City break Johannesburg

When is the best time to visit Johannesburg?

Johannesburg sits at 1,700 metres altitude (highveld), making the climate more pleasant than most African cities: summers rarely above 30 degrees, winters rarely freezing. September and October are the best months: dry, sunny (15 to 27 degrees) and jacaranda trees bloom purple throughout Johannesburg and Pretoria. April and May (autumn) are also excellent: dry, quiet and cheaper than spring.

The South African summer (December to February) brings daily afternoon thunderstorms, but they are almost always brief and intense. Winter (June to August) is nearly dry but nights are cold (sometimes down to 2 degrees). Avoid the Christmas period and Easter: higher prices and crowded tourist sites.

Best neighbourhoods in Johannesburg

• Rosebank The safest and most tourist-friendly area, ideal as a first base. Quality restaurants, coffee bars, the Rosebank Mall and the popular Sunday Market (with local producers and street food). Directly connected to OR Tambo via the Gautrain.
• Maboneng The creative heart of the city centre: once a no-go zone, now one of Johannesburg's coolest neighbourhoods. Trendy art galleries, coffee bars, the Sunday Market and young Joburgers. Safe and lively during the day; exercise more caution in the evening outside the core area.
• Braamfontein Student neighbourhood next to the University of Witwatersrand: hippest cafes, boutiques and nightlife. The Neighbourgoods Market on Saturday morning draws locals and visitors alike. Constitution Hill and the Joburg Theatre are here.
• Soweto Not just a neighbourhood but a city in its own right (1.3 million inhabitants) with the soul of Johannesburg. Vilakazi Street is the only street in the world where two Nobel Prize winners (Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu) lived. Essential for understanding the real Johannesburg. Visit during the day, preferably by Uber or with a local guide.
• Sandton/Melrose Arch The most expensive postal address in Africa: the financial centre with luxury shopping centres (Sandton City), five-star hotels and the Gautrain station running directly to OR Tambo. Safe, corporate and pricey.

Top attractions in Johannesburg with real prices

• Apartheid Museum One of the most powerful museums in all of Africa: the complete history of apartheid and the road to freedom, with archival footage, personal testimonies and a reproduction of Mandela's cell. Adult entry: R170 (approx. 8.50 euros), students/seniors/children: R120 (approx. 6 euros). Plan at least 3 hours. Children under 11 are not recommended due to the imagery.
• Constitution Hill The former prison where Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi were held, now South Africa's Constitutional Court. Self-guided tour: R100 adults (approx. 5 euros), R50 children. Guided tour (1 hour): R120 (approx. 6 euros). Remarkable that such a historically laden place has been converted into the country's highest court.
• Vilakazi Street and Mandela House Museum (Soweto) The street itself is free (public road). Mandela House Museum: approx. R80 to 100 (approx. 4 to 5 euros). Eat at Sakhumzi Restaurant on the terrace: traditional township cuisine (pap, chakalaka, braai) for R150 to 250 per person. The atmosphere makes this one of the most memorable meals in South Africa.
• Lion and Safari Park (Lanseria) About 45 minutes from Sandton: lions, cheetahs and wild dogs in their habitat. Park entry: free. Self-drive safari (big cats): R350 per adult (approx. 17.50 euros), R100 children. The closest and most accessible wildlife park from Johannesburg.
• Johannesburg Zoo One of Africa's largest zoos on a green site in the city centre. Entry: R132 adults (approx. 6.60 euros), R78 children. Special: every 21st of the month entry costs only R21.

Flights and transport from the Netherlands to Johannesburg

KLM flies daily direct from Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to Johannesburg OR Tambo (JNB) in approximately 10 hours 45 minutes. Return ticket from approximately 800 euros outside school holidays (busy periods: 960 euros or more).

Book 8 to 12 weeks in advance for the lowest price. From Eindhoven, travel by train to Schiphol in approximately 1 hour 15 and fly on with KLM. There are no direct flights from Eindhoven or other Dutch airports to Johannesburg.

From OR Tambo Airport (JNB): the Gautrain is the fastest option: R200 (approx. 10 euros) to Sandton in just 15 minutes. You need a one-off Gold Card (R32). By Uber or Bolt to Sandton: R350 to 450 (approx. 18 to 23 euros) in 35 to 50 minutes (depending on traffic).

Regular taxis are less transparent; Uber/Bolt is preferred. Within the city, the Gautrain is also useful on the Sandton-Rosebank-Park Station-Pretoria line. Bolt is on average 10 to 20 percent cheaper than Uber.

Food and street food in Johannesburg

Johannesburg combines African, Indian and international influences in a vibrant food scene. Try the Kota (also: Spathlo): a hollowed-out quarter loaf filled with chips, atchaar (Indian-South African pickle relish), cheese and cold meats for R30 to 60 at street stalls. This is Joburg's iconic street food.

A Braai (South African barbecue) is a cultural ritual: find a local market or neighbourhood grill for the authentic version. The Neighbourgoods Market in Braamfontein (Saturday morning) and the Rosebank Sunday Market are ideal for tasting local dishes in a buzzing atmosphere.

For international food: Melville's 7th Street with independent restaurants and cocktail bars. Cape wine is excellent and cheap; the local beer of choice is Castle Lager.

Insider tip: Kwa Mai Mai market for authentic street food without tourist prices

Most travel guides send visitors to Vilakazi Street, but the Kwa Mai Mai market in the city centre is a different world entirely. One of Johannesburg's oldest traditional markets: this is where Zulu traditional healers (sangomas) buy their herbs, roots and ritual supplies.

Next to the herb stalls are grill stands with authentic braai meat, vetkoek and chakalaka at a fraction of Vilakazi Street's tourist prices. Accessible by Uber; go early in the morning. For an evening experience: Bafokeng Corner in Soweto is the neighbourhood braai spot that locals visit at weekends, far from the tourist trail, with live Gqom music.