Pretoria and its jacaranda trees

Who to contact

For more information contact the Tshwane Tourism Information Centre on +27 (0) 12 358 1430.

How to get here

Pretoria is on all major road routes.

Where to stay

Accommodation caters for all tastes and budgets from hotels and luxurious guesthouses to B&Bs and self-catering options.

Around the area

The Nan Hua Buddhist Temple complex outside Bronkhorstspruit, built by the Chinese community - its architecture is as attractive as the atmosphere is soothing. The Magaliesburg area to the west of Pretoria is rich in attractions that can be explored via the Magaliesburg Meander.

Tours to do

Take a day trip to the small mining town of Cullinan, where the largest diamond in the world was found. Historical buildings have been restored and are now home to restaurants, shops and a spa. On its doorstep is the Dinokeng conservancy, where a number of eco-tourism properties offer accommodation, sporting activities, game viewing, spa treatments and the sounds of the African wilderness.

DID YOU KNOW?

Pretoria's main road, Church Street, is the longest urban street in South Africa.

 

Although Pretoria has a strong Afrikaner flavour, English is used widely here. You can also hear a combination of languages spoken on the streets - anything from south Sotho to Mandarin.

The Union Buildings, the Voortrekker Monument, the University of South Africa and the State Theatre are all architectural attractions that give Pretoria its character. So does Loftus Versfeld, one of the most famous sports stadiums in South Africa.

Worth a view are the Pretoria Zoo and the Tswaing crater in the Tswaing Nature Reserve, where a meteor slammed into the earth. The National Zoological Gardens - known to the locals simply as "the zoo" - is a fetching stretch of greenery located right in the heart of the city, on the banks of the Apies River.

Poolside barbecues, golf, tennis, fishing, hunting, game viewing, adventure sports (sky diving, micro-light flying) - these are all popular Pretoria entertainment activities. If there is a sport you'd like to pursue, or simply watch or research, chances are one of its main bases is in Pretoria.

The Transvaal Museum in Paul Kruger Street tells of the area's natural history with animal, bird, archaeological and geological displays - 'bones and stones', if you will. The Rietvlei Nature Reserve and Rietvlei Dam is home to small antelope, lovely trees and scenic picnic spots. The Wonderboom Nature Reserve borders the Magaliesburg area and is rich in historical artifacts.

Art lovers who appreciate African and Southern African art should visit the Pretoria Art Museum in Arcadia. The National Cultural History Museum is also rich in expressions of rock art, Ndebele murals and various historic gold and silver artifacts.