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Bloemfontein
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Nelspruit
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Pretoria
Rustenburg

Pretoria - South Africa World Cup Host City

Located in the north part of the country, Pretoria is the political and diplomatic hub of Gauteng province and is situated an hour's drive north of Johannesburg. Pretoria is a multicultural city, with a decidedly international flair. The city is home to embassies from the Americas, Europe and Asia and restaurants abound to suit every cosmopolitan taste. Pretoria is also a student town (Hatfield) and boasts a youthful exuberance. It's abuzz with music venues, hip coffee shops and cocktail bars. You can also find one of the largest shopping centers in Africa at the sprawling Menlyn shopping centre just a little east.

Adventure Sports

In view of its youthful population, Pretoria is a magnet for extreme sportspeople and their choice of activities. During the winter months, which is when the 2010 World Cup will come to the city, early mornings are cold (nearing zero degrees Celsius), but by lunchtime temperatures are a balmy 19 degrees or so, something to bear in mind when planning your activities. Jumping out of planes has long been a pastime of Pretoria's adventure set. Both the Aero Club of South Africa and the South African hang-gliding and paragliding associations have their headquarters in Midrand, midway between Johannesburg and Pretoria. Skydiving is another favorite hobby in Pretoria. Balloon safaris around the Hartbeespoort Dam area (45km from Pretoria) are a novel and popular way of enjoying the surrounds. So popular is dirt biking in the area that aficionados make a weekend of it, sleeping in a local B&B overnight so they can explore the city's numerous trails with time on their hands. This is the city of 4x4s, and fans often take their vehicles over a course for the weekend. Hennops in the Magaliesburg has two trails, one for advanced drivers (an hour) and one for families (four hours). The Magaliesburg region is about an hour from Pretoria.

Eating Out

The Pretoria restaurant scene features a number of top 10 establishments, like the award-winning La Madeleine, run by a dedicated Belgian couple who've been cooking up a storm for 30 years. The city's steakhouses do very well in the annual Steakhouse of the Year competition, and serve up some of the best grain-fed beef in the country. These steakhouses have of late become up-market venues that invest in the best of local red wines, and serve only prime cuts of beef and excellent venison specialties. This is your chance to try springbok carpaccio, eland steak and ostrich neck, particularly good at Cynthia's Indigo Moon in Dey Street and the Famous Butcher's Grill in the Lifestyle Centre, Waterkloof Ridge. The local Greek, Italian and Portuguese communities run excellent and affordable eateries, and there are a number of places that serve up local specialties like "vetkoek" (fried balls of bread dough, a homegrown speciality) and "pap", the maize porridge that is a local staple. Visit Die Werf in Faerie Glen for local specialties. Portions in this town are normally generous. Portuguese restaurants are famed for their deft touch with seafoods like grilled calamari, prawn platters and Mozambican crab curry. Choose between Espetada in Faerie Glen or Persopa in the Waterkloof Heights Shopping Centre. On the weekend, Greek places feature belly dancers, tzirtaki dancers and plate smashing. The Greek restaurant, Easy Ouzaria in Faerie Glen, serves authentic fare with all the fanfare to match on Saturday nights. Before attending your big match, pop into any butchery or retail food shop and ask for some dried sausage and "biltong" (spicy, dried beef or venison shavings). The saltiness of the biltong demands you drink something after tasting it, and the dried "wors" or sausage provides enough sustenance to keep you going till your next meal out. Pretoria is fortunate to have some of the best delis in the country that will happily pack you a fantastic picnic basket to take to the match. Visit the Carlton Café Delicious in Menlo Park and enjoy something on the premises, or shop for a takeaway.

Attractions & Activities

Pretoria is a whole subculture in its own right. Although it has a strong Afrikaner flavor, the English language is used widely here. Still, you can 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, the State Theatre, all are architectural landmarks that give the city its character. So does Loftus Versfeld, arguably the most famous sports stadium in South Africa and the venue of the 1995 Rugby World Cup. With a myriad army and air force bases, a sports training centre, two universities and a police college in town, the culture is decidedly about brawn and brains. Yet this city of cars, sports and bars is also home to a healthy art community. Worth a look-see are the State Theatre, the zoo (respected worldwide for its conservation work) and, on the outskirts of town, the Tswaing Crater in the Tswaing Nature Reserve, where a meteor slammed into earth many moons ago. Plans are underway to turn the Dinokeng area and its multitude of small conservancies (40 minutes away) into a Big Five game reserve. Fun and fabulous township tours form part of Dinokeng's attractions.

Entertainment and Leisure

Thanks to an influx of young people who come here to study or pursue sporting dreams, having fun is a way of life in this town. And the coffee shop culture is big. Take your pick of breakfast venues, whether in a shopping centre like the Brooklyn Mall or in the Hatfield area, and settle down with a newspaper so you can track the live acts in town. Local singers perform here all the time, as do controversial bands, actors and stand-up comedians. Night owls will take a real shine to this city. The club scene is such that people often travel from Johannesburg to Pretoria to party. Try Club Explosion on the corner of Esselen and Grief Streets, or Zeplin's with its industrial-edge look. For a more informal, laid-back vibe, hit Tings 'n Times. As for bars, head for Hatfield and explore Burnett Street, which is lined on both sides with a variety of places, such as News Café, the Cuban Café and Jambalaya. Particularly popular is Cool Runnings, which favors a Jamaican theme. The State Theatre is one of Pretoria's most popular institutions. Built in the Japanese style with an open-air plaza, it houses five theatres where ballets, dramas, operas and classical concerts are performed regularly. Smaller theatres like the Breytenbach showcase modern, cutting-edge works. As for live performances around town, take your pick between bands, singers, cabaret acts, ethnic choirs, dancers and drummers. So pack your party clothes and peruse the local newspaper for details.

