Durban
This florid Victorian monument on the embankment, just east of Stalwart Simelane St, was presented by the Portuguese government in 1897 to mark the 400th…
Must-see attractions in South Africa, Lesotho & eSwatini (Swaziland)
Stellenbosch
The views are magnificent from this ‘vineyard in the sky’, which has a gorgeous hotel and spa and two gourmet restaurants including Indochine (mains R225…
Drakenstein Correctional Centre
Winelands
On 11 February 1990, when Nelson Mandela walked free from incarceration for the first time in over 27 years, the jail he left was not on Robben Island,…
Cape Town
The pedestrianised portion of this street, between Burg and Long Sts, hosts a flea market (8am to 3pm Monday to Saturday) and has several interesting art…
Limpopo
Go on safari at this 32.5-sq-km reserve less than 5km south of Polokwane. It’s one of the country’s largest municipal nature reserves, with 21 wildlife…
Western Cape
The centrepiece of this excellent museum is the beautiful drostdy (residence of an official) itself, which dates from 1747. The museum ticket also covers…
Winelands
An initiative of the Sustainability Institute, Lynedoch EcoVillage is an ecologically designed and socially mixed community designed to be self-sustaining…
Sea Point to Hout Bay
With soft white sand and a backdrop of the spectacular Twelve Apostles range (part of Table Mountain), this Blue Flag beach is one of the city’s most…
Johannesburg
This striking spiral structure houses unusual sculptures, sketches and contemporary works by local artists and has wonderful views from its roof. It is…
Northern Cape
This 150-sq-km semidesert reserve, 8km east of Springbok past the airstrip, supports some 600 indigenous plant species, 45 mammal species and 94 types of…
Cape Town
A tour around parliament is fascinating, especially if you’re interested in the country’s modern history. Opened in 1885, the hallowed halls have seen…
Subeng River Dinosaur Footprints
Lesotho
Dinosaur footprints abound near Leribe. About 7km north of town (en route to Butha-Buthe) are the Subeng River footprints. At the signpost, just before…
Johannesburg
The Workhorse Bronze Foundry, based in a former factory in the gritty centre of downtown Jo'burg, is where many of South Africa's top sculptors create…
The Wild Coast
The private Inkwenkwezi is well worth a visit (or a stay). It's beautiful, upmarket, well organised and features the Big Five (although the elephants and…
Botlierskop Private Game Reserve
Garden Route
This reserve contains a vast range of wildlife, including lions, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes and giraffes. Day visitors are welcome for a variety of…
Winelands
Specialising in affordable wines, Van Loveren offers a range of tasting options including pairings with cheese, chocolate and charcuterie as well as a…
Franschhoek
If you're all wined out, check out the amazing collection of classic cars here. There are 80 mint-condition automobiles on show, from a 1903 Ford Model A…
Limpopo
Covering 30,000 sq metres (or 530 hectares), this reserve protects forests of the ancient Modjadji cycad. In the summer mists, the reserve and surrounding…
Garden Route
The starting point and terminus for journeys on the Outeniqua Power Van, this museum is worth a visit if you’re even remotely interested in trains. A…
Cape Town
In the early 19th century, Jacob Letterstedt built the Mariendahl Brewery in Newlands, a handsome building since granted National Heritage status. It's…
Northern Cape
Stop at this ‘rustic art’ emporium to marvel at owner Dirk’s collection of found objects, vintage gear and general junk. Road signs, sheep skulls, tin…
Gauteng
Nelson Mandela lived with his first wife, Evelyn, and later with his second wife, Winnie, in this four-room house, just off Vilakazi St. The museum…
Tsikoane Village Dinosaur Footprints
Lesotho
This set of footprints is a few kilometres south of Leribe at Tsikoane village. Immediately after the Tsikoane Primary School, take the small dirt road to…
Pretoria National Botanical Garden
Pretoria
Located around 9km east of central Pretoria, these gardens cover 7700 sq m and are planted with indigenous flora from around the country. There are 20,000…
Sunshine Coast
A fantastic, luxurious and exclusive reserve, Pumba is home to the Big Five (including a pride of white lions – a rarity in Africa…
Lesotho
Morija's unremarkable neighbouring village, Matsieng, is the unlikely site of a royal compound. A new palace was built in Maseru in the '60s, but the…
Winelands
Just when you thought you'd seen every possible pairing option, KWV chooses to couple its wines with local art inspired by the region. It's a fun way to…
Stellenbosch
Perched at the end of a rutted road, Marianne has a light-filled tasting room and a scenic balcony on which to sip. You can try pairing wine with biltong …
Cape Town
Converted from a barn in 1780, the first Lutheran church in the Cape has a carved wood pulpit that's a masterwork by the German sculptor Anton Anreith. A…
Northern Cape
This was the site of an important battle in the Second Anglo-Boer War. There's a small museum, as well as a decent audio-visual exhibit that shows what…
Sunshine Coast
Shamwari Game Reserve, roughly 40km east of Addo, is one of the most exclusive, luxurious and internationally renowned reserves. Accommodation here ranges…
Cape Town
Built in 1789, this is the oldest place of Islamic worship in South Africa, established by Iman Abdullah Kadi Salaam, an Indonesian prince who served time…
Western Cape
This impressive sea cave is well worth a visit. It's a pleasant 1km walk to reach the cave – the last section involves uneven steps and a bit of rock…
Cape Town
This interesting museum occupies the castle’s original bayside entrance. Inside you can see examples and vivid paintings of different military uniforms…
Cape Town
Step back two centuries from 21st-century Cape Town when you enter this classic example of a Cape Dutch town house, furnished with 18th- and early-19th…
Cape Town
Unveiled in 2017 for Archibishop Desmond Tutu's 86th birthday, this wooden arch stands next to the cathedral where the Nobel Prize winner presided as a…
Cape Town
It's worth making time to see the handsome Great Synagogue consecrated in 1905 and still in very active use. Volunteer guides will point out aspects of…
Stellenbosch
Thanks to a favourable microclimate, Hartenberg produces superlative red wines, particularly cabernet, merlot and shiraz. Light lunches in the courtyard…
Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication
Gauteng
Located in Kliptown, the oldest settlement in Soweto to accommodate all races, the Walter Sisulu Sq of Dedication is the site where the Freedom Charter…
Mpumalanga
This beautifully restored prefab house, built between 1899 and 1904, shows the lifestyle of the privileged in the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras…
