Looking for things to do in Johannesburg ? Read on... Johannesburg – South Africa’s biggest city and commercial epicentre. Also known as Jozi, Joburg, or Egoli (City of Gold in Zulu), it began as a gold-mining settlement in the 19th century. There is more to this cosmopolitan city than shopping. If you are visiting Johannesburg, […]
If your children love to fidget / experiment , are budding scientists or struggling with science, then you definitely need to take them to Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Johannesburg’s Newtown district. Here the words “Don’t Touch” don’t exist and they can touch, feel, press and play to their little hearts’ content. Scientific concepts are explained with […]
If you ever doubted that Johannesburg was an urban forest, then you should look at it from the Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff (aka The Westcliff Hotel ). You will see a canopy of verdant treetops with sprinklings of purple jacaranda blossoms and the occasional red-tiled rooftop, stretching far into the horizons. The hotel overlooks the Johannesburg […]
A weekend away is always a pleasant prospect to look forward to and when the destination happens to be a five-star hotel in the countryside, then one’s eager anticipation can be forgiven. I had been to African Pride Mount Grace Country House & Spa twice before and was looking forward to a weekend of pampered […]
De Hoek Country Hotel I had heard much about the five-star De Hoek Country Hotel before I went there so, needless to say, my expectations were high. After a beautiful drive through the bucolic Magaliesberg area, we crossed the stone bridge shaded by willow trees, over the Magalies River and into a serene valley. Picturesque […]
A journey to forty-one different destinations. I thought that it was a rather apt way to describe the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel and Spa, with its forty-one exquisitely designed units. The five-star hotel was recently crowned the ‘Best Luxury Boutique Hotel’ in South Africa by the World Luxury Hotel Awards, a well-deserved accolade indeed. Previously a […]
The preceding few weeks had been hectic and my stress levels were at an all-time high. A weekend away sounded enticing but a long drive to get there didn’t. I had been wanting to visit Valley Lodge and Spa for a while and its proximity to Johannesburg was a plus. Then the cold front attacked […]
27 Boxes is a shopping centre in the trendy suburb of Melville, Johannesburg. What makes it unique is that it is made entirely of shipping containers - a first in South Africa. It was inspired by the Boxpark in London and the George Pompidou Centre in Paris . For those of you wondering where the name came from […]
I walked into the huge open-plan lobby of the Radisson Blu Gautrain and was immediately struck by its size – extending all the way from the Central One Restaurant on the one end to the bar at the other, with the reception area in–between. The public areas seemed to flow together harmoniously, welcoming me to […]
As one travels on the busy highway between Johannesburg and Pretoria, it is likely that one’s eye will be caught by a striking vision of domes and minarets, a sight one would be much more likely to see in Istanbul, Turkey than in Midrand, Johannesburg. It is the Nizamiye Mosque , one of the most […]
The Animal World at Emerald Resort in the Vaal is probably not its most popular attraction for families with children. That title would probably go to the Aquadome - a climate-controlled indoor water wonderland. But in my opinion, it is underrated. With approximately 500 animals from over 80 species, it is worth a visit. Here […]
When I first heard about dinosaurs coming to South Africa, I asked my son if he wanted to go and see them. Having just watched the Jurassic Park series, his first question was “Real ones?”. No, my son, (un)fortunately not. But this is as close as you’re going to get to the real thing. Dinosaurs […]
