Johannesburg & Gauteng

Johannesburg (Zulu: eGoli = "City of Gold", called "Joburg" or "Jozi" by locals) is with over 5.6 million inhabitants (metro area: 10+ million) the largest city in South Africa. It was founded in 1886 after the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand and grew from a tent camp to a metropolis in record time.

Joburg has no beach, no Table Mountain, and no Cape—and that's exactly what deters most tourists. A mistake. What Johannesburg offers is unvarnished reality: the history of apartheid, the energy of the townships, an exploding art and culinary scene, and the cradle of humankind at the city's doorstep.

Johannesburg is not "beautiful" in the classical sense—it's fascinating. Plan 2–3 days, preferably with a local guide.

Soweto (South Western Townships) is more than a township—it's the symbol of the fight against apartheid and the cultural soul of South Africa. Over 1 million people lived here under the inhumane conditions of racial segregation, the student uprising began here in 1976, and Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu lived here—in the same street!

Highlights

• Vilakazi Street: The only street in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize winners have lived: Nelson Mandela (No. 8115) and Desmond Tutu. The Mandela House Museum (26 ZAR) showcases the modest house where Mandela lived with Winnie before his arrest in 1962. Bullet holes in the facade testify to attacks.
• Hector Pieterson Memorial & Museum: On June 16, 1976, police shot 12-year-old Hector Pieterson during the student uprising against Afrikaans as the language of instruction. The iconic photo of the dying boy went around the world and became a symbol of resistance. The museum vividly tells the story of the uprising. 40 ZAR.
• Orlando Towers: The former cooling towers of a power plant, painted with colorful murals, are now an adventure center: bungee jumping between the towers (500 ZAR), climbing, abseiling. Surreal and typically Joburg.
• Soweto Bicycle Tour: By bike through the various neighborhoods—from the poorest shantytowns to the upscale districts with villas. The contrast is shocking and eye-opening. Lebo's Soweto Backpackers, from 450 ZAR (23€).

The Apartheid Museum is one of the most impressive museums in the world—and a must-visit for any traveler to South Africa. It tells the story of racial segregation from 1948 to democracy in 1994 in a way that gets under your skin.

The Experience

The confrontation begins at the entrance: You randomly receive a ticket labeled "White" or "Non-White" and enter the museum through different entrances—segregated by race, as it was under apartheid. The 22 exhibition areas lead chronologically through:

• The introduction of racial laws (Group Areas Act, Pass Laws)
• Life in the townships
• The resistance (ANC, PAC, Steve Biko)
• Mandela's imprisonment and release
• The Truth and Reconciliation Commission
• The birth of the Rainbow Nation

Films, photographs, artifacts, and personal accounts make apartheid tangible. Plan 2–3 hours—less is not enough.

Northern Parkway & Gold Reef Rd. 120 ZAR (6€). Tue–Sun 9–17, closed on Mon.

Constitution Hill is a former prison in the heart of Johannesburg, where both Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi were imprisoned. Today, it houses the Constitutional Court of South Africa—built with the bricks of the old prison. The message: From a place of oppression to a symbol of justice.

What you see

• Old Fort: Built in 1892 for white prisoners. Mandela was imprisoned here in 1956.
• Number Four: The notorious prison for black inmates—overcrowded, brutal, inhumane. The cells are preserved and oppressive.
• Women's Gaol: The women's prison where Winnie Mandela and Albertina Sisulu were held.
• Constitutional Court: South Africa's highest court, overseeing the world's most progressive constitution. The architecture is symbolic: glass facades for transparency, 11 pillars for 11 official languages.

11 Kotze St, Braamfontein. 90 ZAR (5€). Daily 9–17. Guided tours recommended.

Pretoria (officially: City of Tshwane) is just 50 km north of Johannesburg and is South Africa's administrative capital. The city is known as "Jacaranda City"—in October/November, 70,000 Jacaranda trees transform the streets into a sea of purple blossoms. It's one of the most beautiful sights in South Africa.

