60 Places Cape Town
60 Places Cape Town
Two Oceans Aquarium
The first aquarium open to the public in Cape Town was the small Marine Biological Research Station at St James established in 1912 but, by the end of the 20th century, the Mother City needed a modern aquarium. The dream of two brothers became a reality in 1995 with the opening of the Two Oceans Aquarium - one of the finest aquariums in the world, showcasing over 8000 unique marine creatures of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Location: Portswood Square, V&A Waterfront.
Location: Portswood Square, V&A Waterfront
Information: 021 418 3823 • www.aquarium.co.za
Price: Varies for adults, children, SA pensioners and students.
Clifton Beach
This is a blue flag status beach frequented by the rich, the famous and the beautiful. There are four distinct coves with pristine sand, surrounded by granite boulders and quaint multi-million Rand beach cottages. This is a favourite spot for sundowners and for people who want to be seen in the right places. Each beach is reached by flights of steps from Victoria Road (not great for wheelchair-bound visitors).
Location: Victoria Road (The Ridge), Clifton
Information: www.aboutcapetown.com/beaches.htm
Price: free
Camps Bay Beach
Another trendy beach on the Eastern seaboard is this long sandy beach accessed directly from the road. Parking can be a problem in summer. The road behind the beach is lined with cafes, restaurants and a few small grocery stores, making snacks and lunch easily obtainable. This beach, with its tidal pool, is generally family-friendly.
Deck chairs and umbrellas are available for daily rental.
Location: Camps Bay
Price: free
Leopard’s Rock
When visiting Hout Bay beach, which is worth a visit in its own right, you will see a statue of a leopard. Look out for it on the left hand corner just where the road starts climbing up from Hout Bay towards Chapman’s Peak. This statue was created by a local artist, Ivan Mitford-Barberton, in the 1930’s to commemorate the last leopard spotted in Hout Bay on Little Lion’s Head in 1937. The 295kg bronze statue was placed on a 545-540 million year old granite corestone pedestal in March 1963 by the Divisional Council. Pepsi-Cola supported the project and donated the bronze.
Location: East end of Hout Bay Beach (Chapman’s Peak side)
Price: free
World of Birds
World of Birds is the largest bird park in Africa and one of the few large bird parks in the world. Over 3000 birds of 400 different species, as well as small animals, monkeys and reptiles, are uniquely presented in more than 100 large landscaped walk-through enclosures, allowing you an intimate experience with these creatures.
Location: Valley Road, Hout Bay.
Information: www.worldofbirds.org.za
Trading Hours: Every day from 9am to 5pm.
Price: fee
Llandudno Beach
This is a stunning beach of white sand and huge granite boulders surrounded by mountains. There are no shops or commercial activities, only expensive residential property. It is popular with surfers, rock climbers (in the form of bouldering) and sun worshippers. Swimming can be dangerous, with rough seas and extremely cold water. (Check that the life guards are on duty). It is named after the North Wales seaside resort of Llandudno, which means ‘Parish of Saint Tudno’.
Location: Between Hout Bay and Camps Bay.
Price: free
Duiker Island
Take a boat cruise from Hout Bay Harbour around the spectacular Sentinel Peak to a small island packed with Cape Fur Seals. See them in their own environment. The journey will take about an hour. Check the charter company’s website for departure details. Location: Departure and return to Hout Bay Harbour; Duiker Island located just off Sentinel Peak.
Information: www.circelaunches.co.za
Tel: 082 5522 904
Price: Small fee
Mariner’s Wharf & Hout Bay Harbour
Hout Bay is famous for its harbour and Mariner’s Wharf, which is the first harbour-front emporium in Africa and the Southern Hemisphere. Huge quantities of lobster, tuna and snoek are landed here and the ambience of its fisheries and history is memorably captured at Mariner’s Wharf. Overlooking a beautiful beach and bay, it’s the ideal place to relax, enjoy a good meal and shop – indeed, well worth the visit!
Location: Harbour Road, Hout Bay
Information: “Embracing Hout Bay” - editor Gwynne Schrire
Price: Free access and parking for Mariner’s Wharf. Restaurant prices dependent on your choice.
