Bloemfontein was founded in 1846 and now has a population of around half a million people.
J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings was born in Bloemfontein in 1892.
In 1923, the African National Congress (ANC) political party was founded in Bloemfontein.
Today, Bloemfontein is a compact city surrounded by sprawling suburbs.
Happily, the city centre is safe to walk around during the day, but many of the city's activities are focused on the Waterfront and Mimosa malls and on the large sporting complex. Second Avenue, north of the Waterfront mall, has the majority of the city's bars and restaurants.
Bloemfontein Airport [2] is just outside the city and a number of flights to major South African cities take off from here, operated by South African Airways [3] and SA Airlink [4]. and Mango airlines [5] fly to Cape Town
Fire Station Museum, Erlich Park Fire Station, Church Street, ☎ +27 (0)51 405-8730 (braam@civic.mangaung.co.za), [17]. By appointment. 17 vintage fire engines as well as a number of cars, bikes steam engines and even ox wagons.edit
National Botanical Garden, Rayton Road,off Dan Pienaar Drive, ☎ +27 (0)51 436 361 (fsnbg@sanbi.org), [18]. 8AM to 6PM daily. R10 entrance fee. edit
National Museum, 36 Aliwal Street, ☎ +27 (0)51 447-9609 (ornito@nasmus.co.za), [19]. Open 8AM to 5PM Monday to Friday, 10AM to 5PM on Saturday and 12PM to 5:30PM on Sundays.. Home to the Florisbad skull.R5 entrance fee. edit
Naval Hill and Franklin Game Reserve, [20]. 8am - 5pm. The reserve has various wild animals (nothing dangerous) and is located on top of a hill overlooking the centre of the city. There is a driving circuit weaving around the edge of the hill. You can also park the car near the observatory and go for a walk / have a picnic. free. edit
Oliewenhuis Art Museum, 16 Harry Smith Street, ☎ +27 (0)51 447-9609 (oliewen@nasmus.co.za), [21]. Open 8AM to 5PM Monday to Friday and 10AM to 5PM on Saturday. Outstanding art museum in a beautifully restored Cape-Dutch style house and gardens. Oliewenhuis hosts ever changing temporary displays of contemporary art and photography, whilst upstairs is a more traditional permanent exhibition. There is a very nice cafe in the sculpture garden at the back and is the ideal retreat from the city's sterile shopping malls.Free entrance. edit
Presidency Museum, Pres. Brand Street, ☎ +27 (0)51 448-0949. Open 10AM to 12:15PM and 1PM to 4PM Tuesday to Friday. This former residence of presidents of the Orange Free Stare Republic has been restored to what it would have been at the turn of the century.edit
Queens Fort Military Museum, 116 Church Street, ☎ +27 (0)51 447-5478 (naln@majuba.ofs.gov.za). Open 10AM to 12:15PM and 1PM to 4PM Monday to Friday. Exhibitions on the two Boer wars and the apartheid struggle.edit
SA Armour Museum, (West of town, follow Nelson Mandela (R64) west towards the N1, you'll see a sign), [22]. The SA Armour Museum, on the grounds of Tempe Military Base, exhibits various items dealing specifically with military armour. The SA Armour Museum consists of an indoor-, outdoor-, and reference library area. Some of the more interesting exhibits include South African built apartheid era riot control vehicles, and some old Soviet tanks the South African's captured in Angola. edit
Visit one of the numerous game reserves in the area and go sightseeing / hunting
Take a walk through the tree-lined President Brand Street and visit the various museums
Take a drive through the northern suburbs and see the lush gardens
Visit the City Zoo just behind the Waterfront shopping mall. This zoo is home to a stuffed Liger a cross between a lion and a tiger, that was bred at the zoo in the 1930s. This specimen holds the world record for being the largest ever living cat. And at 798kgs you can see why!
