Johannesburg

You walk chronologically through the apartheid years and eventually reach the country's first steps to freedom. — Fodor's

Billed as a living tribute to the country's enshrined freedoms and human rights. — Frommer's

he most formidable collection of rock art in the world, led by the work of the San tribe. An extra-cool offering is a DNA test that traces your ancestral heritage. — Lonely Planet

This major South African art gallery, in a relatively unsafe area in the city centre, deserves to have a lot more visitors. — Michelin Guide

This theme park lets you step back in time to 1880s Johannesburg and see why it became known as the City of Gold. — Fodor's

If you’re fascinated by guns, tanks and aircraft, you can see artefacts and implements of destruction from the 1899–1902 Anglo-Boer War through to WWII at one of Jo’burg’s most popular museums. — Lonely Planet

In recent years, Johannesburg has become a haven for contemporary artists working in South Africa. — Afar Magazine

This garden, covering over 300 ha around the Crocodile River, was designed to reflect the different kinds of vegetation on the high grassy plains. — Michelin Guide

An exhibition space set up in the bank's basement features all the different trends in South African modern art, and famous artists such as Picasso. — Michelin Guide

This private gallery has become a national institution, the result of forty years spent collaborating with the most progressive artists. — Michelin Guide

At the Soweto Towers, adrenaline junkies can indulge in a wide variety of extreme activities, from bungee jumping and paintball to SCAD free falls, base jumping, rock climbing, and more. — Afar Magazine

Smaller than its Pretoria counterpart but no less impressive, the city's zoo makes for a pleasant day-trip, and with plenty of lawns and shade, it's a good place to picnic. — Fodor's

Opposite Holy Cross Church, a stone's throw from the former homes of Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Vilakazi Street, the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum is a crucial landmark. — Fodor's

Constructed in 1945 in the Orlando West section of Soweto, Johannesburg, the Mandela House became the home for Nelson Mandela (also known as Madiba) and his first wife, Evelyn Ntoko Mase in 1946. — U.S. News & World Report

The area's former industrial buildings now house trendy boutiques, designer studios, cafés and restaurants. — Michelin Guide

Founded in 1935, this was the first major museum to acknowledge black contributions to the city's development. — Fodor's

Completed in May 2012, this is one of the leading museums of African art on the continent. — Lonely Planet