The majestic, heavy carved door which serves as an entrance to Monte Casino 
The streets of the old world Tuscan village by day 
The streets of the old world Tuscan village by night - note the flags hanging above the cobbled street 
Part of one of the restaurants in the 'night' section of the village. (All the vegetation is artifical !) Earlier this week, we spent the day at Monte Casino, which is situated in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg.
Monte Casino could best be described as an entertainment complex which has been designed to replicate an old world Tuscan hill top village complete with cobbled streets, fountains and piazzas. Most of it is undercover, although the ceilings have special effects to create the feeling of being outside - either under the light blue Italian sky or a dark, starry night. A man made river complete with (tastefully done) artificial trees and vegetation meanders through part of the village.
Wandering through the cobbled streets is like walking through an actual Tuscan village and the ‘buildings’ have all been aged to create an authentic feel. You can look up and see clothes hanging on wash lines, old bicycles propped against buildings and ancient cars parked in side streets. (In many ways, wandering through the streets here gives you the feeling that you have wandered onto the stage of a great theatrical production, and are walking amongst all the props and backdrops !)
The Monte Casino complex contains a theatre, hotels, skate park, conference facilities, casino, cinema’s, several restaurants and coffee bars, shops, children’s play areas, cocktail bars, night clubs and even a cooking school and extensive outdoor bird gardens.
Several of the open air restaurants open out onto a central square where a large screen televises live sports games (eg. rugby !) in season, and there is also an on site hot air balloon if you’d like a birds eye view of the city of Johannesburg.
Monte Casino is well worth a visit … although for a farm girl like me ‘fresh’ from the African bush, it was quite a lot to take in on one visit alone !
Monte Casino could best be described as an entertainment complex which has been designed to replicate an old world Tuscan hill top village complete with cobbled streets, fountains and piazzas. Most of it is undercover, although the ceilings have special effects to create the feeling of being outside - either under the light blue Italian sky or a dark, starry night. A man made river complete with (tastefully done) artificial trees and vegetation meanders through part of the village.
Wandering through the cobbled streets is like walking through an actual Tuscan village and the ‘buildings’ have all been aged to create an authentic feel. You can look up and see clothes hanging on wash lines, old bicycles propped against buildings and ancient cars parked in side streets. (In many ways, wandering through the streets here gives you the feeling that you have wandered onto the stage of a great theatrical production, and are walking amongst all the props and backdrops !)
The Monte Casino complex contains a theatre, hotels, skate park, conference facilities, casino, cinema’s, several restaurants and coffee bars, shops, children’s play areas, cocktail bars, night clubs and even a cooking school and extensive outdoor bird gardens.
Several of the open air restaurants open out onto a central square where a large screen televises live sports games (eg. rugby !) in season, and there is also an on site hot air balloon if you’d like a birds eye view of the city of Johannesburg.
Monte Casino is well worth a visit … although for a farm girl like me ‘fresh’ from the African bush, it was quite a lot to take in on one visit alone !
