# Things to see in Bloemfontein (South Africa): 8 places and when to go

> Bloemfontein is a city in South Africa with around 463,000 inhabitants, and this site lists 8 places in and around it, mainly Stargazing (3), Museums and art (3), History (1). The best known are Boyden Observatory, National Women's Monument and National Afrikaans Literary Museum and Research Centre. The best time to come is July to April; also possible: May to June. In December there are 13 h 51 of daylight, and in June, 10 h 09. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.

- Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/bloemfontein/
- Reviewed on: 2026-10-08
- Language: en

## In a nutshell

- **Where:** South Africa · -29.12, 26.2299
- **Population:** About 463,000
- **Places:** 8 places on this site, in the town and around it.
- **What people come for:** [Stargazing](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/estrellas/) (3) · [Museums and art](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/museos/) (3) · [History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/historia/) (1) · [Temples](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/espiritual/) (1) · [With kids](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/familia/) (1)
- **Best time:** July to April.
- **Also possible:** May to June.
- **Nearest airport:** JNB Johannesburg, 387 km as the crow flies

## What to see in Bloemfontein

The places in and around Bloemfontein, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.

- [Boyden Observatory](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/boyden-observatory/): Observatory · 19 km
- [National Women's Monument](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/womans-memorial/): Monument in Bloemfontein, South Africa · 3.2 km
- [National Afrikaans Literary Museum and Research Centre](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/national-afrikaans-literary-museum-and-research-centre/): Museum and research center in South Africa · 1.4 km
- [Cathedral of St Andrew and St Michael, Bloemfontein](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/st-andrew-and-st-michael/): Cathedral in South Africa · 1.0 km
- [Art museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/art-museum/): Museum · 2.5 km
- [First Raadsaal](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/first-raadsaal-museum/): Museum · 1.3 km
- [Lamont–Hussey Observatory](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/lamont-hussey-observatory/): Former astronomical observatory in Bloemfontein, South Africa · 2.7 km
- [Naval Hill Planetarium](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/naval-hill-planetarium/): Planetarium · 2.7 km

## When to go to Bloemfontein

The best time to visit Bloemfontein is **July to April**; also possible: May to June. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.

| Mes | Época | Hours of daylight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | Best time | 13 h 40 |
| February | Best time | 13 h |
| March | Best time | 12 h 13 |
| April | Best time | 11 h 18 |
| May | Possible | 10 h 33 |
| June | Possible | 10 h 09 |
| July | Best time | 10 h 19 |
| August | Best time | 10 h 57 |
| September | Best time | 11 h 50 |
| October | Best time | 12 h 43 |
| November | Best time | 13 h 29 |
| December | Best time | 13 h 51 |

In December there are 13 h 51 of daylight, and in June, 10 h 09. In July, 8 of the 8 places are at their best.

When to go to South Africa in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/#cuando-ir).

## Getting to Bloemfontein

The nearest main airport is O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB, Johannesburg), 387 km as the crow flies. How to get around South Africa (train, car, bus) is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/#moverse), and what to sort out before you leave is in [its checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/#antes-de-salir).

- [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=-29.12%2C26.2299)
- [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=-29.12%2C26.2299)

## Other towns nearby

- [Kimberley, South Africa](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/kimberley/): 14 places · 148 km
- [Middelburg, Eastern Cape](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/middelburg/): 6 places · 290 km
- [Swinburne](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/swinburne/): 5 places · 308 km
- [Queenstown, South Africa](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/queenstown/): 6 places · 316 km
- [Nieu-Bethesda](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/nieu-bethesda/): 5 places · 346 km
- [Johannesburg](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/johannesburgo/): 47 places · 373 km

And all of South Africa, in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is there to see in Bloemfontein?

The best known: [Boyden Observatory](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/boyden-observatory/), [National Women's Monument](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/womans-memorial/), [National Afrikaans Literary Museum and Research Centre](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/national-afrikaans-literary-museum-and-research-centre/), [Cathedral of St Andrew and St Michael, Bloemfontein](https://kokai.app/en/paises/africa-y-oriente-medio/sudafrica/st-andrew-and-st-michael/). In all, 8 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.

### When is the best time to visit Bloemfontein?

July to April; also possible: May to June. In December there are 13 h 51 of daylight, and in June, 10 h 09.

### How do you get to Bloemfontein?

The nearest main airport is O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), 387 km away. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=-29.12%2C26.2299) opens the route on the map.

### How do I add it to my trip?

Create a trip with Bloemfontein as the destination and these 8 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.

Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright), licensed under the ODbL, from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/), CC0, cities from [Natural Earth](https://www.naturalearthdata.com/) and airports from [OurAirports](https://ourairports.com/data/). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).