Our Top Five / Off-the-beaten-track / Gauteng >>

Here is our list of the best places in Gauteng that most international tourists don’t go to. Yet. There's a lot more to Johannesburg than Sandton, the Apartheid Museum and Soweto, but most travellers don't take the time or are too nervous to explore. This is a shame. In no particular order….

Parkhurst (Johannesburg)

We liked Parkhurst so much we decided to live here. An old suburb in the Parks area between Sandton and Downtown Johannesburg, Parkhurst’s Fourth Avenue has a definite European village vibe to it. Pavement cafes, antique shops, galleries, a cosmopolitan crowd and excellent eating options contrast sharply with the shopping malls that most international travellers hang out in. It’s perhaps a more sanitised version of the young, ethnically diverse and funky Melville, but that makes for a more relaxing experience. The Jolly Roger Pub is a Joburg legend and our favourite drinking hole in Gauteng. Visit George’s on Fourth Restaurant for the slow-cooked lamb shank and test drive their excellent wine list, Espresso Café to see and be seen (note that no cards are accepted), whilst Cilantro has the best calamari this side of Pofadder.

Loftus Versfeld Rugby Stadium (Pretoria)

If you happen to be in Gauteng when there’s a rugby international on at Loftus Versfeld, or if the mighty Blue Bulls are playing in the Currie Cup or Super 14 competitions, book your tickets now. You don’t need to be a fan of rugby, this is as much about a cultural experience. Rugby is a religion in South Africa and Loftus plays the part of Mecca with aplomb. The Boer sleeper cells make their long pilgrimage from their farms and surrounding areas on the back of their bakkies (pick up trucks), braaing (barbequing) as they go. Brandy is the aperitif of choice and things can get a bit rowdy, but it’s worth it to feel the hairs on the back of your neck rise when the third (Afrikaans) verse of the national anthem starts. The atmosphere is superbly intense. Head into Hatfield Square in Pretoria for post-match analysis and copious refreshments.

The Westcliffe Hotel (Johannesburg)

The Westcliffe’s origins stretch back to the grandest times of the British Empire and even today it defines the meaning of the world colonial... staff in full khaki safari gear, old wood-panelled bars with hunting and imperial memorabilia on the walls and a pool bar where one can sip Gin and Tonic whilst you watch the sun sink down over one of the best views in this surprisingly forested city. It’s on such a steep hill, you take a golf cart to get to the restaurant. Unfortunately the prices have moved with the times, but it’s worth it if only for sundowners or afternoon tea. Speak to us to book ahead - this is a haunt of the glitterati of Johannesburg and gets very booked up.

De Wildt Cheetah Research Centre (Hartebeespoort)

Well worthy of a day trip from Johannesburg or Pretoria, De Wildt is the genuine article when it comes to protecting endangered species. It was the first place to breed cheetahs in captivity, back in the 1960s when they were endangered, and is still considered a world leader. This is a conservation operation first and a tourist venue second. You can attend a brief, but informative, lecture on the history of the centre as well as learn more about this amazing animal. You then take a tour to see the different age groups and sub-species including the opportunity to interact directly with the big cats if you want. There are also other rare animals they are trying to rehabilitate, including some rare birds of prey and a large number of African Wild Dogs. De Wildt is very near the massive Hartesbeespoort Dam, where wealthy Joburgers go to play on their boats at the weekend, and the Hartesbeespoort Town which has decent eating options. But beware – it gets crowded in summer weekends and you’ll struggle to get near the water’s edge.

Standard Bank Art Gallery and Downtown (Johannesburg)

This fine modern art gallery, in the hustle and bustle of downtown Johannesburg, showcases contemporary local artistic talent such as Noel Hodnett, Edoardo Villa, Penny Siopis, Allina Ndebele and Karel Nel through regular exhibitions. The gallery has also recently hosted retrospective exhibitions of the works of South Africa greats such as Gerard Sekoto, Cyprian Shilakoe and Irma Stern, Although it’s small by international standards, it is very well presented and usually very quiet. There’s also a preserved original gold mine shaft in the main Standard Bank building across the road with pictures and exhibits showing the origins of the ‘City of Gold’. On the journey there (we recommend taking a taxi – driving yourself is pretty safe, but the traffic can be hectic if you’re not used to it) you will get a sense of the vibrancy and regeneration that is happening in downtown Johannesburg.