Melville is the definition of cool. A popular student hangout, the Johannesburg suburb of Melville is a mix of residential along with an established nightclub and restaurant scene. The suburb is a popular stayover too, with first-rate accommodation facilities.
When standing at the summit of the Melville Koppies (Hills) on the northern end of the suburb, one has fine views over the city and on clear days, the view extends all the way to the Magaliesberg Mountains.
Melville has a number of schools and the German school is in the adjoining suburb of Richmond. The University of Johannesburg is nearby. Easy access to the main M1 highway enables the traveller to quickly reach Johannesburg city centre, the Sandton business district and further afield to Midrand and Pretoria.
Expect an exciting stay in this trendy and lively suburb.
Top 8 reasons to visit Melville
1. Buzzing 7th Street is at the heart of Melville where world-class restaurants, tattoo parlours, and energetic pubs and clubs abound. The information centre on 7th Street can advise on the most happening places and events.
2. Join a scheduled hike up the 3.5 billion-year old Melville Koppies, a hilltop nature reserve in the midst of urban sprawl. The area has escaped alien vegetation and is covered in indigenous bushveld. Smaller cat species such as the spotted genet, shrew, porcupine, rabbit and various snake species (some venomous) inhabit the reserve.
3. The Neighbourgoods Market held very Saturday in Braamfontein attracts foodies looking to purchase farm fresh goods and sample speciality products. The market’s 15-storey mural backdrop was created by Edoardo Villa in the 1970s.
4. With 55 elite stores and restaurants, a boutique hotel, theatre and library, Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton has much of life’s pleasures to make for an excellent shopping experience. Take a group usie on the plaza with the giant Nelson Mandela statue in the background.
5. A visit to Constitution Hill is humbling, considering that much of the country’s tempestuous past occurred here. Take a look inside Number 4 prison where Mahatma Gandhi was once held, the 1893-built Fort used as a prison for white males, and the Women’s Gaol where many female activists were detained.
6. The Kwa Mai Mai market, otherwise known as the Place of Healers, is where sections of the community arrive to purchase traditional muti (medicines) and be treated by Isangomas (traditional healers) and Inyanga (herbal medicine specialists). Be warned that some of the products, such as animal pelts, may offend.
7. The Johannesburg Planetarium at the University of Witwatersrand was opened in 1960 and continues to offer daily educational shows on astronomy and activities in the night skies. The planetarium draws in roughly 70000 visitors per year. Discover the location of the Southern Cross.
8. While at the University, purchase a ticket to watch a game of premier division football at the Bidwest Stadium, the home ground of Bidwest Wits, nicknamed The Clever Boys.
Transport
Melville is 35km from OR Tambo International Airport. The Lanseria domestic airport is 34km away. Both airports have car rental agencies on site or a vehicle can be ordered online. There are a number of metered taxi and shuttle service companies operating around Melville otherwise register with Uber and call for a ride via your mobile phone.
Did you know?
The Melville Koppies Nature Reserve is so ecologically sensitive that parts of the reserve are only opened for short periods during the year. Early Stone Age tools roughly 100000 years old were discovered here along with an old smelting furnace created by Iron Age people.
Johannesburg is the capital of the Gauteng Province and the seat of the country’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, consisting of 11 judges personally appointed by the President of South Africa.