Kronendal
This is one of Cape Town’s well-known early homesteads, which beautifully captures its period. In 1715, Kronendal was granted to Matthys Bergstedt but it was only converted into a farm near the end of the century when Johanne Guilliam van Helsdingen built the homestead and the historical gable, which was strongly influenced by that of Groot Constantia. Rumours abound about the ghost of Elsa Cloete who died there of a broken heart. Many have reported seeing a ghostly figure in one of the estate’s windows. Kronendal was declared a national monument in 1960 and is a provincial heritage site.
Location: Main Road Hout Bay just past Victory Road.
Information: www.artefacts.co.za
Price: free to view
Hout Bay Museum
This museum has displays on the history of the Hout Bay valley and its people, focusing on forestry, mining, and the fishing industry up to modern times. The museum also organises weekly guided nature walks into the surrounding mountains. It is a small rustic museum and is mainly for people who want to learn more about Hout Bay’s history.
Location: 4 Andrews Road, Hout Bay, 7872
Tel: 021 790 3270
Price: small fee
Chapman’s Peak Drive
One of the most breathtaking drives in the world, the 9km route, with its 114 curves, skirts the coast halfway up the sheer cliffs of Chapman’s Peak. Construction of the road started in 1915 and took seven years to complete. The road was opened to traffic on Saturday 6 May 1922. It was closed in 2000 due to rock falls and was extensively modified to make it a safe toll road.
Location: Between Hout Bay and Noordhoek.
Information: www.chapmanspeakdrive.co.za/history.php
Price: toll fee (check that the drive is open)
Click to enlarge
Noordhoek Farm Village
Cape charm under old oaks, things to see, restaurants, shops and play area for the kids: with all this, you still feel you are visiting a classic old Cape farmstead. This has to be one of the stops when touring the Cape Peninsula or a must for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Location: Just as you leave the Southern end of Chapman’s Peak Drive on the left hand side.
Information: www.noordhoekvillage.co.za
Tel: 021 789 1390
Price: entrance free, the rest depends on you.
Fish Hoek Valley Museum
This is a small quirky museum that houses a treasure of information about early Fish Hoek, displays on whales and dolphins and the history of Peer’s Cave, including local stone age implements. It is a private museum. Talks on Peer’s Cave or local history can be arranged for groups of up to
20 people.
Information: www.fishhoek.com/museum.html
Location: 59 Central Circle, Fish Hoek
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9.30am to 12.30pm
Price: small fee
Noordhoek Beach
This beach is found in the quiet corner of Noordhoek; it can’t be missed due to its size. The beach is very popular with walkers, horse riders and surfers. There is a well-known wreck of the Kakapo on the beach. The beach has soft white sand and the views of the bay are spectacular. Location: Turn into Avondrust Circle from Noordhoek Main Rd; take the first right turn into Beach Rd which takes you to the beach.
Information: www.uncoverthecape.co.za/local-attractions/beaches/noordhoek/
Price: free
Imhoff’s Farm
Imhoff’s Farm is a historical Cape farmstead (about 1743) that has been turned into a tranquil must-stop-and-spend-some-time venue on the Peninsula tourist route. There is something for everybody: restaurants, shops, a snake park and activities such as camel rides, horse rides and paintball. With all this to offer, it still retains an old-world restful charm.
Information: www.imhofffarm.co.za
Location: Halfway between Kommetjie and Sun Valley (opposite Ocean View)
Price: Free but a whole lot to spend money on.
Slangkop Lighthouse
Slangkop (meaning Snakehead) Lighthouse in Kommetjie has been burning brightly since 1914; it became fully automated in 1979. The tower’s light shines 33 nautical miles out to sea from its 33 m circular construction. It is the tallest lighthouse in South Africa.
Information: www.capepointroute.co.za/moreinfoOther.php?aID=109
Hours: 30-minute tour, Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm
Booking: Tel: 021 783 1717
Location: Lighthouse Road, Kommetjie
Price: small fee
Cape Point Ostrich Farm
This is a working farm and visitors are welcome. The only way to see the farm is by joining their tours. There is also a restaurant which specialises in - yes - ostrich, but booking is essential. Ostrich products such as leather goods and egg art can be purchased at the in-house shop.
Location: M65 south, 400 m north of the entrance to
Cape Point National Park.
Information: www.capepointostrichfarm.com/
Tel: 021 780 9294
Price: Booking for tours.
