Fourways is a growing centre for shopping, theatre and entertainment in Johannes burg’s northern suburbs. It has convenient access to tourist highlights, making it an ideal location for tourists visiting Gauteng. As facilities in the area grow, the location is being positioned as a new CBD.
Nearby attractions and activities
Central to the area is Montecasino, a large entertainment complex and casino modelled on the style of a Tuscan village. The complex features a wide range of restaurants, shopping options and movie houses, as well as theatres that host a variety of world-renowned shows. The 1 900-seat Teatro, in particular, stages much-loved musicals that have appeared on Broadway and the West End.
Montecasino Bird Gardens on the property is a highly-rated visitor attraction. Guests can walk through gardens and aviaries that feature colourful birds, mammals, reptiles and other exotic animals. A 30-minute bird show, Flight of Fantasy, takes place daily in a Tuscan-style amphitheatre and is both educational and entertaining. It is included in the park’s entrance fee (R50-R70).
Fourways is an expanding retail node and currently Fourways Mall is under extensive renovation, which, developers say, will be a mega-mall when building wraps up later this year. Recently, traffic along certain highways in Johannesburg came to a halt when a Boeing was transported by road from OR Tambo International Airport to the centre to ultimately be housed in a local branch of the children’s educational facility, KidZania.
Other shopping facilities in the location include Cedar Square, Broadacres Shopping Centre, Pineslopes Boulevard and Fourways Crossing. Mall of Africa, another large shopping centre opened in Midrand in 2016, is a short drive away.
Fourways Farmers’ Market, open all day Sunday and on Friday nights, boasts 107 vendor stalls, selling carefully selected local and artisanal products. It’s a great place to spend a day, picnic in the grounds and listen to live music.
Additionally, Fourways offers convenient access to the Cradle of Humankind and its Maropeng Visitors Centre and Sterkfontein Caves. The Cradle is a paleoanthropological and World Heritage Site, said to be home to around 40% of the world’s human ancestor fossils. The caves boast the famous hominid discoveries of Mrs Ples and Little Foot, an almost complete skeleton dating back more than three million years.
Similarly, Fourways is within easy distance of the many attractions of Muldersdrift, including stables, animal attractions, artists’ studios, adventure and team-building facilities. Graham Hall, GM of Ground Zero Adventures, says his operation offers activities ranging from river rafting, quad trails, abseiling and archery.
Deserving of special mention is the aha Lesedi cultural village. Here guests are exposed to the traditional lifestyles of the Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, Basotho and Ndebele tribes, and the experience includes local delicacies and cultural performances. Accommodation is in traditional homesteads. According to Ruzandri Stoltz, Marketing Manager of aha Hotels & Lodges, some of the activities offered from the lodge are game drives, walking trails, guided Anglo-Boer history tours and sports.
In the Fourways vicinity too (in neighbouring Douglasdale) is Norscot Koppies and Kingfisher Nature Reserve, some 16ha and home to a variety of flora and fauna, including blesbok and duiker. The reserve is only open twice a month on the second and last Sundays.
Accomodation
The Indaba Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre has long been a Fourways institution that has evolved and grown over the years. It’s a well-loved meeting spot for both business and leisure.
The hotel offers a variety of room configurations and multiple on-site restaurants, namely Chief’s Boma offering African cuisine, Epsom Courtyard for light meals and Epsom Terrace featuring buffet spreads and a range of local and international cuisine. Siphuza Bar, which opens at 15h00 every day, boasts a big-screen television broadcasting live sports, a wide variety of cocktails and a cigar menu.
Montecasino has a selection of hotels. Tsogo Sun manages the Southern Sun Montecasino, The Palazzo and SunSquare Montecasiono, while City Lodge has the City Lodge Hotel Fourways nearby. There are also numerous B&Bs in the location.
Southern Sun Montecasino.
Toadbury Hall, another accommodation choice, is a five-star country hotel situated on 25ha on the banks of the Crocodile River. Accommodation consists of five executive suites and five standard suites. There are four dining choices on the property, from country-style to a late-night cocktail outlet.
In the same locale is Riverstone Lodge with 51 rooms and a restaurant, Driftwood Café, known for its Portuguese cuisine.
For access into and out of Fourways, Lanseria Airport is approximately 20km away. A number of domestic airlines offer flights to Cape Town and Durban from Lanseria.
The article has been updated since first published.
