Newtown Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Newtown. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Soweto and Johannesburg Exclusive Full-Day Guided Tour

• 1 Day: Bus & Soweto Combo

• Johannesburg and Soweto Tour (6–7 hours)

• Johannesburg's Downtown Walking Tour With Lunch

• Johannesburg Historical, Apartheid Museum & Soweto

Newtown is a public neighborhood, so it’s free to visit on your own. However, for safety reasons, it’s always best to go on a guided tour. Plus, with a guide you’ll get more context. Hop-on hop-off bus group tours start around US$40 per person, and private tours start around US$100 per person. Whether you book a group or private tour, it will most likely include other neighborhoods and landmarks in Johannesburg.

Yes, Newtown is worth visiting or passing through for several reasons. For starters, it's a hub for the creative arts where there is always something exciting going on: Think cultural festivals, street art competitions, live music, gallery exhibitions, and more. It also boasts several top historic and science-based attractions including Museum Africa, Sci-Bono Discovery Center, and The Worker's Museum.

Per one customer who booked the Soweto and Johannesburg Exclusive Full Day Guided Tour, "I had an amazing experience on the Soweto and Johannesburg Exclusive Full Day Guided Tour. My guide, Mo, was excellent—knowledgeable, engaging, and very professional throughout the day. I ended up being the only person on the tour, which made the experience even more special and personalized. Mo took the time to answer all my questions and provided great insights into the history and culture of the areas we visited. Overall, it was a fantastic and memorable experience, and I would highly recommend this tour—especially with Mo as your guide!"

Newtown earns its nickname of “Jazz Town” with a buzzing selection of music joints, including clubs and bars featuring all-night dancing. The Johannesburg suburb is also renowned for its history of racial diversity and activism—Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo founded South Africa’s first Black-owned law firm here in 1952.

Yes, you can go to Newtown on your own—but due to high crime rates, some visitors may feel unsafe visiting solo, especially at night. If you’re concerned about security, consider exploring Newtown as part of a guided tour: You can cover its top attractions and experiences without worry.

The nightlife in Newtown is legendary: Jazz clubs and venues like the Market Theater bring culture buffs from around the city and world. Keep in mind that security can be an issue in Newtown, especially at night. If you’re planning to explore on the street, stick to daylight hours.

Newtown is located in the western part of the Johannesburg city center, south of the student area and political center Braamfontein. The neighborhood’s hub is the bustling Mary Fitzgerald Square, which is also a starting point for the Jazz Walk of Fame featuring names of nine South African jazz greats.

When Newtown was founded in the early 20th century, it was an area dedicated to brick production—which explains its former nickname of “the Brickfields.” Over time, Newtown earned a reputation for artistry and activism, as well as resistance to the apartheid regime. Today, Newtown is a vibrant suburb of Johannesburg.

There are many things to do other than visiting Newtown. Travelers to Johannesburg recommend the following places:

• Soweto

• Apartheid Museum

• Mandela House

• Sun City

• Constitution Hill

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Johannesburg.