Highlights

• Union Buildings: Herbert Baker's imposing government seat (1913), where Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the first democratically elected president in 1994. The gardens are open to the public, and a 9 m high Mandela statue overlooks the city. Inside only open for official occasions.
• Voortrekker Monument: The massive granite monument (1949) honors the Boer pioneers. Architecturally impressive (Art Deco meets Brutalism), historically controversial. The museum tells the story more nuanced than expected. 90 ZAR.
• Freedom Park: Directly opposite the Voortrekker Monument—a deliberate counterpoint. The monument honors all who fought for South Africa's freedom, from the indigenous peoples to the liberation in 1994. The juxtaposition of the two monuments is South Africa's history in a nutshell.
• Church Square: The historic center of Pretoria with the Paul Kruger monument. Surrounded by Victorian and Edwardian buildings—including the old Raadsaal (parliament building of the South African Republic).

The Cradle of Humankind is located 50 km northwest of Johannesburg and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has revolutionized the understanding of human evolution. In an area of 47,000 hectares, more hominid fossils have been found than anywhere else in the world.

Highlights

• Maropeng Visitor Centre: The spectacular visitor center (the shape reminiscent of a burial mound) tells the story of human evolution interactively and family-friendly. An underground boat ride through the "ages" is the highlight. 220 ZAR.
• Sterkfontein Caves: The most famous caves of the complex. Here "Mrs. Ples" was found in 1947—a 2.3 million-year-old Australopithecus africanus skull. And in 1998 "Little Foot"—an almost complete skeleton, 3.67 million years old. Guided tours through the caves (45 min, tight spots!). 200 ZAR.
• Homo naledi: In 2013, fossils of a previously unknown human species were discovered in the Rising Star Cave—Homo naledi. The findings suggest that this species buried their dead, revolutionizing our understanding of consciousness and culture in early humans.

Combination ticket Maropeng + Sterkfontein: 290 ZAR (15€). Daily 9–17.

Sun City is located 2 hours northwest of Johannesburg in the North West Province and is South Africa's Las Vegas—a huge entertainment complex in the middle of the bush. During the apartheid era, it was built in the "independent homeland" of Bophuthatswana to circumvent South Africa's strict gambling and entertainment laws.

What's there?

• Valley of Waves: Huge water park with artificial waves, slides, and a tropical beach. Perfect for families.
• The Palace of the Lost City: A 5-star hotel in the style of an African fantasy palace complex. Opulent, kitschy, impressive—depending on taste.
• Golf: Two world-class courses, including the Gary Player Country Club (host of the Nedbank Golf Challenge).
• Pilanesberg National Park: Right next to Sun City—a 55,000-hectare game reserve with the Big Five in an extinct volcanic crater. Self-drive safari possible, much quieter than Kruger. Entry 110 ZAR.

Sun City is not a must, but for families with children or golf enthusiasts, it's a nice stop on the way to Kruger. Pilanesberg is an underrated safari alternative.

In recent years, Johannesburg has experienced a gastronomic revolution. The scene in Maboneng, Braamfontein, and Rosebank is exciting and diverse.

Restaurants & Food Scene

• Marble (Rosebank) — Open-fire cooking by David Higgs, one of South Africa's best chefs. Steaks, seafood, all over an open flame. Stunning view.
• Urbanologi (Maboneng) — In a former industrial brewery. Craft beer, wood-fired pizza, industrial chic. The rooftop terrace!
• Chefs Warehouse at the Saxon (Sandhurst) — In the luxury hotel Saxon, where Mandela wrote his autobiography. Tapas-style fine dining.
• Shisa Nyama: Find one of the many Shisa Nyama grill spots (Zulu: "burn the meat")—here you choose your raw meat at the counter, it's grilled, and you eat it with pap (maize porridge) and chakalaka. Best in Soweto: Sakhumzi on Vilakazi Street.

Markets

• Neighbourgoods Market (Braamfontein) — Saturdays 9–15. Hipster food market with 100+ stalls. Jozi's version of Cape Town's Biscuit Mill.
• Market on Main (Maboneng) — Sundays. Street food, live music, crafts. Maboneng is Jozi's hippest district.
• Rosebank Sunday Market — Every Sunday in the Rosebank Mall parking garage. African crafts, clothing, food.