Cape Point
The official name is the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. What more can be said than that it is the most visited tourist hotspot on the Cape Peninsula after the Waterfront. It is the most south-westerly point of Africa and also the most southerly point of the Peninsula. As well as visiting the Point, there is a whole game park to explore.
Location: The furthest place south on the Cape Peninsula
Information: www.capepoint.co.za
Hours: 6am to 6pm
Price: Entrance fee.
Seaforth Beach
This is a small, beautiful family beach with large green lawns. Like Boulders, it is protected from the wind. Seaforth is a very safe swimming beach with diving opportunities in and around the massive submerged granite boulders. The beach is great for kids and the lawns offer lovely picnic spots. There is also a restaurant that overlooks the beach. Seaforth Beach is also a prominent nesting site for about 150 penguins. Before this beach became a leisure destination, it was one of the first established whaling stations on the Cape Peninsula. Because of the dreadful smell of dead whales, the operation was moved to Kalk Bay in 1807 and then on to Muizenberg. All whaling in False Bay stopped in 1935.
Location: Just past Simon’s Town. It can be entered from Seaforth Road
Information: www.simonstown.com
Hours: open all the time
Price: free
Fish Hoek Beach
This is considered one of the best family beaches in Cape Town, with warmer water than the Atlantic side and shallow water with no dangerous sea currents. Shark attacks have occurred here only because people have ignored the shark spotters but, since 2014, removable shark nets were installed in the western corner of the beach, covering an area of 3 soccer fields. This type of net is the only net installed in the world where the net extends all the way to the sea floor and is deployed and retrieved every day. The famous Jager’s Walk (Cat Walk) is a popular walkway where you can swim in rock pools or sit on grass lawns or seats and enjoy the view. This beach is on the main railway line from central Cape Town. Parking is provided at a small fee.
Location: Between Simon’s Town and Muizenberg
Information: www.fishhoek.com
Price: free
Boulders Beach
One of the best places to see the African penguin up close and in its natural habitat. Well-made viewing platforms and boardwalks enhance this experience and are suitable for wheelchair-bound people. This is also one of the popular family beaches, out of the wind and with many little spots you can have to yourself. There is excellent swimming and diving. Location: Just past Simon’s Town. The beach can be reached from Seaforth Road or Bellevue Road. Information: www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mountain/tourism/attractions.php
Hours: Visit their website as these change throughout the year.
Price: small fee
Scratch Patch
Gemstones for Africa! Lie down in a carpet of gemstones, buy the ones you choose - this is a treasure trove for kids and a lot of fun. For the adults, many different gemstone products are for sale. The stones are tumble-polished on site in the world’s biggest gemstone factory that processes some 150 varieties of stones from all around the world. Location: Just outside Simon’s Town on Dido Valley Rd
Information: www.scratchpatch.co.za
Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:45pm; Saturday/Sunday/Holidays: 9am to 5:30pm
Price: free but bring money for a bag of treasure.
Kalk Bay
Kalkbaai (Dutch/Afrikaans) means “Lime Bay”. The name derives from the deposits of mussel shells that were found here. Early settlers burned these to make lime for construction. This little village, surrounding a working fisherman’s harbour which was build in 1913, has managed to keep its old-world feel. A popular holiday getaway for townsfolk a hundred years ago, it has now become the place to get away from it all for the afternoon. Visit art galleries, bookshops, restaurants and secondhand shops, or just walk down to the harbour and see what the catch of the day is.
Location: Between Fish Hoek and Muizenberg
Information: www.capepointroute.co.za/seeit-kalkbay.php
Price: free, lots to do and see.
St James
St James was once the place of the rich and famous from the gold and diamond days but, today, it is better known for its small cosy beach with its colourful picture-postcard bathing boxes and tidal pool. Enjoy a long scenic walk from Kalk Bay to Muizenberg, right on the water’s edge, on a well-made walkway. This beach can be very busy in summer.
Location: Between Kalk Bay and Muizenberg
Information: www.capepointroute.co.za/seeit-stjames.php
Price: free
Rhodes Cottage
This humble cottage was where Cecil Rhodes, one of the richest men in the world in his time, spent his last days. This man shaped Southern Africa like no one else, had two countries, which he virtually owned, named after him and was a colossus in the diamond industry. He was the ‘poster boy’ of colonisation.
