Pretoria is the administrative capital, a city situated in the Province of Gauteng, to the north of Johannesburg. Pretoria is home to an estimated one million people. Known as “the Jacaranda City” for its Jacaranda lined streets; Pretoria developed largely as an administrative centre since its establishment in 1855.
The city is also one of South Africa’s major centers for commerce and industry. Pretoria is home to the Bulls (a super 14 team) and the Blue Bulls which plays in the Currie Cup. The City’s main stadium is the Loftus Versfeld which also hosts a number of rugby test matches. The stadium will undergo upgrading in order to be used as one of the venues for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Tourism in Pretoria:
Tourist attractions in Pretoria include; the National Zoological Gardens, Fountains Valley Nature Reserve, Wonderboom Nature Reserve, the Aquarium and Reptile House, the Pretoria Zoo, Voortrekker Monument, Church Square.
Museums: Correctional Service Museum, Museum of Culture, Transvaal Museum, Airforce Memorial Museum.
For entertainment, the city offers a state theatre, cinemas, shopping malls, a variety of restaurants, pubs and nightclubs.
Pretoria Flights:
There are a number of airlines that offer regular flights to the city of Pretoria. The city is served by the Johannesburg International Airport which is the busiest in the country.
Visitors to Pretoria travel to and from the airport by road. The Johannesburg airport is the main hub for South African Airways which flies regularly from here to a number of domestic and international destinations.
Other airlines offering flights to the Jo burg airport are; Kenya Airways, Lufthansa, British Airways, Qantas, Emirates, Uganda Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, El Al, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air Tanzania, Air Austral, Egyptair, Air Austral, Ethiopian Airlines, Air France, Air Madagascar, Air Gabon, Air Namibia, Olympic Airlines, Malaysian Airlines.
Pretoria Hotels:
There are a number of good hotels in Pretoria. South Africa’s capital offers its visitors a range of accommodation options and popular hotels here include;
Irene Country Lodge: situated between Johannesburg and Pretoria on Nellmapius Drive, the Irene Country lodge is also easily reachable by road from the Johannesburg Airport. Facilities and services: swimming pool, restaurant, bar and 49 cozy rooms.
Sheraton Pretoria Hotel & Towers: situated near the city centre at 643 the corner of Church & Wessels Street, the Sheraton Pretoria is one of the leading hotels in the city. A four star hotel, it offers guests; room service, swimming pool, car hire services, concierge service, bar and restaurants.
University of Pretoria:
The University of Pretoria is the largest University in South Africa in terms of student enrollment. The University was established as the Pretoria Centre of the Transvaal University College in 1908, and was granted full university status in 1930.
The university has two campuses with its main campus near the city centre and the other at Mamelodi. The university offers courses in a wide range of study fields with certifications up to post-graduate level.
For more information on the University of Pretoria, you can visit its site at: http://www.up.ac.za/
