South Africa · Gauteng · Soweto
Alexandra, Soweto — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Alexandra is a township within Johannesburg, established in 1912 in Gauteng, South Africa.
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Where to stay in Alexandra
Where you base yourself shapes the visit — here's the character of each area.
Alexandra is a residential township, not a hotel district. Beds inside it are scarce, and most travellers on this side of Gauteng base themselves in central Johannesburg rather than in the township itself. For a stay near Alexandra, the hotels of central Johannesburg and its suburbs are the practical choice.
It is a place to understand, not a base for the night.
Few places to stay in Alexandra — most visitors book in Johannesburg nearby.
About Alexandra
What are the main landmarks in Alexandra?
Alexandra keeps few of the formal landmarks found in central Johannesburg. It is a working residential township rather than a museum quarter, and its interest lies in the place itself, one of the older settlements of its kind in Gauteng. The wider city holds the galleries and monuments.
Here the streets and daily life are the landmark.
What is the history of Alexandra?
Alexandra was established in 1912 as a residential township near Johannesburg. It grew into a densely built quarter within Greater Johannesburg, and it held on through the upheavals of the twentieth century. Change came slowly.
Founded early in the city's history, Alexandra has carried its name and its place in Gauteng for more than a century.
Where is Alexandra?
Alexandra lies within the Johannesburg metropolitan area in Gauteng, a compact township in the interior of South Africa.
Common questions
What is the best area to stay in Alexandra?
Alexandra: understanding a historic township, not an overnight base.
More areas in Soweto
Updated July 2026