Location: 242 Main Road, Muizenberg
Information: https://rhodescottage.co.za/
Price: donation
De Post Huys
De Post Huys, built in 1673 by the Dutch East India Company, was used as a signal house and fort and is probably the oldest existing building in South Africa, considering the Castle of Good Hope was only declared finished in 1678. This rustic little building has seen the Battle of Muizenberg (1795) during which it came under fire from British forces, the first road to Kalk Bay and the building of the railway.
Information: https://www.capetown.travel/listing/het-posthuys-museum/
Location: Main Road, Muizenberg
Price: fee
Casa Labia Cultural Centre
Built in 1929 to reflect the spirit of 18th century Venice, Casa Labia, now a national monument, is the former Muizenberg residence of Count and Countess Natale Labia. Presently, it has been turned into a most exquisite multi-functional cultural centre and upmarket venue, complete with a modern art gallery, Casbah Design Boutique and an Italian café. Visiting hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm
Location: 192 Main Road, Muizenberg
Information: www.casalabia.co.za
Price: free
Ou Kaapse Weg
Despite its name, Ou Kaapse Weg (Old Cape Road) was only built in 1968. There was an old wagon track that went over the mountain, but this is situated behind the Naval Base under Steenberg. There is a viewing area at the top of the pass on the right hand side which gives magnificent views of Constantia, the Cape Flats and, on a clear day, the whole of the Cape Fold Mountains.
Location: Between Fish Hoek and Constantia over the mountain
Price: free
Silvermine Nature Reserve
World of Birds is the largest bird park in Africa and one of the few large bird parks in the world. Over 3000 birds of 400 different species, as well as small animals, monkeys and reptiles, are uniquely presented in more than 100 large landscaped walk-through enclosures, allowing you an intimate experience with these creatures.
Location: Valley Road, Hout Bay.
Information: www.worldofbirds.org.za
Trading Hours: Every day from 9am to 5pm.
Price: fee
Constantia Glen
A picturesque wine estate nestled between Constantiaberg and Table Mountain makes for the perfect setting, just a short drive from the Cape Town city centre. Constantia Glen has a tasting room and restaurant with an array of wine tasting options to choose from and anà la cartemenu with something for everyone. Dishes range from generous main meals to wood-fired flammkuchen and their famous cheese and charcuterie platters.
Location: Constantia Main Road
Information: www.constantiaglen.com•Tel: 021795 5639
Hours: Sunday to Thursday 10am - 6pm, Fridays & Saturdays 10am - 9pm
Price: fee per tasting
Groot Constantia
This was one of the first wine farms to be established in South Africa in 1685 by the governor of the Cape of Good Hope, Simon van der Stel. What a masterpiece he created! This is the finest example of a Cape Dutch wine farm and must be visited. Today it is still a working farm but is geared for tourists and wine lovers who can walk away with some of the finest wines. Location: Turn off Constantia Main Road (in Constantia) into Groot Constantia Road; follow this road to the end.
Information: www.grootconstantia.co.za •
Tel: 021 794-5128
Price: free, small fee for museum
The Alphen
The Alphen is one of the original homesteads in the Constantia valley and is awash with old-world charm. It dates back to the Dutch East India Company and, since then, more land has been acquired to make a magnificent estate. After changing hands a few times, it ended up belonging to one of the best-known wine families, the Cloetes. The Alphen is most known for its pub and hotel.
Location: Alphen Drive, Constantia
Information: www.alphen.co.za • www.newcourtatalphen.co.za/history.htm
Price: free to view, pay to drink and eat.
Arderne Gardens
This little jewel in Claremont has one of the most diverse and valuable collections of exotic trees in all of South Africa. It now officially includes one of the largest trees in Africa, the Moreton Bay Fig. This tree, along with five others, was designated as a ‘Champion Tree’ in 2008. The garden is extremely popular for wedding photographs – with a backdrop of big trees, lawns and ponds, it is hard to find a better location.
