Johannesburg, a populous city in South Africa, physically appears as a series of hills occupying the central part of a plateau; while from an urban perspective, the central neighborhoods are distinguished from the so-called townships, populous and suburban areas such as Soweto, which have written the history of Apartheid and its removal.
Johannesburg is not an easy city to visit for first-timers: the distances between areas are considerable and the risk for those who try the “do-it-yourself” approach is to end up in less recommendable places. It is better to rely on an organized tour while getting to know it better.
1 What to See in Johannesburg
The most central areas worth visiting are the so-called Newtown Precinct, transformed from an old market district into the vibrant heart of the city’s cultural life. Easily accessible from the urban highways thanks to the brand-new Nelson Mandela bridge, it houses Museum Africa, an immense collection of memorabilia on the history of the city and South African culture; a theater, the Market Theatre; a museum dedicated to the history of beer, and many multifunctional spaces for concerts, exhibitions, shows, and cultural events of all kinds. Then there’s a craft and design center, the Bus Factory, and a Science and Technology center.
2 Parktown and Houghton in Johannesburg
To the east and southeast, just on the edge of the center, emerge two of Johannesburg’s most beautiful and exclusive neighborhoods: Parktown and Houghton. The former is dotted with large eclectic-style mansions built in the early 1900s; it hosts the Zoo, spread over 55 hectares of park, home to more than 400 animal species, and the neighboring Zoo Lake, an artificial lake bordered by a park, representing a precious green lung where, every September, Jazz on the Lake, a popular outdoor jazz festival, is held.
Houghton boasts magnificent villas with lush gardens, wide shaded streets, and an elegant and refined atmosphere. In Houghton there is also Casa Graça, which was the residence of President Nelson Mandela, named in honor of his last wife.
3 Melville
North of the Central Business District, the city’s business hub driven by skyscrapers and large buildings and not very tourist-friendly, lies the district of Melville, where much more pleasant and relaxed atmospheres reign: a kind of South African Greenwich Village, populated by cafés and outdoor restaurants, venues with live music, and pedestrian streets safe both day and night.
