Don�t feel stuck in a rut when you�re staying in a city or town - in South Africa there�s plenty of urban adventure just around the corner. Indeed you�re missing out if you ignore the vibrant variety of multi-ethnic experiences waiting for you on your doorstep.
City Highlights
Bloemfontein: Due to its central location, South Africa`s judicial capital, Bloemfontein, is a popular conference and convention centre. Known as the "City of Roses" the city has many gracious historical buildings, with numerous reminders of the Anglo-Boer War, including the War Museum of the Boer Republics and the National Women`s Memorial. The city is also known for its National Museum and Sand du Plessis Theatre, where opera, ballet and orchestral concerts are performed.
Cape Town: Known affectionately as the "Mother City", Cape Town is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Table Mountain provides a stunning backdrop for both the city and the Victoria and Alfred waterfront. An array of South Africa`s glorious flora greets visitors at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, while visits to the former prison colony of Robben Island depart from the harbourfront.
Durban: With its ideal climate, golden beaches, warm sea suitable for surfing, and lively atmosphere, Durban has been dubbed South Africa`s "Sunshine Playground". The vibrant Victoria Street Market, with its Indian shops and stalls, the Oceanarium and Sea World, City Hall and other old buildings, make Durban a firm favourite amongst visitors.
East London: South Africa`s only river port, offers all the amenities for family fun, with its sweeping white beaches and numerous watersports options.
Johannesburg: A great city for shopping, eating out and nightlife, Johannesburg is the commercial heartbeat of South Africa. Visit Museum Africa, which offers a superb insight into the country`s history or the Johannesburg Art Gallery, to see exquisite South African and international works. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange has a public gallery, while on the city outskirts is "Gold Reef City", a re-creation of the city when it was a turn-of-the-century gold mining town.
Kimberley: "The City of Diamonds" and capital of the Northern Cape, Kimberley retains reminders of its heady, diamond-rush past with the Kimberley Mine Museum and Big Hole, the result of the diamond diggers` excavations.
Port Elizabeth: The Victorian houses in Donkin Street indicate the "Friendly City`s" British settler past. The city also boasts lovely beaches and family entertainment such as the Oceanarium and Snake Park. It is a good jumping off point for the Garden Route.
Pretoria: This is an attractive metropolis, with much to entice the visitor including museums and historic buildings, like the Union Buildings as well as the Kruger House Museum and Melrose House on the old Church Square, the imposing Voortrekker Monument and other attractions including an excellent zoo and botanical gardens. Pretoria is nicknamed "Jacaranda City" because of the purple-blossomed trees which bloom in late-September and October.
Festivals
Most cities have annual shows or fairs, offering entertainment of every kind, presenting the city�s special talents and drawing large crowds.
Many are beginning to offer informal music festivals on weekend afternoons or late into the evening. These vary from classical string ensembles to jazz groups or feature national and international singers.
The International Eisteddfod of South Africa is a music and dance festival, with elements of folk as well as classical traditions. It attracts high-quality competitors from all nine provinces and entries from as many as 30 other countries. The event lasts about 10 days and takes place in September in Roodepoort near Johannesburg.
The Standard Bank National Arts Festival held in Grahamstown in the first two weeks of July is described as "Africa�s Greatest Cultural Kaleidoscope".
Featuring dance, theatre, music, opera, fine art, film, craft-art (traditional skills) and cabaret, the festival attracts over 50,000 visitors annually.
Flea Markets and Shopping
Flea markets are to be found in all South Africa�s major cities, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth to name but a few. They operate mainly during weekends, giving small traders the chance to sell a wide range of South African crafts and providing shoppers with the opportunity to pick up unusual souvenirs at cheap prices.
Visit the huge flea market at Bruma Lake near Eastgate shopping centre, a mere 15 minutes� drive from central Johannesburg.
Close to the flea markets are the sophisticated shopping centres and malls providing a totally different experience, but offering bargains just the same.
Mine Dancing
Johannesburg has a unique attraction - mine dancing, based on the home-spun entertainment of the thousands of Africans employed by the gold mines. To while away their free time, they would sing and dance to their traditional music, which has a rich historical and cultural background. Incongruously, dancers and musicians perform in miners� hard hats and gumboots!
Museums, Art Galleries and Parks
Every city has a number of museums, art galleries and parks for the enjoyment and enlightenment of both locals and foreign visitors alike. Museums throughout the country present a variety of artworks and exhibitions that reflect the diversity of South African art and culture.
Commercial galleries in major cities provide a constantly changing programme of exhibits. Some of the best works are presented each year under the auspices of the FNB Vita Art Now exhibition at the Johannesburg Art Gallery, which attracts up to 120,000 visitors a year.
Music and Dance
Culturally, South Africa has been blessed with cultural influences from Africa, Asia and the West, with African and Asian cultures in particular maintaining an ancient content in their dance and music. Characteristic of African dance is the earthiness of its stamping, stepping and shuffling.
There is a very particular relationship with nature and other living creatures. Traditional groups take part in �National Dance Knockouts� which have become highlights of the South African calendar.
Styles of music in South Africa vary from cool, melodic jazz, which continues to blossom from the old "township days" to traditional, indigenous music. Contemporary Afrikaans music is also popular as are choral and gospel choirs. The �Cape Muslims� have always enjoyed singing and dancing and are well-known for their comic songs.
Soweto and other neighbourhoods
Made famous by news coverage of conflicts during South Africa�s struggle for democracy and peace, Soweto is now on the tourist circuit, as are other major townships in the country. Many visitors are attracted by the renowned jazz clubs and lively drinking establishments known as shabeens.
Visitors are advised to book organised tours both to gain a greater insight into the community and for the sake of security.
The name Soweto is an acronym for SOuth WEstern TOwnship. Located outside Johannesburg its creation was the result of forced resettlement under the notorious Group Area�s Act of the apartheid years. President Nelson Mandela was living in Soweto at the time of his arrest and still has a house there.
Today the township covers approximately 150 sq km and has a population of about 3.5 million drawn from all nine ethnic African groups.
Theatre
The State Theatre in Pretoria, the Civic Theatre in Johannesburg, the Nico Malan in Cape Town, The Playhouse in Durban and a variety of smaller theatres offer a wide range of entertainment, from opera to contemporary theatre. Scan the local newspapers to see what�s showing. Booking is easy via Computicket.
Waterfronts
Coastal cities are beginning to realise the potential of their harbourfronts as ideal tourist destinations, re-introducing some fascinating waterfront activities and drawing scores of shops, restaurants, art and craft dealers, musicians and many other attractions.
Currently the most famous is the Cape Town�s Victoria & Alfred Waterfront - the heart-beat of the city by night and day. Mariner�s Wharf, at Hout Bay, also in the Cape Town area, was South Africa�s first harbour-front development, an emporium of seafood bistros, restaurants, fresh fish and lobster markets, nautical gifts and curio shops.
Near Johannesburg the Randburg Waterfront boasts 55 food outlets as well as pubs, live music venues, 10 cinemas, a vast children�s entertainment area, a wide selection of watersports - and the largest musical fountain in the world.
Transformation of Durban�s famous harbour-front into a key tourist attraction is currently underway.
You�ll find lively pubs and great fish restaurants.