For the kids, a trip to the Joburg zoo is a must, ssing the animals in their natural habitat will surely get them excited. The Gold Reef city amusement theme park and the sci bono discovery center will educate and entertain kids of all age brackets. Other interesting and fun attractions to see with the kids include:
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The National Childrens Theatre
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The Bird Garden
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Zoo Lake
Language
Languages spoken here include: English, Zulu, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Other English, Zulu, Afrikaans, Xhosa and other languages.
Money
The official currency is the Rand.
Night Life
Jozi is the entertainment capital of the country. From hipster bars and dancing clubs to historic bars and pub districts. Visitors here for the night life and entertainment will have to spread their time touring the city. Taking a taxi around the city might get you around faster. The legal drinking age is 18.
Popular Bars in Johannesburg include: Catz Pajamas, Katzy’s, Melrose Arch, Radium Beer Hall,
Popular clubs include: Reality, The Rock, Tokyo Star
For live music check out the Blues room, Horror Café , the Basssline, the songwriters club
For a night of theatre visit : the Market theattre Company, Pieter Toeriens Montecassino Theatre
Restaurants
There is a wide choice of restaurants in Johannesburg to choose from. By law, VAT, which currently stands at 14%, is already included in restaurant bills. Most restaurants do not charge a service fee and 'waitrons' (local term which incorporates waiters and waitresses) expect to be tipped 10 to 15%; however, tables of over six or eight are often charged an automatic 15% service charge..
The restaurants have been divided into three different pricing categories:
Expensive (over R200)
Moderate (R100 to R200)
Cheap (up to R100)
These prices are for a three-course meal and for a bottle of house wine or equivalent, including VAT but excluding service charge.
Shopping
Shopping in Joburg is a delight, the Joburg Shopping Festival (in its third year)is the biggest shopping extravaganza of the year, which takes place from 28 July to 9 august with lots of discount and special offers at four of Gautengs biggest shopping malls: East Rand Mall, Oriental Plaza, Rosebank Mall and Sandton City and Nelson Mandela Square.
Joburg is regarded as the retail capital of the world and attracts shoppers from all over the world. Throughout the two week' festival there is an exciting selection of massive prizes up for grabs including spa breaks, gourmet dinners, hotel stays, R5000 shopping sprees, free flights, holidays and even cars as giveaways.
Weekend craft and food markets are also popular in the city.enjoy local food and do some souvenir shopping at these spots.
Sightseeing
The city has many historic spots and quite number of museums and art galaries. Visitors can also learn about thr history of mining, the struggle against apartheid or the origin of humankind. The city is also home to some ethnic neighbourhoods to explore such as Foldsburg, Little Addis and Chinatown.
A walking tour is advised for a tour of the inner city. Local guides are on hand to show you the ins and outs of the cities traditional beliefs and street art.
Johannesburg is also home to South Africa's largest township Soweto. A pillar of anti-apartheid resistance and one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Africa, nowadays Soweto offers a breadth of experiences from bungee-jumping to bird-watching, quad-biking tours and fashionable weekend markets. Meanwhile, just 5km from Sandton the country's oldest township, Alexandra, is also waking up to its potential as a tourist attraction and there are many great tour guides who can show you a fascinating side to this lesser-known township.
Time
South African Standard Time (SAST) UTC/ GMT +2