Location: 222 Main Road, Claremont
Information: www.ardernegardens.org.za
Price: free
Newlands Brewery
Nestled at the foot of Devil’s Peak, and neighbour to the historic rugby and cricket ground, is the oldest operating brewery in South Africa and the home of great South African beer – Newlands Brewery. Lovers of superbly crafted beer are invited to experience a taste of brewing history, followed by a look into modern-day brewing methods, by joining a fully-guided tour. To book:
E-mail: newlandstours@za.sabmiller.com •
Tel: 021 658 7440
Location: 3 Main Rd, Newlands, Cape Town
Price: small fee for a guided tour, beer tasting and two free beers.
Kirstenbosch Garden
This world-famous garden ranks as one of the best and most beautiful botanical gardens in the world. It is unique as it showcases indigenous plant species; considering the Cape is a plant kingdom all on its own, it means thousands of plants to see that grow nowhere else in the world. Location: Rhodes Drive, Newlands
Hours: September to March: Monday to Sunday, 8am to 7pm
April to August: Monday to Sunday, 8am to 6pm
Information: www.sanbi.org/gardens/kirstenbosch •
Tel: 021 799 8783
Price: fee
Mostert’s Mill
The mill was built in 1796 on the farm, Welgelegen. The farm changed hands a few times and, in 1891, Cecil Rhodes bought it to consolidate his estate. On his death, it was bequeathed to the state. The mill fell into disrepair over a number of years. It was refurbished in 1935 and again in 1986. The mill was destroyed in a fire in 2021 but has since been restored.
Location: Top of Rhodes Avenue, Mowbray Hours: The mill can be viewed from the fence as it is not open to the public but if you really want to go inside, become a member of The Friends of Mostert’s Mill or contact them for permission.
Information: www.mostertsmill.co.za
Price: free to view from the road.
Heart Transplant Museum
Visit the actual rooms at Groote Schuur Hospital where Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful human heart transplant in the world. The rooms and operating theatre have been restored in every detail as they were on 3 December 1967. This visit is by tour only, so book online on their website. A shuttle service will pick you up from your accommodation, if needed.
Location: Groote Schuur Hospital, Main Road, Observatory
Tel: 021 404 1967
Information: www.heartofcapetown.co.za
Price: fee
Montebello Design Centre
A must for creative types. It is situated in the old farm buildings of the historic site of Montebello. Today, the Design Centre is home to a broad spectrum of designers and artists, from jewellers to painters, film makers to landscapers. View the artists at work, visit the shops and wonderful restaurant.
Location: 31 Newlands Avenue between Dean Street and Anneberg Road
Hours: normal work hours
Information: www.montebello.co.za
Tel: 021 685 6445
Price: free to look, pay to eat
Rhodes Memorial
This memorial was built by citizens of Cape Town for a man who likely influenced the history of Southern Africa like no one else. He was an empire builder, politician and farmer, and owned the biggest diamond empire in his day. There was a stage when he owned two countries which were named after him. Sadly, the well-known restaurant was destroyed by a runaway fire in 2021 and is yet to be rebuilt.
Location: Rhodes Memorial Street, Newlands
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Information: www.rhodesmemorial.co.za •
Price: free
SA Astronomical Observatory
Founded in 1820, this was once the Royal Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope, and was the first scientific institution in Africa. The SAAO is the National Optical Observatory of South Africa, a facility administered by the National Research Foundation (NRF). SAAO welcomes day tour requests, but groups must be a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 20. Visit SAAO website for information on open nights every second and fourth Saturday of the month at 8pm (only the second in December).
Information: www.saao.ac.za • http://friends.saao.ac.za/
Location: Observatory Road, Observatory
Tel: 021 447 0025
Click to enlarge
Castle of Good Hope
The Castle is perhaps the oldest surviving building in South
Africa. Building started in 1666 (De Post Huys was the first building finished). It was built to protect the refreshment station from attack by European powers on the trade route to the East.
Location: Downtown Cape Town between Strand Str. and Darling Str. with Buitenkant Str. running along its entrance.
Hours: 9am to 4pm daily. Key Ceremony: Monday to Saturday (10am and 12pm).
Firing of Signal Cannon: Monday to Friday (10:10am and 12:10pm). Saturday (11am and 12pm).
Information: www.castleofgoodhope.co.za
Price: small fee
Iziko Slave Museum
This is one of the oldest buildings in Cape Town, built in 1679 as the slave lodge of the Dutch East India Company. Through its long history it has served many purposes.
