Places and events for city families this festive season

Here are some tips, courtesy of Travelstart:

1. Attend the vibey Market @ The Sheds

Visit this social market celebrating good vibes with tunes, people and sassy food like Tacos in a Kombi.

It’s organised by the Capital Collective with the aim of rejuvenating Pretoria’s inner city and making it space where everyone feels welcome.

The market is usually on the last Saturday of the month with date changes in between to accommodate holidays and long weekends. It is open from 11:00 to 18:00. It is held at 012 Central in 381 Helen Joseph Street. There are loads of parking at 216 Sisulu Street, which gives you direct access to the market.

2. Tall Stories 

Just 20 minutes outside Pretoria central, you will find this haven for bibliophiles at Irene Village Mall.

They sell well-priced new books and very affordable second-hand ones on a wide range of topics.

The bookshop opens every day of the week. It is located at Shop 139, Irene Village Mall, corner of Nellmapius and Pierre Van Reyneveld roads.

3.  Take in the whole town with the Camera Obscura at the University of Pretoria

The Camera Obscura (precursor to the modern camera) at Pretoria University is a marvellous invention allowing you to view the whole of Pretoria in turn as you change the direction of the lenses and the view is projected in a darkened room. It is said that on a clear day you can even see “miniature” cars climbing the pass in the Magaliesberg!

This attraction is part of Sci-Enza, the oldest interactive science centre in South Africa (it was started in 1977 as an open laboratory in the university’s old physics building).

Roper Street, Pretoria.

4. Take some free Zulu language lessons at Grounded at Echo Café on Mondays

Grounded at Echo in Villieria is a place for new ideas, community and delicious coffee.

They also have free Zulu language lessons from 17:00 to 18:00 every Monday.

This coffee shop and “co-working space” can be found at the corner of Pierneef Street and 24th Avenue in the Moot.

5. Visit the 1 000-year-old Wonderboom fig tree

The Wonderboom is a fig tree over a 1 000 years old, which grew in such a way that 13 daughter trees sprung up around it, forming a massive shaded area that spans 50 metres which can shelter up to a 1 000 people.

It’s 23m high and can be found at the Wonderboom Nature Reserve.

6. Park Acoustics

The perfect way to out-razzle the Sunday blues, this outdoor music festival is held monthly at the Voortrekker monument.

7. Visit Mrs Ples

Mrs Ples is the nickname given to a fossil skull believed to represent a distant relative of all humankind. Mrs Ples is estimated to an incredible mighty 2.3 million years old skull and you can view her at the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History (formerly the Transvaal Museum).

The museum is at 432 Visagie Street, Pretoria.

8. Take a drive down the longest street in South Africa

Pretoria boasts the longest urban street in South Africa and one of the straightest urban streets in the world. Stanza Bopape, Helen Joseph, WF Nkomo and Elias Motsoaledi streets (formerly all known as Church Street) are worth a drive to take in the buzz of the nerve centre of Pretoria and all its historical buildings.

Stanza Bopape Street, Pretoria

9. Go mountain biking in Groenkloof Park

Groenkloof Nature Reserve is the first and oldest game sanctuary in Africa.

There’s a 20km mountain bike trail to explore and you might pass some curious giraffes and zebras as you navigate the reserve. Various guided horse trails are also available to groups with a minimum of four horses and a maximum of six horses (pony trails for children also available).

Eeufees Road and Christina De Wit Ave, Groenkloof, Pretoria.

10. Hazel Food Market, Menlo Park

Hitting its stride in its sixth year, this Menlo Park food market is on Saturdays at Greenlyn Village Centre, which is at the corner of Thomas Edison and Mackenzie streets.

Nammie’s mini cakes are a must eat with a bullet-proof coffee.

11. Old Mutual concerts at the beautiful botanical gardens

The Old Mutual Music in the Gardens concerts is a Pretoria staple.

Take a picnic blanket, some snacks and have a laid-back afternoon enjoying the festive atmosphere and top South African music acts.

The gardens are at 2 Cussonia Avenue, Pretoria.

12. Go on a game drive at the Rietvlei game reserve

Home to protected rhinos, this is the best bush break you can have by not actually leaving the city. It is also the largest game reserve within city borders in the world.

The game reserve is at Nellmapius Drive in Centurion.