Across South Africa’s major cities, easy-to-follow walking routes offer travellers a unique blend of light movement, cultural richness, and sensory indulgence.
Here are five city walks that make exploring Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban a joy — especially if you’re hungry, curious, or simply in need of a fresh perspective.
Johannesburg: Maboneng and Jeppestown’s art-strewn alleys
Adelade Mbuyazi/Unsplash
Best for: Street art, creative energy, urban renewal
Johannesburg’s east-central neighbourhood remains a vibrant canvas of renewal. Start at Arts on Main, a dynamic hub featuring galleries, studios, cafés, and artisan shops. Wander along Fox Street, where bold murals animate repurposed industrial buildings, each telling its tale of the city’s reinvention.
Markets have shuttered, but the street-food spark hasn’t dimmed—look out for mobile stalls offering coffee, pastries, and curry wraps. On weekends, The Playground on Juta Street brings back the buzz with food trucks, live music, and rooftop basketball—perfect for a lively urban respite.
Recharge at Thorn Restaurant, located within Hallmark House—ideal for a cappuccino or working remotely while soaking in the street-side views. For a brunch-meets-jazz stop, duck into Bertrand Café (296 Fox St), which doubles as a coffee shop by day and jazz lounge by night—a true Maboneng gem.
Finish your walk with a sit-down meal at Monaco Lounge (17 Albrecht St), offering Mediterranean flavours, signature cocktails, and panoramic street views—open through the evening.
This refreshed route keeps the essence of Maboneng alive—art, food, live music, and local spirit—all in a compact, walk-friendly loop.
Cape Town: Sea Point Promenade to Green Point Lighthouse
Sea Point Promenade/David Stanley/Wikimedia Commons
Best for: Ocean air, sunset views, seaside cafés
Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard is tailor-made for a gentle walk. Begin at Sea Point Pavilion, a beloved oceanfront swimming spot, then follow the wheelchair-friendly promenade west to Mouille Point. You’ll pass open-air gyms, colourful mosaics, and public sculptures like the “Rhino Protectors,” perfect for spontaneous photo stops.
When you reach Mouille Point, head to Caffe Neo—a European-style deli and coffee bar opposite Cape Town’s oldest lighthouse. It’s praised for coffee, ice cream, pastries, and casual bites served through a walk-up window—a great treat spot mid-stroll.
Alternatively, linger at The Creamery Café on Beach Road for artisanal ice cream, milkshakes, and desserts—widely recommended by locals and travellers as a top coastal stop.
If you’re in the mood for a fuller meal, detour slightly inland to Bootlegger Coffee Company (Regent Road) or Kleinsky’s Delicatessen—both popular Sea Point cafés known for hearty breakfast/brunch offerings.
To wrap up your stroll, wander into Mojo Market at the promenade’s start—an energetic hub with global street food, craft brews, live music, and a lively weekend vibe
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Durban: From Victoria Street Market into the Indian Quarter
Victoria Street Market/Bgabel/Wikimedia Commons
Best for: Spice, heritage, and architectural gems
Durban’s Indian Quarter is a feast for the senses — and a surprisingly walkable enclave of culture and flavour. Begin at the bustling Victoria Street Market, where traders sell spices, saris, and traditional snacks. Let your nose guide you as aromas of masala, incense, and curry powder mingle in the air.
From there, head toward Queen Street and explore the surrounding lanes, where historic mosques stand tall among tailors and sweet shops. Make time to admire the Juma Masjid Mosque, one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, with its striking white minarets. When hunger hits, pop into Capsicum Restaurant for a fiery bunny chow or grab samoosas from a street vendor. This short loop is big on flavour and layered history.
Cape Town: Company’s Garden to Greenmarket Square
Company’s Garden/Dietmar Rabich/Wikimedia Commons
Best for: Heritage, museums, leafy beauty
In the heart of Cape Town lies one of the city’s most peaceful and history-rich walking routes. Start your stroll at St. George’s Cathedral, then make your way down into the Company’s Garden—a lush, tree-lined escape once used to grow fresh produce for passing ships in the 1600s.
Wander past the South African Museum, Iziko Art Gallery, and curious squirrels (bring a bag of peanuts if you want to make friends). After looping through the gardens, follow Adderley Street toward Greenmarket Square, a bustling plaza with crafts, music, and street performers. If your legs need a break, settle under the trees at the Company’s Garden Restaurant or sip Ethiopian coffee at Addis in Cape, just around the corner.
Johannesburg: Emmarentia’s Melville Koppies and 7th Street meander
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Best for: Green lungs, brunch stops, local charm
Just west of Melville lies the Melville Koppies Nature Reserve, straddling Emmarentia and offering walkers a window into Johannesburg’s ancient landscape. With trails across rolling grassland ridges, archaeological features, and sweeping city views, it’s perfect for a gentle morning wander. The reserve is a recognized heritage site with Iron Age furnaces and Late Stone Age living floors—features highlighted along the self-guided heritage trail (3 km) or the longer scenic route (5 km) available every Sunday between 8:00 and 11:30 AM (national heritage entry: R90/adult, R50/U18).
Once you’ve had your dose of nature, stroll down to 7th Street, where bohemian cafés, bookshops, and antique stores line the road. Grab brunch at The Service Station, browse indie reads at Love Books, or hunt for vintage treasures at Clyde on 4th Antiques. This walk is as much about atmosphere as it is about the actual steps taken—perfect for a Sunday reset.
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