Johannesburg for Tourists
Johannesburg is a major city in South Africa and often the landing point for tourists to South Africa. After catching an Uber or riding the Gautrain from OR Tambo International Airport to your accommodation in Joburg, you already get a sense for the advancement of this impressive city.
Johannesburg is also known as Joburg and eGoli and is more casually known as Jozi by locals. I’ve lived in this city for most of my life and am always thrilled to give visitors insight into what to look forward to in Joburg. In this article, I will also touch on Johannesburg safety tips – one of the topics I am asked about often.
Where is Johannesburg?
South Africa is made up of 9 provinces/regions. Johannesburg is in Gauteng which is the smallest province in South Africa. Translated, Gauteng means “Place of Gold.” The reference to gold comes from the fact that Gauteng sits on the world’s largest gold deposit.
Gauteng is a landlocked province with four other provinces on it’s borders. This makes Johannesburg an ideal departure point for many road trip destinations in surrounding provinces.
Is Johannesburg safe?
This is a question I am asked often about Johannesburg. Some people feel afraid or anxious to visit Johannesburg because of the crime statistics.
I have been living in Johannesburg for most of my life. There are certain things that we do as a normal way of life for safety in Johannesburg and I advise visitors to do the same. These are some precautions for safety in Johannesburg:
- Keep your handbag zipped and be aware of where it is at all times
- Drive with your car doors locked and windows up
- Don’t walk alone at night
Reasons to visit Johannesburg
It took me moving out of Joburg to truly appreciate it for the glorious city that it is. A lesson learnt is that your home is someone else’s holiday getaway. Even if you can’t afford a trip right now or your schedule does not allow for one – explore your home city/town during the weekend and make a vacation out of it. You will be surprised at how much has been right in front of you!
These are some of the reasons that Joburg is such a wonderful city:
Joburg has a beautiful city skyline
Joburg’s city skyline is one of the most famous. Hanging out on a rooftop at sunset is a popular.
Living Room in Maboneng is a buzzing rooftop bar and restuarant that is open daily. During busy hours you may need to pay an entrance fee.
12 Decades Hotel Rooftop Bar is a walking distance away from Living Room in Maboneng. It is a chilled roof top hangout spot with a view open every Sunday from midday till 7pm.
For a fancier set up, visit in San Deck bar and restaurant in Sandton. The stylish decor and comfy seating make it a perfect spot when looking to dress up to enjoy a cocktail at sunset.
Did you know that Carlton Center is the second tallest building in Africa? This 223m skyscraper used to be a high-end hotel but now functions as a shopping centre. The viewpoint on the top floor is called Top of Africa and can be visited for a small entrance fee. It is open daily and the elevator to the top can be accessed from the second floor of Carlton Center. The glass window perimeter allows for a 360 degree view of Johannesburg.
Joburg is a Foodie's Dream
There are so many places to eat out in Joburg that I am convinced that you could try a new place every day of the year and not run out. Take advantage of that and eat somewhere you have never been before.
I went to Craft Restaurant in Parkhurst for the first time and loved it. They serve food that looks and tastes damn good! I looooove peanut butter and had heard that I could find a peanut butter milkshake at Craft that would impress. It’s called The J’Something milkshake. It doesn’t have a description on the menu but I trusted that if J’Something put his name on it, it must be good. Here it is.I smiled like a little girl as the waiter delivered this to our table. This chocolate-peanut butter-fudge goodness all for me?! I don’t know whether I should be proud or ashamed that I finished this.
The city is decorated with outstanding street art
This artwork by Faith47 is my favourite find. It is located on the corner of Fox and Rissik street in Joburg CBD. It is so grand and so beautiful. It is titled Una Salus Vicis Nallum Sperare Salutum. Translated this means the only hope for the doomed is no hope at all.
It acknowledges South Africa's past and gives hope to the future
Constitution Hill is a former prison which utilized race dependent living conditions and made prisoners out of freedom fighters during Apartheid. Join a guided tour which are brilliantly done by knowledgeable and passionate guides. You walk through the prison cells, hear stories about the unfair treatment of black prisoners, and witness the harsh conditions of solitary confinement.
Constitution Hill is now the location of the Constitutional Court. Engraved on the doors to the Constitutional Court are the 27 fundamental themes of the bill of rights in all 11 South African languages.
There are many markets to explore in Joburg
ThePlayground is a favourite on Saturdays. The food. The vibe. I appreciated that you can pay for your purchases cash free using SnapScan. The food is on display at each stall and is so enticing that you walk around looking at everything over and over again hoping that your decision on what to eat will become clearer. I chose a cheesey, saucy, delicious chicken prego roll from the Santana Gourmet stand.
I also checked out Rosebank Art & Craft Market. It’s an African wonderland. You can find African jewellery, clothing, ornaments, fabric, furniture, EVERYTHING.
75% of South Africa's malls are located in Gauteng
You are spoilt with options with the number of malls in Johannesburg. In fact, according to Business Tech, 75% of South Africa’s malls are located in Gauteng. It took moving to a small town to truly appreciate all of the STUFF you can find in the city. Make your choice between Sandton City, Mall of Africa, Eastgate Shopping Centre etc. I chose Sandton for a lunch date with a friend.
When you are done shopping, take a moment to appreciate Nelson Mandela Square. It came second in the TripAdvisor traveler’s choice awards for Top 10 SA landmarks. Can you guess which landmark won? Here’s a clue: it’s in Cape Town. Leave your guess in the comments.
There is always more...
There is always something new to see or try in Johannesburg. With that I seal this love letter to South Africa’s City of Gold ♥
What are your favourite things to do in Joburg?
Loved this ! CBD and especially Maboneng are defo my favorite areas in Joburg ! But I loved it all. And your letter is soooo true. I stayed 5 months there and there is so much I wished I had done. I kept telling myself I have time and going to hit Harem dancefloor until I could not leave the bed the next day instead of exploring… #shame #partyanimal haha Then time was over… 🙁 I truly loved this country : the people, the culture, the vibe, everything ! My demonstration of love will also be shown on my soon to come blog 🙂
Great post Fari! So much to explore in jhb
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