Soetdoring Nature Reserve, (about 40 km from Bloemfontein on the main Bultfontein road). closes at 18.00. A pleasant Free State nature reserve close to Bloemfontein. What sets it apart are the lions in the small enclosure in the middle of the park – although the enclosure is big enough to mean that you are not guaranteed to see the cats. The rest of the reserve is pleasant with open plains, wooded areas and a dam – there are no dangerous animals in the main park so walking is allowed. There is a one-day hiking trail which follow the Modder River, easy enough for families with young children. R20 per car. edit
The ongoing expansion of the Waterfront mall means that Bloemfontein now has two branches of each of the standard South African chain stores (the other branches being in the Mimosa Mall 2 km up the road). There is a craft market near the Waterfront mall on the first Saturday of the month. Many shops close Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday.
People eat early in Bloemfontein - even by South African standards, if you arrive at a restaurant after 7.30pm, especially on a weeknight, you may get some funny looks from the staff, and rushed service as they try to get you out the door so they can lock up and go home.
Fishpaste restaurant and bar, 31 President Steyn ave, Westdene, ☎ +27 (0)51 430-2662. The place to go. Excellent food in an interesting atmosphere.edit
Mexican Restaurant, 19A Second Avenue Westdene, ☎ 051 4304526. There isn't much that is Mexican about this place, except for the big Aztec statue that overlooks the dining area. Seafood and Steakhouse. One of the city's more upmarket steakhouses. Fantastic food and service in a beautiful restaurant with a selective bar .Winner of numerous awards for food and service.Come and enjoy!edit
Cape Town Fish Market, Eeufees Road (Northridge mall), ☎ 051 436 6148, [25]. Branch of the popular CTFM chain. Worth the trip into the northern suburbs.(29° 5'17.03S,26°12'46.03E)edit
Beethoven's Cafe Restaurant, Victorian Square, Second Avenue, ☎ 051 448 7223. A good choice for breakfast, lunch or a light dinner, and a tad more sophisticated (by Bloemfontein standards) than the chain restaurants in the shopping malls. The only downside is that the terrace overlooks the car park.edit
New York's, 60 Medene Centre, Second Ave, ☎ 051 447-7279. One of the better steakhouses in town, although not the best. Not a bad choice for families.edit
Tuscany Lodge, 3rd Avenue (Opposite the Medic Clinic), ☎ 051-4473399, [26]. Spotlessly clean and functional hotel in a good location equidistant between 2nd Streets restaurants and the Waterfront mall - and Mimosa mall is a 10 minute walk. Secure parking, full English breakfast, en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning and DSTV. A good alternative to the considerably more expensive City Lodge up the road.under R350 a room. edit
Bains Game Lodge, (Follow Nelson Mandela Drive for 2km outside the city, entrance gates on the right), ☎ +27 (0)51 451-1928 (info@bainsgamelodge.co.za), [27]. Serviced Chalets.edit
Hobbit House, (Just of 2nd Avenue on President Steyn Avenue), ☎ +27 (0)51 447 0663 (info@hobbit.co.za), [28]. A opulent boutique hotel, a good choice if you are with your intended. From R500 per room inc. breakfast.edit
Bloemfontein Spa, Raytonweg, Lilyvale, ☎ +27(51)4361567, [29]. From R410. edit
Florentia Guest House, 2c Louis Botha St, Waverley, ☎ +27 (0)828537472 (florentia@internext.co.za), [31]. Florentia Guest House offers 4star accommodation central to Bloemfontein South Africa. Safe parking. Owner run since 1998.From R265pps. (-29.0988889,026.2233333)edit
Like A Rock, 6 Blink-Vosperdstr. Pellissier (N1 Jagersfontein offrit into Pellissier drive), ☎ 0514210559. checkin: 14.00; checkout: 10.00. German Speaking Management, http://www.safarinow.com/go/LikeaRock, 550 up. edit
Bloemfontein is much safer than most other cities. You can walk around downtown during the day time (although it will be eerily quiet after the shops close). The Waterfront and other shopping malls are safe and patrolled with 24 hour security, and 2nd Street (the main restaurant strip) is fine day and night. The dodgy areas to avoid if possible are near the train station and anywhere east of the railway lines (where the traditional townships are located).
Heading east you will reach Thaba 'Nchu, 60 km outside Bloemfontein, which has a luxury hotel and casino complex as well as Maria Moroka Nature Reserve. 130km from Bloemfontein is the pleasant town of Ladybrand close to Lesotho and its capital city of Maseru.
This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!
