Johannesburg

Born out of a late-19th-century gold rush, Johannesburg — or Egoli, meaning ‘place of gold’ in Zulu — rapidly grew to become South Africa’s economic engine. Today, the city’s many ethnicities and cultures can be explored through its food, music and thriving arts scene.

It’s also a place of stark contrasts, where leafy suburbs of high-walled mansions are juxtaposed with sprawling, corrugated shanty towns. This gaping difference in fortune is partly a result of the ruthless apartheid regime that swept the nation during the 20th century. Places like the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill and Liliesleaf Farm paint a picture of these turbulent years.

While the city is undergoing rapid regeneration in up-and-coming pockets like Maboneng Precinct, Johannesburg is rawer than Cape Town. It’s a city that’s both deeply rooted in its past yet forward-thinking and optimistic about its future.