Pretoria walking tour & city guide

The city

The Union Buildings, the seat of government, sit in terraced gardens with a giant statue of Nelson Mandela. Church Square is the historic center. The Voortrekker Monument and Freedom Park tell different chapters of the nation's history.

Jacaranda season

In October and November, more than 50,000 jacaranda trees bloom, covering the city in purple.

A day in Pretoria

Start at the Union Buildings, the sandstone seat of government designed by Herbert Baker, where Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as president in 1994. A nine-meter bronze statue of Mandela with open arms stands in the terraced gardens, which offer a wide view over the city.

Then visit the Voortrekker Monument, a massive granite building on a hill that commemorates the Afrikaner pioneers, and Freedom Park across the valley, a memorial to all those who fought for South Africa's freedom. Together, they tell two very different stories of the country's history. In the afternoon, walk around Church Square, with its old Palace of Justice and Raadsaal.

Good to know

Pretoria is South Africa's administrative capital, about 35 minutes from Johannesburg on the fast Gautrain. It is calmer and greener than Johannesburg, with wide streets and large embassies.

From late September to November, around 70,000 jacaranda trees bloom and turn the streets purple, giving the city its nickname, Jacaranda City. The Pilanesberg and Dinokeng game reserves are within easy reach for a safari.