Johannesburg City Guide: What To Do?
Unlike Cape Town, Johannesburg is more of a city to visit for its cultural experiences. The city has a rich and complex history, and we were highly impressed! We collected a couple of things to do in this Johannesburg city guide.
Apartheid Museum
The most famous museum in the area is undoubtedly the Apartheid Museum. We took an Uber to get there, as we were advised against going on our own for safety reasons.
As soon as you enter, the ticket itself sets the tone for the museum. You randomly receive either a ‘whites’ or ‘non-white’ card, and then you must enter through the corresponding entrance. This experience was incredibly impactful. We could have easily spent hours at the museum, as it’s filled with signs, images, and films detailing South Africa’s history, including the world-famous Nelson Mandela and the long struggle against apartheid.
Living Room Rooftop Bar
In the vibrant Maboneng district, you’ll find the cozy Living Room Rooftop Bar. The terrace is beautifully decorated, offering a great atmosphere with views over parts of the city, while the street below pulses with nightlife. The cocktails here are also reasonably priced, making it a perfect spot to unwind.
Soweto and City Tour
It goes without saying that you should never venture into the townships on your own. However, we were eager to explore this part of the city to learn more about its culture and history. So, we booked a day tour to Soweto, which also included a city tour of Johannesburg.
In hindsight, we found this to be the most interesting thing we did in Johannesburg. Our guide was a local and shared an immense amount of knowledge about the people of Soweto. You’ll never feel intrusive when visiting the community, residents actually greet you in traditional attire and perform a prepared dance to welcome you. The people are actively trying to reshape their image. The tour also includes a visit to Nelson Mandela’s house and lunch, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We had Kota, a hollowed (out loaf of bread filled with various sauces, vegetables, and meats) delicious!
Tip: ask your host about this tour or book it through get your guide.
Johannesburg City Guide: Where To Spend the Night
A great place to stay is Premier Hotel OR Tambo, close to the airport. Check out some places to stay in the city.
