Johannesburg South Africa Tourism (2019) Travel Guide

"Johannesburg: Beyond Words"

Johannesburg Tourism

Affectionately called as 'Joburg' or 'Jozi, Johannesburg is a land of brilliant landscapes, great architecture and contrasting cultures. It has a wonderfully rich history along with the modern district squares that have plenty of things to offer to the tourists. Posh and Lavish as it looks, Joburg also has the deep interior ancient gullies reminding locals of their olden days.

The beating heart of South Africa, Johannesburg offers to be a quick respite for the vacationers. The city is fast, rapid and constantly changing with the advancing world. The largest city of South Africa and also the second largest city in the entire Africa, Joburg is thoroughly enjoyed by the locals and the foreigners alike. With several attractions, sights and dazzling landscapes, visitors are bound to be lured by the beauty of it. An abode to the great infrastructure, massive buildings, informative museums, the city clearly displays its rich cultural heritage in different ways. Not many people know but this tourist gem was once a neglected zone. The landmarks were worked upon and fully revamped a couple of decades back to encourage tourism from international countries. The city has been witnessing an outstanding number of visitors each year ever since.

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Places to Visit In Johannesburg

The Apartheid Museum

Constitution Hill

Gold Reef City

Soweto and the Mandela Museum

Lion Park

South African National Museum of Military History

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Johannesburg Packages

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Majestic Cape Town & Johannesburg

₹ 62,993 onwards

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Enthralling Cape Town, Garden Route & 2 places

₹ 85,990 onwards

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Allure of Cape Town, Garden Route & 3 places

₹ 82,075 onwards

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Currency in Johannesburg

International debit and credit cards are widely accepted by most businesses and electronically validated. Cards accepted include Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club and American Express. There might be some small shops or informal traders that refuse to accept cards. In that case, some amount of cash in ZAR can be kept. Also, some shops accept traveller checks and US dollars also, but these are very few.Â¾

Exchanging Money in Johannesburg

Currency can be exchanged into South African Rand from the FOREX windows at the Johannesburg International Airport. Plenty of exchange facilities are avilable at hotels and shops but these usually charge a poor exchange rate. Cash withdrawal using ATMs is extremely common among tourists and provides to be a convenient option.

Daily Budget for Johannesburg

Budget Travel: 650 R, Comfortable Travel: 800 R, Luxury Travel: 1000 R

Religion of Johannesburg

Christianity

Johannesburg Customs

In a welcoming city like Johannesburg, a warm smile of acknowledgement is very much appreciated. Men greet each other with a firm handshake, whereas women generally give a courteous nod. If they know each other well, a gentle hug along with a kiss on the cheek is expected. People here are straight forward and upfront about things that offend them or things they like. Tips are anticipated and appreciated. Ten percent is expected in return of good service if not charged on the bill already. The city has no particular norms on clothes, except that beachwear should not be worn off the beach. Otherwise, anything casual and smart that makes you feel comfortable is fine. Avoid wearing flashy accessories.

Language of Johannesburg

Officially there are 11 languages spoken across south of Africa, but there is nothing to be worried about as English is well spoken and understood. However, like English, Afrikaans is widely spread through the city too. Afrikaans will be a little more easy to understand if you know Dutch. Some basic words in Afrikaans are: 1. Yes - Ja (pronounced as yah) 2. Thank you - Dankie (pronounced as Dunkey)

History of Johannesburg

The city of Johannesburg has been named after Johann Friedrich Bernhard Rissik and Christiaan Johannes Joubert. The city boasts of four castles, one of which is as old as 105 years.

Nightlife in Johannesburg

Bassline, Movida Club, Manhattan Club, Emperor's Palace and The Blues Room are some of the live and dynamic places to be at night. Melville seventh street is a popular area. The city also has a lot of cultural nights, acts and shows.

Shopping in Johannesburg

1. Neighbourgoods Market - a must visit. A two floored Saturday (9:00 AM - 3:00 PM) market, situated on 73 Juta Street, Braamfontein. You name it and you will find it. Clothes, accessories, great beers, food etc. 2. Rosebank Finders Keepers market - Different from the regular on-the-street flea markets. This one is on the rooftop of the mall of Rosebank, flooded with all the typical African crafts, you can definitely get yourself a lovely souvenirs here, clothing, and collectables. It is a Sunday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM market. 3. The Shed on R59 - Great place for young adults to spend their Saturday afternoon. They have a kids play area, an artisanal brewery (for beer lovers), mouth watering food stalls and a wide range of stalls selling art, clothing and gifting varieties. Apart form these main markets, the Hillfox flea market (known for bargaining) and the Panorama flea market are also great to visit. Must buys - Rooibos (infusion of rooibos bush leaves), Amarula (World's top selling cream based liqueurs), soda can art, South African wine, wildlife wine glasses, wooden tribal carvings, bead crafts and ceramics.

Restaurants and Local Food in Johannesburg

As rich as it appears, the local Joburg cuisine is flavoursome and tempts one and all. Coffee is indigenous to Africa and in Johannesburg you get coffee being served with a cardamom rich sponge cake. The other important delicacies include Malwa Pudding, Piri-Piri chicken and Amanqina.