Start Driving in BulawayoBulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second‑largest city in the southwest, sits on the highveld plateau as a former industrial and colonial‑era hub of roughly 700,000 residents whose wide avenues, tree‑lined suburbs, and colonial‑style buildings glow under 25°C warm summers and 10°C mild winters, shaped by late‑19th‑century British‑administered planning and later mining‑linked growth. Must sees include the historic downtown area with its colonial architecture, the nearby Matopos Hills with dramatic rock formations and cave art, the city’s museums and art galleries celebrating local heritage, the surrounding wildlife parks and national‑reserve gateways, and the quieter, leafy suburbs offering a relaxed pace. Culture blends Ndebele‑centered traditions with British‑influenced urban life, visible in the church‑heavy social calendar, the love of traditional music and dance, the mix of formal businesses and informal markets, and the city’s role as a quieter, more provincial counterpoint to Harare. Cuisine delights with maize‑based sadza, grilled meats, savoury stews, and fresh vegetables, often eaten with hands in family‑style settings and modest roadside kitchens.