Location: Corner Adderley and Wale Streets
Information: www.tourism-cape-town-western-cape.blaauwberg.net/busslistings.php?id=1810 • www.iziko.org.za/museums/slave-lodge
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 10am to 5pm Closed Sundays,Workers’ Day and Christmas Day
Price: small fee
The Company’s Garden
The garden was established in 1652 by Dutch settlers for
growing fresh produce for shipping on the way to the East. Today, it has been reduced in size and has become a beautiful green lung in the middle of the CBD. There are numerous attractions connected to the gardens which are worth a visit. This is a great place to relax and watch life go by, or buy a packet of peanuts and feed the squirrels and birds.
Location: Corner Adderley and Wale Streets
Information: www.capetown.gov.za/en/parks/facilities/Pages/CapeTownGardens.aspx
Hours: open daily
Price: free
Iziko SA Museum
The oldest museum in sub-Saharan Africa, the South African Museum (SAM) was established in 1825. It has been adding to its collections for nearly 200 years.The main focus is on South African material and the cultural heritage of our indigenous populations, as well as local dinosaurs, whales, animals, birds, fossils and more.
Location: In the Company’s Garden off Queen Victoria Street.
Information: www.iziko.org.za/museums/south-african-museum
Hours: Daily 10am to 5pm.
Closed: Workers’ Day and Christmas Day
Price: small fee
Saint George’s Cathedral
This is the oldest cathedral in Southern Africa, mother church of the Anglican diocese of Cape Town and seat of the Anglican archbishop of CapeTown.Designed by Sir Herbert Baker,part of its architectural beauty stems from its fine stained glass windows, including the Great West Window by Gabriel Loire, a memorial to Lord Mountbatten.The cathedral has a long history of fighting oppression, from Joost de Blank (buried in Westminster Abbey) through to Ted King and Desmond Tutu to the present.
Location: Wale Street
Information: www.sgcathedral.co.za
Hours: open to the public daily; daily services
Price: free
Iziko Koopmans-de Wet House
This is the oldest house museum in South Africa. It is furnished as a home for a well-to-do Cape family during the late 18th century. It contains some of the best pieces of Cape furniture and silver in the country, in addition to a priceless collection of ceramics.A household such as this would have only been able to function with its share of servants and slaves; recent research has brought to light the names and professions of some who lived in the house at the time, as well as the kinds of activities they would have pursued.
Location: 35 Strand Street, Cape Town
Information: www.iziko.org.za/museums/koopmans-de-wet-house
Tel: +27 (0)21 481 3935
Hours: Thursday 10am to 2:30pm and Friday 10am to 2:30pm.Closed on Saturdays, Sundays,Christmas Day and Workers’ Day
Price: small fee
Long Street
This is the place where things happen, with numerous night clubs, backpackers’ lodges, cafés and restaurants that sprawl out onto the road.There is a wonderful energy and vibe about this area. All this takes place in a street that has managed to retain its yesteryear feel.
Location: Long Street, Cape Town, CBD
Information: www.capetown.travel/attractions/entry/Long_Street_at_Night
Price: free
Iziko SA National Gallery
South Africa’s premier art museum houses collections of South African, African, British, French, Dutch and Flemish art. Selections from the Permanent Collection rotate regularly to allow for a full programme of temporary exhibitions. This programme is complemented by a range of temporary visiting exhibitions.
Location: Government Avenue, Company’s Garden
Information: www.iziko.org.za/museums/south-african-national-gallery
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 10am to 5pm
Price: small fee
The South African Jewish Museum
Officially opened by Nelson Mandela in 2000, this museum, through the use of interactive and innovative multimedia displays, tells the story of South African Jewry from their earliest arrival in Southern Africa. The museum includes rare Judaica artifacts, a reconstructed Lithuanian village, animated video footage and an exclusive award-winning documentary film Nelson Mandela, A Righteous Man. It also holds one of the world’s finest private collections of Netsuke (miniature Japanese art).
Location: 88 Hatfield Str.CapeTown
Information: www.sajewishmuseum.co.za
Hours: Sunday to Thursday from 10am to 5pm & Friday from 10am to 2pm.