Health and Wellness

The city abounds with super spas right on its doorstep. Pretoria girls take their beauty routines very seriously, which accounts for the innumerable beauty salons, nail bars and treatment centers that populate the place. So if you or your FIFA 2010 World Cup partner/spouse is in need of some serious pampering, this city has it all on offer. The Life Spa in Brooklyn provides holistic treatments and healing therapies. It's the perfect spot for some serious "me time" if you're feeling a bit frazzled and weary. The ultra-luxurious Kievits Kroon Country Estate Health Spa lies just outside the city and has every treatment and facility imaginable, from spa baths and steam rooms to holistic healing therapies and beauty treatments. Accommodation on the premises is a hedonist's delight and every effort is made to keep guests happy. Further afield is the Vusalela Day Spa. Set in tranquil surrounds, this establishment works with local products and practises both local healing techniques as well as international therapies. Here, you'll find there's nothing better than to bask in the winter sun in the afternoon and enjoy a cup of Rooibos herbal tea. A leisurely walk at sunset to explore the surrounds will do much to calm your senses. The Hoogland Health Hydro is a Pretoria institution and has been around for many years. Water aerobics, gentle hikes through the bush, holistic treatments, beauty and pamper sessions, whatever you want, they'll provide it. In the unspoilt Dinokeng area near the town of Cullinan, visit the Gecko Glen spa for a combination of treatments (the hot stone therapy session is very popular) set in the stillness of the African bush. In Cullinan itself, a historic mining town nearby, the intimate Zau Spa is located in a restored mining house. Healing treatments take place in the garden. Explore the town and take time out here afterwards to soothe sore feet and tired eyes.

History & Culture

Pretoria was the capital of the old independent Transvaal Boere Republic (founded by Afrikaners of Dutch descent who wanted independence from Britain). After the South African War, the Transvaal became part of South Africa under British colonial rule. In the new South Africa, Pretoria lies in Gauteng province, and is home to a number of educational institutions such as universities, technical colleges and esteemed schools, as well as embassies and government bodies. One of the most attractive examples of a historical building is Melrose House at 275 Jacob Maré Street. It dates back to the 1880s and was the home of a wealthy businessman. Designed by British architect William Vale, it borrows from a mix of styles, echoing an English country house, an Indian pavilion and the local Cape Dutch architecture. The gardens are beautifully tended and much of the original furnishings remain. A pleasant stroll around Church Square in the heart of town takes visitors past the parliament buildings (or "die Raadsaal", as they were called in Afrikaans in 1890) of the former Boer Republic. Visitors will also see the Palace of Justice, which was used as a military hospital until 1902 by the British, when the hostilities ceased. Last but not least come the Union Buildings, designed by Sir Herbert Baker. The structure was built in 1910 to house the administrative offices of the Union of South Africa. It is not open to the public for security reasons, but merits a drive-by or an al fresco lunch (bring your own) on its lush lawns. Art lovers who appreciate African and Southern African art should visit the Pretoria Art Museum in Arcadia. Set in beautiful grounds, it is often the chosen venue for launches and exhibitions celebrating ethnic diversity. The National Cultural History Museum is rich in expressions of rock art, Ndebele murals and various historic gold and silver artifacts. Pretoria played its part in South Africa's freedom struggle and to honor those who supported the movement, the building of a park known as Freedom Park is underway and will be ready by 2010. Struggle tourism is an essential part of recognizing South Africa's history and Freedom Park will be a significant symbol of remembrance.

Natural Attractions

Originally imported from Rio de Janeiro in 1888, 70,000 jacaranda trees line the streets of this city, hence Pretoria's moniker, "Jacaranda City". 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. Rated one of the top 10 in the world, the Pretoria Zoo is internationally linked to worthy conservation efforts and breeding programmes. 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, off the road that links Pretoria to Oliver Tambo International Airport, is home to small antelope, lovely trees (including the remains of a historic fig tree over 1,000 years old) and scenic picnic spots. The Wonderboom Nature Reserve borders the Magaliesburg area and is rich in historical artifacts. The Dinokeng conservancy, close to the mining town of Cullinan, provides choice accommodation and houses a great variety of animals. Just outside the city on the R101 is South Africa's first enviro-museum, the Tswaing Museum, which is located in the Tswaing Nature Reserve at the site of a crater lake that was formed some 200,000 years ago, when a blazing meteorite slammed into the earth's surface.

Surrounding Areas

If you're fortunate enough to have some time to explore the area, venture out of Pretoria's city center and discover some really worthwhile places, like 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 the city is rich in attractions that can be explored via the Magalies Meander, which takes in most of the sites. Gracious country lodges, sporting activities and small-town charm are on the menu. In the opposite direction is 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. The Roodeplaat Dam Nature Reserve is home to zebra, kudu, smaller antelope, warthog and 170 different species of birds. It's a peaceful, natural environment worth a morning or afternoon excursion, and the locals are pretty big on water sports here. The Cradle of Humankind, housing caves where the Mrs Ples remains (dating back about two million years) were found, is definitely worth a detour; it's another World Heritage Site that you can tick off on your "been there, done that" list.