Weekend in Johannesburg

Self-guided walk through a regenerated inner-city district full of street murals, independent galleries, and rooftop bars. The main strip on Fox Street has a market on Sundays with

Tip: Start at the Arts on Main building (264 Fox Street) and explore the side alleys – there’s a hidden mural by Faith47 in a parking lot off Albertina Sisulu Road. Best done in daylight; it’s safe in the precinct but don't wander far.

Small but popular public park around a lake, with a playground, jogging track, and large lawn. Has a kiosk selling coffee and snacks, and public braai (barbecue) grills in the shad

Tip: Bring your own cooler box and braai wood – the grills are free. Go on a Saturday morning between 07:00 and 09:00 to watch the rowing club practice. Parking is free on the street but fills early on weekends.

Sprawling 125-hectare park with themed gardens, a large dam, and walking trails. Has a dedicated rose garden, a succulent section, and lots of open grass for picnics.

Tip: Park at the Emmarentia Dam side and walk the loop trail across the top – it’s flat and takes about 45 minutes. Weekday mornings are dead quiet, but Sunday afternoons get busy with families and informal soccer games.

Former prison complex turned museum and seat of the Constitutional Court. Walk through the old prison blocks where Nelson Mandela and Gandhi were held, then see the court's public gallery with its bol

Tip: Entry is R10 (about 50p) for South Africans; R30 for foreign visitors. Go on a weekday when the court is sitting – you can sit in on a real hearing from the public gallery.

Compact, powerful museum documenting the Holocaust and the 1994 Rwandan genocide, with South African parallels. Housed in a converted house with a peaceful memorial garden and a small library.

Tip: Entry is by donation (suggested R20). The guided tour, offered at 11:00 and 14:00, adds context about how apartheid-era South Africa interacted with Nazi Germany – well worth the extra time. Allow 90 minutes.