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Johannesburg epitomizes South Africa's paradoxical makeup—it's rich, poor, innovative, and historic all rolled into one. And it seems at times as though no one actually comes from Johannesburg. The city is full of immigrants: Italians, Portuguese, Chinese, Hindus, Swazis, English, Zimbabweans, Nigerians, Zulus, Xhosas. The streets are full of merchants. Traders hawk skop (boiled sheep's head, split open and eaten off newspaper) in front of polished glass buildings as taxis jockey for position in rush hour. Sangomas (traditional healers) lay out herbs and roots next to roadside barbers' tents, and you never seem to be far from women selling vetkoek (dollops of deep-fried dough) beneath billboards advertising investment banks or cell phones.
The Greater Johannesburg metropolitan area is massive—more than 1,600 square km (618 square miles)—incorporating the large municipalities of Randburg and Sandton to the north. Most of the sights are just north of the city center, which degenerated badly in the 1990s but is now being revamped.
To the south, in Ormonde, are the Apartheid Museum and Gold Reef City; the sprawling township of Soweto is just a little farther to the southwest. Johannesburg's northern suburbs are its most affluent. On the way to the shopping meccas of Rosebank and Sandton, you can find the superb Johannesburg Zoo and the South African Museum of Military History, in the leafy suburb of Saxonwold.
You can watch the intricate art of glassblowing at Ngwenya Glass Village and pick out a handmade souvenir, whether it’s one of the Big Five, a glass-crowned cork stopper, napkin rings, paperweights, or a bespoke wine cooler. This retail village also includes a number of other stalls, in little huts arranged in a semicircle, that sell one-of-a-kind items and food. Shop local food and wares on the first Sunday of the month at the market.
A quiet walk along the river surrounded by the highveld grasslands, birdlife, and caves evokes a sense of calm in the busy city. Add thoughtful artwork, installations, and performances and you've got the 74-acre NIROX Sculpture Park. In collaboration with artists worldwide, temporary and permanent installations are showcased across the park. Take the time to walk through the cultivated lawns and wilderness spaces to enjoy the art before a lazy lunch at the on-site restaurant. Check the website to see if the outdoor concert schedule matches with your visit.
