From Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, the surrounding region opens up quickly, with cities, towns, and attractions within easy reach. Johannesburg grew out of the 1886 gold rush on the Witwatersrand, and it is still South Africa's economic engine. The city is energetic, creative, and proud, with a strong food and art scene, leafy northern suburbs, and townships whose history shaped the whole country.

Experiences worth your time in Johannesburg: - Spend a morning at the Apartheid Museum for essential context on the country - Visit Soweto and Vilakazi Street, once home to both Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu - Walk the street art, galleries, and rooftop bars of Maboneng - Tour Constitution Hill, a former prison now home to the Constitutional Court - Catch a play or live music at the Market Theatre in Newtown - Cheer at a Kaizer Chiefs or Orlando Pirates football match - Have a long lunch on Parkhurst's 4th Avenue, lined with cafes and restaurants - Climb Northcliff Hill for a wide view over the treetops of the northern suburbs

Johannesburg is surrounded by easy escapes. Pretoria, the administrative capital known for its jacaranda-lined streets in October, is under an hour north. The Cradle of Humankind, where the Sterkfontein Caves have produced some of the world's most important early human fossils, is about 45 minutes northwest. Hartbeespoort Dam and the Magaliesberg hills, with hiking, cableway views, and hot-air ballooning, are about an hour away. Try a kota, a hollowed quarter loaf stuffed with chips, sausage, and sauce, or join a braai with boerewors, and you will see why locals call the city Jozi with real affection.