Archived News > Featured Destination: Johannesburg

		Featured Destination
	– Johannesburg – South Africa’s City of Gold

Johannesburg, often referred to as Joburg or Jozi by locals, is the economic and cultural hub of South Africa. Discovered during the 1800’s as result of its overflowing rich gold mines, Joburg is commonly seen as the gateway to Southern Africa.

Over the past 15 years Green Route has firmly established itself in this bustling metropole. For the tourist or business traveler Joburg has so much to offer, from 5 star restaurants, international hotels, state-of-the-art conference centres, fascinating cultural attractions, pristine golf estates, and Big Five game reserves nearby.

Joburg has a population of about 2,5-million people in a country of 46,5-million, and is approximately a 40 minute drive to South Africa’s national capital, Pretoria.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS:

• Apartheid Museum – a powerful museum, which documents South Africa’s struggle for freedom
• Constitutional Hill - Joburg’s newest historical landmark and a unique architectural symbol of democracy
• Cradle of Humankind – a World Heritage Site, where caves have produced nearly half of the world’s hominid fossil discoveries
• Gold Reef City – a reconstruction of Joburg during the gold rush era, built around a gold mine
• Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG) – boasts an impressive collection of South African and international artwork  
• Johannesburg Botanical Gardens – features indigenous trees and succulents, and a herb garden containing a collection of traditional African medicinal herbs, culinary, medicinal and cosmetic herbs
• Johannesburg Zoo – covers 54 hectares and is home to 2 070 animals, representing 365 different species
• Nelson Mandela Bridge - the largest cable-stayed bridge in South Africa, extending 284 m
• Sandton City & Nelson Mandela Square – one of the largest shopping centres in Africa, and boasts an impressive statue of Nelson Mandela
• Sandton Convention Centre - one of the largest convention centres in Africa, a 12-storey building featuring more than 22 000 m² of meeting, exhibition and special-event space and accommodating up to 4500 people
• Soweto – South Africa’s largest informal settlement and former home town of Nelson Mandela and Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu

There is so much to see and do in this electrifying city; but make sure you don’t miss this one… Joburg is the venue for the upcoming 2010 World Cup Soccer Final!

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