Why the festive season is fabulous in Gauteng!
The festive season isn’t just about parties and over indulgence.
The festive season is really about family fun time – and there really are a host of cool things you can do in Gauteng over the festive season apart from just braais!
We have therefore listed a number of other things that can be pretty cool, especially if you would like to take the family along and do something different. So, these are a few reasons why the festive season is fabulous in Gauteng!
Christmas markets
Christmas markets are a great place to have family fun, pick up some great unusual Christmas gifts and support local crafters and traders. In Josie, apart from the famous Neighbourgoods market in Braamfontein and the Rosebank Rooftop market, there is a great moonlight Christmas market in Bryanston and a German Christmas market at the German club in Paulshof, offering totally different types of gifts!
Pretoria boasts the 2 famous Irene markets, both of which have great Christmas markets, at Jan Smut’s museum and the Red barn. An additional one in the area will be a Christmas market in Centurion at the Centurion art gallery.
Great gardens experiences
There are beautiful botanical gardens in Josie near Roodepoort where the famous black Eagles reside, hovering above the Witpoortjie falls and at Emmarentia dam where there are always Christmas special events and concerts. This is also a favourite to just walk your animals in safety!
In Pretoria at Faircity’s own Roodevalley Hotel there is a bird sanctuary. Hotel guests are greeted every morning by the sound of the cheerful chirping emanating from no less than 150 species of South Africa’s finest specimens – and as the sun sets, a veritable chorus of bird song beckons guests to take up their binoculars and roam out to catch a glimpse of Roodevalley’s many feathered friends.
As a matter of interest, from 14 December 2018 – 13 January 2019, Roodevalley is also offering an exciting leisure and kid’s holiday programme. With a variety of activities available from Monday-Sunday, Roodevalley could become your ‘home-away-from-home’ for the entire festive season!
The Jozi inner city
The Jozi inner city has become the buzz place to visit and with so much going on, this is no surprise. There are always vibrant bars and restaurants to visit, great bus tours of the whole city and of course excellent museums and places of interest. In the festive season the city comes alive with fun day events at the Johannesburg zoo and the adjacent zoo lake park is alive with festivals and festivities throughout this time.
Faircity’s Mapungubwe Hotel, from 14 December 2018 – 13 January 2019, for only R695.00 for 2 people, is offering a great festive season package including an evening in their lavish hotel, plus a sumptuous breakfast, free transport within a 5km radius - and a free transfer to Gold Reef City - another great place to visit in the season!
Fun and food specials in Pretoria
Pretoria has some of Africa’s best malls and festive season events, Kids can visit Santa all over the city throughout the festive season! He’ll be at Menlyn mall, said to be Africa’s biggest - and many others, so get out and do some of the best shopping in the world with the kids being kept busy all the time!
Cultural lovers and especially history buffs are in their element in this town, as the Apartheid museum and the Voortrekker monument offer insights into South Africa’s fascinating and sometimes dark past.
For those who want self-catering in style and completely without hassle, both the Faircity Grosvenor gardens and the Junction fully furnished, serviced apartments are offering a kitchen not only fully stocked with all amenities, but your groceries too!
This is offered as a ‘long stay bonus’ for those who wish to stay for longer than 6 nights. Talk about arrive and chill! What a great way to start the holiday season – with everything done for you. You’re in the heart of where the action is in Pretoria, but can just kick up your feet and relax in one of these beautiful luxury apartments and to top it all, both of these excellent accommodation venues are also offering discounted rates over the festive season too!
Famous for their scrumptious Sunday lunches, there will also be a fabulous family Christmas table set at the aforementioned Roodevalley Faircity Hotel in Pretoria on Christmas day. As their festive season program will still be happening, this is a great setting to combining a chilled day with family fun and fabulous traditional fare!
The Cradle and Sandton
Every December the Cradle rocks! There is always an interesting Christmas event at the Cradle of humankind and of course this is a favourite with international and local tourists anyways. It is a fascinating showcase of the earliest dwellers in Africa and believed by many to be the first in the world.
Close by, in total contrast, is the vibrant business centre of Sandton. Here families come to enjoy Christmas festivities at the famous Sandton City mall and many other shopping hubs like the very upmarket Hyde Park centre, where the world’s premier brands are available to shoppers with a little more cash to spend!
If you or your wife is not given to sweating over a hot stove, on what is usually one of the hottest days of the year, rather treat the whole family to a sumptuous Christmas spread on Christmas day at the Faircity Quatermain Hotel.
They will be presenting ‘Christmas day delicacies.’ This will be a harvest table filled with delicious Christmas fare for only R345.00 per person. You can all look forward to deboned turkeys, homemade pâtés, scrumptious desserts and many other traditional Christmas delights! What a perfect way to round off your fabulous festive season in Gauteng!
Contact Faircity to find out about more of their festive packages and watch out for their next article on ways to end the year with a bang in Gauteng!
