Johannesburg

54 on Bath

Stylish luxury hotel in the heart of Rosebank with contemporary design and direct mall access via skybridge. International sports fans visiting for rugby at Ellis Park or cricket at the Wanderers appreciate its safe, walkable neighborhood and Gautrain proximity.

Hallmark House Hotel

A David Adjaye-designed boutique hotel in the creative Maboneng district with striking architecture and a rooftop pool. Its location in Joburg's arts hub makes it a favorite for visiting artists and sports journalists covering matches at nearby Ellis Park and the Wanderers.

Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa

Where Nelson Mandela edited his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, the Saxon in Sandhurst is Johannesburg's most exclusive hotel. Lush gardens, spacious suites, and world-class dining create a serene retreat. Visiting sports teams and fans seeking luxury within easy reach of FNB Stadium choose the Saxon.

The Capital Mirage

This contemporary aparthotel in Sandton is the preferred base for sports travellers attending events at FNB Stadium and the Ellis Park precinct, offering spacious rooms with kitchen facilities for self-catering between fixtures. The rooftop pool and bar become lively gathering spots when South Africa hosts major rugby or football events. The Sandton location provides excellent highway access to both Soweto and the northern suburban sports venues.

The Peech Hotel

Eco-conscious boutique hotel in leafy Melrose with organic gardens and a peaceful pool terrace. Rugby and cricket fans visiting Johannesburg for Test matches at Wanderers Stadium enjoy its tranquil green setting minutes from the ground.

Where to Eat in Johannesburg

Che Argentine Grill

At Melrose Arch, Che Argentine Grill serves South American-style grilled meats in a lively atmosphere that resonates with the braai culture South Africans love. Premium steaks, empanadas, and an excellent South African wine list draw sports fans before and after matches at nearby Ellis Park and FNB Stadium.

Craft at Arts on Main

An artisanal food market and eatery in the Maboneng Precinct's Arts on Main complex serving craft coffee, fresh pastries, and brunch plates. Rugby fans and visiting concert-goers explore Johannesburg's creative food scene in this converted warehouse.

Marble

Celebrity chef David Higgs' rooftop restaurant in Rosebank celebrates South Africa's braai culture with flame-grilled meats and seafood cooked over indigenous wood. The open kitchen, city views, and vibrant atmosphere make Marble a favourite for fans visiting Johannesburg for rugby and football at FNB Stadium.

Marble Restaurant

Perched on the rooftop of the Trumpet on Keyes in Rosebank, Marble is Johannesburg's most celebrated live-fire restaurant, cooking prime South African beef over wood in an open theatre kitchen. The panoramic city views and the smoke-scented drama of the open grill make it the go-to pre-match dinner for sports travellers willing to splash out. Dry-aged Wagyu sharing steaks and a South African wine list of serious depth fuel a memorable stadium evening.

Neighbourgoods Market

Held every Saturday in the rooftop car park of Braamfontein's 70 Juta Street, Neighbourgoods Market is Johannesburg's most beloved weekend institution — a sprawling collection of artisan food stalls, craft beer vendors, and live DJs attracting thousands of locals and travelling fans alike. It's the unofficial gathering point for sports supporters the morning before Soweto Derby or Springbok tests at FNB Stadium.

Parea Enmore (Bunny Chow)

Try South Africa's iconic bunny chow — hollowed-out bread loaves filled with fragrant curry, a Durban-born dish now beloved across Johannesburg.

Pata Pata

Vibrant Maboneng Precinct restaurant serving African fusion cuisine with pan-continental flavors and a lively bar scene. Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates fans from nearby stadiums celebrate with peri-peri chicken and South African craft beers in Joburg's trendiest creative district.

The Grillhouse

Sandton's legendary steakhouse and a Joburg institution for over 20 years, known for its dry-aged beef and buzzing atmosphere. The walls are lined with sports memorabilia and it's the go-to post-match restaurant for Springbok rugby players and football fans from FNB Stadium.

Best Bars in Johannesburg

Living Room

Trendy rooftop bar in Joburg's vibrant Maboneng Precinct, offering craft cocktails and city skyline views. A favorite gathering spot for young South African sports fans celebrating after Bafana Bafana matches at FNB Stadium or major concerts in the city.

Sin+Tax Bar

Industrial-chic cocktail bar in Maboneng's Arts on Main complex with creative South African-inspired drinks and gallery exhibitions. Sports fans exploring Johannesburg's cultural scene between PSL football matches discover cutting-edge cocktails and Joburg's creative community.

The Grillhouse Rosebank

A Johannesburg institution since 1996, The Grillhouse in Rosebank is where sports fans of all persuasions gather to watch televised matches over local craft beers and sizzling steakhouse plates. The bar section buzzes with Springbok and Pirates supporters on match weekends, with a convivial mix of business travellers and local regulars. The Rosebank location makes it easily accessible from the Gautrain for sports fans staying in the northern suburbs.

