Johannesburg, what to visit?

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A city symbol of African history immersed in the spectacle of nature

An economic and financial capital that is also the heart of a fascinating country from a naturalistic point of view. Johannesburg has marked the history of South Africa and is one of the most interesting destinations to discover a country that, located on the extreme southern tip of Africa, immediately south of the Tropic of Capricorn, with its 3,000 km of coastline, has an extension equal to Germany, France and Italy combined.

Johannesburg's 5 million inhabitants are distributed in the large suburbs connected by a widespread and modern motorway network. In addition to the Apartheid Museum, the Gold Reef City and Soweto, Sandton, the district with the most luxurious hotels and the mall in Mandela Square dotted with restaurants of all kinds, the sparkling districts of Melrose Arch, Rosebank, Parkhurst, Melville are worth visiting.

The Museums of Johannesburg's Old Town

Newtown is the heart of Johannesburg's old town centre. The area, which is centered in Mary Fitzgerald Square, includes the Bensusan Museum of Photography and the Market Theatre housed in the suitably renovated Fruit and Vegetable Market building. And also the Workers Museum within the Department of Electricity complex, which has also been restored.

The Johannesburg of business

Together with Rosebank, Sandton is today's Johannesburg of business. It features a cluster of brand new skyscrapers , including the Stock Exchange headquarters, and numerous luxury hotels.

Johannesburg's shopping malls

There are many large shopping centers that serve as urban meeting places as they also house theaters, cinemas, shops and bookstores. One of the main ones is Nelson Mandela Square. Rosebank is home to the city's largest, most well-stocked and picturesque traditional African handicraft market .

Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg

Opened in 2001, the Apartheid Museum offers a very clear perspective on the struggles of South Africans to win freedom. Photos, films, objects and documents retrace the dark years of apartheid, the first uprisings, the repressions, the release of Mandela and the first democratic elections in 1994. A life lesson, more than a museum.

Township of Soweto

The famous township of Soweto is one of Johannesburg's top attractions.

It is the largest township in South Africa and has played a pivotal role in the history of the struggle against apartheid.

To visit: the district of Kliptown where the Charter of Freedom was signed in 1955. Vilakazi Street is the only one in the world to have hosted two Nobel Peace Prize winners: Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It is here that the famous Soweto Uprising broke out in June 1976, and nearby is the innovative Hector Pieterson Museum and the Monument commemorating the youth-inspired uprising that paved the way for the end of racial discrimination.

Carlton Panorama

At the Carlton Panorama you can admire several wonderful views of the city, from the fiftieth floor of the tallest building in South Africa. A privileged position to take panoramic photographs.

Where to taste traditional cuisine in Johannesburg

Also on Vilakazi Street , you can sample traditional African dishes such as umngqusho (made from beans and corn) and idombolo (homemade bread) at the Nambitha and Sakhumzi restaurants. An alternative is the famous Wandies in the Orlando West neighborhood where it is easy to capture the mood of the township while sipping a good glass of beer.

Text by Luca Lembi

Update by Nicolò Villa

Avion Tourism Magazine
Photo: Sisterscom.com, Shutterstock

Video: www.visit.joburg

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Where to stay in Johannesburg

Johannesburg is a welcoming city and offers various possibilities for accommodation in facilities equipped with every comfort.

To find the ideal hotel and the best offers , you can search by stars but also by neighborhoods or places of interest.

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Where to go in Johannesburg

Museums in Johannesburg

Apartheid Museum

Golden Road, Ormonde

The Apartheid Museum tells the story of the triumph of humanity and the human spirit over adversity and oppression. The museum was conceptualized by a multidisciplinary team of curators: filmmakers, historians and designers. The museum recalls racial discrimination with a real reflection of what it was actually like to live in a racially segregated society.

www.apartheidmuseum.org

Nelson Mandela National Museum -

Mandela House Museum

Corner Nelson Mandela Drive & Owen Street, Mthatha, Eastern Cape

The Nelson Mandela National Museum, commonly referred to as the Mandela House, is located at No 8115 Vilakazi Street, Orlando West and it is here that the late former President Nelson Mandela lived from 1946 to 1962. Today the house is a museum that celebrates his life through artwork and other media.

www.nelsonmandelamuseum.org.za

Museum Africa

Founded in 1933, the Museum encompasses all aspects of African cultural history and material culture. In 1994, after the fall of apartheid and the establishment of democratic government in South Africa, the museum was renovated and renamed Museum Africa. Today, it houses a collection of paintings, African cultural manuscripts, ceramics, furniture, photographs, costumes, and explorers' maps.

Hector Pieterson Museum

The Hector Pieterson Museum recalls the origins of the Soweto uprisings and their aftermath. In the area where the museum stands on June 16, 1976, thousands of students had gathered to start a protest march against the imposition of the Afrikaans language as a means of education in Soweto schools. Hastings Ndlovu, a student from Soweto, was the first person killed in the Soweto Uprising. Today, June 16 is commemorated as Youth Day in South Africa.

Johannesburg Art Gallery

Cnr Klein and King George Street, Joubert Park

The mission of this institution is to contribute significantly to the enhancement of visual culture in a multicultural society. The main functions of the Gallery are: to collect works of art-historical importance, to preserve them, to organize permanent and temporary exhibitions, and to educate the public on these issues. The collection of works began in 1910 and the gallery was opened in 1915.

Absa Art Gallery

161 Main Street, Johannesburg Absa Towers

Absa Towers Nord in the centre of Johannesburg is home to a number of unique works of art in the offices and reception areas, as well as in the smaller art gallery that houses spectacular original artwork. Exhibitions to showcase the incredible works created by established and emerging artists.

Parks in Johannesburg

Lion Park

Muldersdrift Road Muldersdrift

A magnificent park just 30 kilometers from Joburg that includes 200 hectares of meadows and forests. The park includes numerous attractions and games and it is possible to see prides of lions with their cubs in the enclosure. The small zoo dedicated to children is also particular. It is also possible to make excursions by car or complete safaris. An ecotourism destination to learn about Africa's wonderful animals.

www.lionpark.com

Croc City Crocodile and Reptile Park

It is located just a 5 minute drive from the North Fourways area of Johannesburg, close to Lanseria International Airport. The entrance to Croc City allows you to hold baby crocodiles and a variety of exotic snakes including tarantulas. Showcasing some of South Africa's most venomous snakes, including the black and green mamba , boomslang , and many more.

Melville Koppies

Judith Road Emmarentia

Declared a nature reserve in 1959, the archaeological site is of great interest, as is the relics discovered and preserved here. The great wealth of knowledge, natural and historical, contained in this treasure makes it a "must" to see, for all people.

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