Shopping in Johannesburg

Shopping in Johannesburg offers a huge choice of options from upmarket fashion boutiques and giant malls to street markets, vendors and curiosity shops.

Key areas

Melville's Main Road and Seventh Streets are home to second-hand bookshops, while the favoured area for antiques is Norwood, particularly Grant Avenue. Art Africa, 62 Tyrone Avenue, Parkview, sells a range of African arts and crafts objects, often from recycled materials in self-help projects. The Giraffe Centre, Second Avenue, Melville, has a wide selection of craft shops, while the shop at the Moyo restaurant, at Zoo Lake in Parkview has a colourful and expansive range of gifts, furniture and crafts sourced from artists from disadvantaged communities.

Markets

Visitors should try Johannesburg's exciting array of flea markets. Bruma Market World, 49 Ernest Oppenheimer Avenue, Bruma, is a sprawling, bewildering mass of over 600 stalls, which is open daily (except Monday), 0930-1700.
Shopping in Johannesburg's African Craft Market, next to The Mall of Rosebank, 1 Cradock Avenue, Rosebank, is enlivened by performances by local bands. There are hundreds of stalls offering excellent African curious, and central desks to pay for items by credit card. The market is open daily 0900-1700.
Bryanston Organic Market, 231 Bryanston Drive, Bryanston, Sandton, is a craft market, where everything is strictly handmade or organically produced. It is famous for tasty home bakes and a delicious range of homemade cheeses. A popular tea garden offers pies, pastries and pots of indigenous rooibos (bush) tea. It is open Thursday to Saturday mornings, as well as for occasional moonlight markets (1700-2100) over summer.

Shopping centres

New, huge shopping malls are still springing up in and around Johannesburg. Eastgate Mall, The Mall of Rosebank, Hyde Park Corner and Fourways Mall are the biggest and best, while Sandton City offers designer fashion, jewellery, electronic goods and also some excellent (but expensive) curio shops.

Opening hours

Mall shopping hours are generally daily 0900-1800 (although the smaller ones close on Sunday afternoons).

Tax information

Value added tax (VAT) of 14% is levied on all goods sold (although this is largely ignored in the flea markets). Visitors can reclaim this upon departure at the airports or land borders, provided they have kept all receipts. For more information visit www.taxrefunds.co.za.

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Book Accommodation

Featured Hotels

StayEasy Eastgate

This ultra-modern hotel in Johannesburg fits into the budget bracket but is surprisingly well equipped, with air-conditioning, a swimming pool and secure parking. Situated 15 minutes' drive from OR Tambo International Airport and 10 minutes' walk from the Eastgate Shopping and entertainment complex (10 cinemas), it's just off the start of the N12/R24 freeways, within easy reach of Sandton, Pretoria, Durban and Kruger National Park. Continental breakfast is available in the lobby and guests can order meals delivered from local restaurants.

The Palazzo Montecasino

This extravagant Johannesburg hotel is part of the Montecasino gambling, leisure, entertainment and shopping complex in Fourways, just 30 minutes from OR Tambo International Airport. Styled like an Italian palace, its luxurious accommodation overlooks lush, landscaped Tuscan gardens. All rooms have one king-size or two double beds, custom air-conditioning, internet point, hairdryer and refreshments. There is also a fully equipped fitness centre, outdoor swimming pool, plus the 1,900-seater Montecasino Theatre.

The Westcliff

This claims to be Johannesburg's most luxurious hotel and with unique features such as the city's best sunset and moonrise viewing spot, it probably is. It clings to a steep mountainside, with breathtaking views of the Magaliesberg Mountains and of elephants in the zoo below. The rooms and suites are individually furnished; most also feature charming terraces, balconies or private courtyards. Facilities include a magnificent hilltop heated swimming pool. The Westcliff is conveniently near upmarket shopping districts and golf courses.

Faircity Quatermain Hotel

The epitome of gracious living and a home-from-home atmosphere, The Quatermain, located in the upmarket suburb of Morningside, provides a convenient and tranquil base close to Sandton and Johannesburg. Set in manicured indigenous gardens with oak trees and swimming pool, The Quatermain offers Zimbabwean teak furniture and queen- or king-size beds in all 114 rooms.

Sunnyside Park Hotel

Built in 1895 as a gracious country residence, the Sunnyside Park Hotel is a National Monument. Set in glorious English gardens, it retains its original magnificent balustrade, wood panelling, historic fireplace and glittering chandeliers, but has been extensively refurbished to provide modern touches. Located just off the M1 freeway in exclusive Parktown, it is a few minutes' drive to the Killarney Mall, Rosebank and Sandton City and 30 minutes to the airport. Its restaurant, Milners, is all starched linen and quiet elegance with a British bent in food, tempered to suit all tastes.

Indaba Hotel

Set in a 30 hectare (74 acre) country estate featuring indigenous flora and fauna, the white-walled, thatched buildings of this well-equipped hotel are minutes from the N1 highway. There are 210 very reasonably priced en-suite, air-conditioned bedrooms, three popular restaurants, a swimming pool, tennis courts, volleyball, outdoor chess, a beauty therapist and a jogging track.

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