Johannesburg, known as Joburg or Jozi for short, is the thriving commercial centre of South Africa. Joburg’s inner city went through some years of neglect but in recent years has been spruced up as part of a multimillion rand inner city renewal project.

It’s a busy city and if you’re from out of town it may be best to go with a guide. The dramatic new entrance to the city is over the Nelson Mandela Bridge, the longest cable-stayed bridge in southern Africa, into the cultural hub of Newtown and the sculptures surrounding Mary Fitzgerald Square.

From here make your way to the beautifully streetscaped Main Street pedestrian precinct for coffee in an outdoor café. From here, travel west along Market Street and admire the opulent Victorian and Art Deco architecture which reflect the enormous wealth created by Joburg’s gold mines in the early part of last century.

This will take you past the Library Gardens in front of the 115-year-old Library building. The area around here is a vibrant shopping district, the Carlton Centre is worth a visit from the panoramic view of Joburg from the Top of Africa on the 50th floor – it’s the tallest building in Africa.

The Smal Street Mall runs north from here if you still need to do some more shopping! Other interesting spots include Gandhi Square, which has been redeveloped as a major transport hub and Joburg’s main bus terminus. The square has been paved and landscaped, and is lined by cafés and restaurants that spill onto the Square.

The Mai Mai Market at the corner of Anderson and Berea streets sells traditional Muti or medicines from all over Africa. The Joburg CBD also contains excellent galleries, including the Standard Bank Gallery, ABSA Gallery and Johannesburg Art Gallery.

Surrounding the city are fine museums including Origins Centre, Museum Africa and Constitution Hill, which are all described elsewhere in this guide.