Price: small fee
Long Street Turkish Baths
Who would have believed that there are Turkish baths in Cape Town? They are housed in a building built in 1908.The baths were designed by the City's engineering department and were the first municipal swimming pool in Cape Town. Experience a 4-hour or 1-hour session in true Turkish tradition. Also enjoy the 100-foot public pool which is open 7am to 7pm daily.
Location: Corner of Long Street and Orange Street.
Information: www.secretcapetown.wordpress.com/2010/03/06/long-street-turkish-baths/
Tel: 021 400 3302
Hours: (Turkish Baths) Women: Monday,Thursday and Saturday 9am to 7pm • Men:Tuesday 1pm to7pm; Wednesday and Friday 9am to 7pm
Price: small fee
Greenmarket Square
This is one of the oldest markets in Cape Town, set on a cobbled square between Shortmarket and Longmarket Streets. This is where people of CapeTown have been buying clothing, jewellery, sandals, crafts, second-hand books and knick-knacks for years.Today, you can find African curios directed at the tourist market – there is still an exciting buzz as well as evidence of the city’s most colourful and eccentric characters.
Location: Between Shortmarket and Longmarket Streets
Hours: normal business hours
Price: free
Cape Town Holocaust Centre
Never again! This Centre was established to raise awareness about the Holocaust, other genocides that have occurred in human history and the Apartheid reality that still affects us today. The aim of the Holocaust Centre is to help focus efforts on human rights issues in today’s society with empathy and compassion.
Location: 88 Hatfield Street,Gardens, City Centre
Information: www.holocaust.org.za
Tel: 021 462 5553
Hours: Sundays to Thursdays 10am to 5pm, Fridays 10am to 2pm. Closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays.
Price: free
Planetarium
Experience the exciting southern night skies in the comfort of an armchair during the day. The Planetarium is housed in the South African Museum and falls under Iziko museums. Visit their website for information on their programmes.
Information: www.iziko.org.za/museums/planetarium
Hours: Normal hours but closed onWorkers’ Day,Christmas Day and the first Monday of every month (excluding school holidays) Location: 25 QueenVictoria Street,Cape Town
Price: Fee
Bo-Kaap
The name translates as ‘above Cape’, referring to the area on the slopes of Signal Hill overlooking Cape Town. It was established by people, mostly descended from slaves, who were brought in from the East to the Cape by the Dutch during the 16th and 17th centuries. Their rich culture, festivals, traditions and cuisine have managed to survive and are an integral part of Cape Town’s heritage. Information: www.bokaap.co.za
Location: above Buitengracht Street
Price: fee for a tour
District Six Museum
This museum (est. 1994) deals with the memory of the vibrant racially-mixed area named after the sixth Municipal District of Cape Town in 1867. In 1901, the first wave of removals took place. In 1966, it was declared a White area under the Group Areas Act and all ‘non-Whites’ were forcibly removed. District Six was flattened by bulldozers. The District Six Museum tells of the memories, experiences and history of forced removals.
Information: www.districtsix.co.za
Location: 25A Buitenkant Street, Cape Town
Price: fee
Truth to Power Exhibition
The Truth to Power Exhibition is a comprehensive showcase of the life and legacy of the lateArchbishop,Desmond Mpilo Tutu, fondly referred to as the Arch. It aims to foster the values of Desmond and Leah Tutu among the youth, and to inspire a new generation of leaders who will build peace and justice in South Africa and the world.
Hours: Open Monday – Friday 09:30 – 15:30
Information: www.tutu.org.za
Location: The Old Granary Building, 11 Buitenkant Street, Zonnebloem (Exhibition entrance on Longmarket Street)
Price: R50 adults • R25 pensioners and students
Children under 12 free (cash free zone)
Note
It is impossible to include all the interesting places in CapeTown in this guide - it is intended partly to introduce visitors to some of the lesser-known places that may not be particularly geared for the tourist market: some may be relatively unsophisticated; some may be viewed only from the outside.These have, however, been included as they represent the wide variety of attractions that CapeTown has to offer, especially those that have interesting stories or historical significance.There may even be places and stories that some locals don’t know about! All information is given in good faith but, as times and facilities may change, the author and publisher cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies.
Proofreading: Shelley Woode-Smith
Citations available on request
© Richard Smith • Gateway Guides edition 18 • 2024
Richard Smith
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richard@gatewayguides.co.za
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© Richard Smith • Gateway Guides • 2023
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