Cresta

Cresta, Randburg

One of Randburg's myriad suburbs, Cresta lies in the northern region of Johannesburg, closest neighbour to Darrenwood and Windsor East. But mention Cresta to the average resident and they will assume you are referring to Cresta Centre - the sprawling shopping centre on the border of Northcliff and Cresta.

Cresta Centre is not just large; it is one of the biggest shopping centres in the southern hemisphere, having gone through no fewer than eight extensions and refurbishments to accommodate the demands of an ever-expanding northern Johannesburg. Randburg has slowly taken on a Cinderella mantle as the shopping mecca other than Sandton, and there are at least four similar mega malls in this part of the city: Brightwater Commons is virtually around the corner, NorthGate lies a little further north, and Clear Water Mall further west, along Hendrik Potgieter Drive.

Cresta is ideally situated. The N1, the major tributary around Johannesburg, is easily accessible, and back routes from here to Sandton make cross-city driving relatively easy, depending on the time of day you venture forth. Emmarentia Dam and the Botanical Gardens offer a major green lung to residents. They lie just beyond Linden, behind Cresta Centre and easily reachable.

In the distance above Cresta is another easy escape to a green space - one can walk up Northcliff Hill, although it does tend to be a bit of a ramble as there is no direct route over the hill. Locals enjoy the villages of Melville and Greenside at night and during the day over weekends, as both have an interesting array of restaurants, shops and boutiques.