The Jolly Roger Sports Pub

A beloved Johannesburg institution for Springbok rugby supporters, the Jolly Roger in Norwood features wall-to-wall screens, a deep selection of South African craft beers, and an atmosphere that gets ferociously loud during test matches and Lions tours. The pub's 'Boerewors Burger' is legendary, and the braaied snacks flow freely whenever South Africa are in action.

The Living Room at Maboneng

In the creative Maboneng Precinct, The Living Room is a rooftop bar with sweeping Johannesburg skyline views. The cocktail menu celebrates local spirits, and the art-filled space captures the energy of Joburg's creative renaissance. Fans mingle with artists and locals for a uniquely Johannesburg night out.

The Orbit Jazz Club & Bistro

Johannesburg's premier jazz club in Braamfontein hosting South Africa's finest musicians nightly alongside craft cocktails and bistro fare. After matches at Ellis Park or FNB Stadium, fans discover Joburg's legendary jazz heritage in this intimate venue.

The Smoke Room

The Smoke Room in Johannesburg's Maboneng district is the city's hippest cocktail bar and a natural meeting point for Bafana Bafana and Lions rugby fans before matches at Ellis Park Stadium. The imaginative South African craft gin and whisky cocktail list attracts a creative Joburg crowd, and the venue hosts watch parties for Springboks and Orlando Pirates matches on big screens. The location in the heart of Maboneng's vibrant arts precinct makes every visit feel like a festival within a festival.

Urbanologi

A craft brewery and rooftop bar in the revitalized 1 Fox Precinct with sweeping views of the Joburg skyline. Rugby and cricket fans pack the space for Springbok test matches and Proteas games, creating one of the city's most vibrant sports viewing atmospheres.

Fan Attractions in Johannesburg

Apartheid Museum

South Africa's most important museum documenting the rise and fall of apartheid through powerful multimedia exhibitions — an essential, emotional experience.

Bassline

Johannesburg's legendary Bassline venue in Newtown has been the beating heart of the city's live music scene for decades, nurturing the careers of Afrobeats, jazz, and kwaito artists who went on to global success. The intimate standing venue creates extraordinary closeness between fans and performers that large arenas can never replicate. Its location in the Newtown cultural district makes it the starting point for any serious music fan's Joburg itinerary.

FNB Stadium

Known as Soccer City and the Calabash, this 94,000-seat cathedral of sport hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final and Nelson Mandela's farewell address, giving it a historical weight that electrifies every fan who enters. The stadium's distinctive gourd-shaped design is one of the world's most recognisable sporting arenas. The vuvuzela chorus during Bafana Bafana matches creates a wall of sound that international fans find simultaneously overwhelming and exhilarating.

FNB Stadium (Soccer City)

The 94,000-seat Calabash stadium hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final and remains Africa's largest and most iconic sporting venue, its terracotta pot exterior visible for miles across the Soweto skyline. Attending a Bafana Bafana match here, with the vuvuzela chorus filling the vast bowl, is a bucket-list sports travel experience on any continent. The stadium's location adjacent to Soweto makes a pre-match township walking tour a natural and moving companion activity.

FNB Stadium (Soccer City) Tour

Tour the 94,000-seat FNB Stadium, known as Soccer City, where Spain won the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final and Nelson Mandela made his first public speech after prison release. The calabash-shaped landmark is the largest stadium in Africa and continues to host Kaizer Chiefs matches and major international events.

Things to Do

Maboneng Precinct

Joburg's regenerated creative district with galleries, rooftop bars, the Arts on Main market, and a buzzing weekend scene in converted industrial buildings.

Things to Do

Melville 7th Street Music Strip

The bohemian suburb of Melville's 7th Street is lined with bars, clubs, and live music venues that form Johannesburg's most beloved after-dark fan culture trail. Local bands, DJ sets, and impromptu jam sessions make every night unpredictable and exciting for music fans exploring the city. The eclectic crowd of students, artists, and international visitors creates one of South Africa's most inclusive and creative nightlife atmospheres.

Things to Do

Soweto Heritage Tour

Tour Soweto, the historic township that shaped South Africa's struggle for freedom, visiting the Mandela House Museum on Vilakazi Street, the Hector Pieterson Memorial, and Orlando Stadium. The vibrant community offers shisa nyama (street barbecue), local shebeens, and the chance to experience South Africa's sporting and cultural soul up close.

Time Square Casino & Arena

Johannesburg's premier entertainment complex hosts major concerts in a state-of-the-art arena that delivers world-class production values in an intimate setting. The venue's casino and hotel infrastructure means fans can make a full weekend of it around their favourite artists' shows. South Africa's most commercially successful acts regularly choose this venue for landmark career performances.