Central Johannesburg Hotels

The economic center of South Africa, Johannesburg is the country's largest city, offering a wide range of attractions and activities for all ages. Most of the sights are located near the hotels in the center of Jozi, so wherever you would stay during your vacation there, you will be very close to all major tourist spots worth seeing in and around the city.

There are some activities and places that are recommended not to be missed while being in Johannesburg and you can check out some of them below.

The Carlton Panorama is a great opportunity for tourists to have a view on the entire Johannesburg from the tallest African building, an impressive 50-floor structure, from which both the new and the old parts of the city can be admired. Apartheid Museum was officially opened in 2001 and it represents the victory of the human spirit over immoral and racial sufferings. It is considered a must-see attraction of Johannesburg that will show you the triumph of humanity over adversity. The Constitution Hill Museum was opened in 2004 and it is built on an old prison closed in 1983. There are some famous prisoners who were kept captive in the former "Number Four" prison, such as Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Ghandi.

Next, you can go to Soweto, which is an area right outside the city of Johannesburg, a large mine-waste dumping place which now houses around 1 million people. Soweto is the place where the South African peaceful revolution was started and now it's considered quite dangerous for visiting on your own, because of the public transport risks and the street signs absence. However, there are many historical sights to be seen here, including the former homes of Nelson Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu.

The Gold Reef City Theme Park was initially conceived around 1890 like downtown Johannesburg, with Victorian and Edwardian buildings, but currently it houses the largest rollercoaster in South Africa and in the Southern Hemisphere. The theme park's impressive feature is that below it, there lies a labyrinth of tunnels, that now can be visited by tourists at 656ft underneath.

Johannesburg Zoo and Botanic Gardens are also two pleasant and relaxing landmarks that worth visiting if you're in Johannesburg. The Zoo provides safari trips and you can admire there over 2,000 animals, organized in specific areas such as the Spice Route (animals found in Asia), Heart of Africa (gorillas, chimpanzees and other central African species), Southern Safari (local animals), Extreme Environments (camels, polar bears and penguins) and Amazonia (animals of South America). The botanic gardens cover 365 acres and are considered one of the most quiet and peaceful spots of the entire city.