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A short distance from Johannesburg (an hour’s drive along the busiest highway in Africa) lies Pretoria, in the Tshwane metropolitan area. The official seat of government in South Africa, Pretoria is a beautiful city, famed for its Jacaranda trees which blanket the city in purple-blue blossom every spring.
Pretoria is more laid-back than Johannesburg, and has a more “African” feel. On the perimeter of South Africa’s “lowveld” area, the thorny bush of Africa mingles with Pretoria’s lush vegetation and its rich red soil. Even in mid-winter the temperatures are mild, ideal for viewing the city’s many historic sites, its tree lined avenues and its Herbert Baker architecture.
The Herbert Baker designed Union Buildings, the seat of South Africa’s government, rival the grandeur of the White House and are not to be missed. Ideal for the historian, the city is rich in historical sites relating to Afrikaner history and beautifully preserved historic buildings, including the prominent Voortrekker Monument, the home of Paul Kruger and the city’s original town square, Church Square. Equally important are sites of our recent political history, with Freedom Park a “must see” destination commemorating the lives of thousands of South Africans who devoted their lives to their country’s liberation. The city also has a wealth of historical and natural history museums.
You don’t have to leave the city to have a taste of the African bush. Pretoria has beautiful parks and bird sanctuaries and is home to the world class National Zoological Gardens. But if you have a few hours to venture further afield, the Sun City resort and Pilanesberg Game Reserve are only an hour away, as are luxury game lodges and numerous getaways in the bush. At the Hartebeespoort Dam you can have breakfast in a hot air balloon high above the water, play golf on green lawns amongst the acacia trees, watch the vultures soar over the cliffs of the Magaliesberg, walk with the elephants and sip sundowners on a sunset cruise.
Pretoria has a strong music and theatre scene, some outstanding restaurants and nightclubs and excellent art galleries, most prestigious being the excellent collection of South African art at the Pretoria Art Museum. The National State Theatre in Pretoria offers the very best of South Africa’s ballet and opera with international standard shows. The city also has good shopping, a wealth of African and local arts and crafts markets and an African cultural village, for a taste of tribal life.
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