Attractions IN Cape Town Central

Landmarks / Miscellaneous / Shopping

Bree Street

Bree Street is the epitome of what Cape Town has to offer, with everything from fine dining to designer bars and organic food restaurants. It is the road's width and extraordinary architecture that has formed the backdrop to the resurgence of interest ...

Landmarks / Mandela Route / Miscellaneous

Cape Town City Hall

On Cape Town's Grand Parade stands an imposing Italian Renaissance-style Edwardian building constructed from honey limestone. Cape Town's City Hall took five years to complete, after the laying of its cornerstone in 1900. Its lower walls and plinths use ...

Memorials / Museums / Religious

Cape Town Holocaust Centre

Serving as a place of remembrance for the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust between 1933 and 1945 when over six million Jews were murdered, the Cape Town Holocaust Centre lies on ‘Museum Mile’ in the centre of the city. Fundamental to the ...

National Monuments

Centre for the Book

The Centre for the Book, as its name suggests, promotes a culture of reading, writing and publishing in local languages. It's the National Library's outreach arm and aims to increase access to books for all. The Centre for the Book lies not far from the ...

Landmarks

Church Square

Church Square lies on the corner of Parliament and Spin streets, just south-west of St George's Cathedral and the Slave Lodge. The little cobbled square, though perhaps not much to look at, has only recently been reclaimed from its former role as a ...

Landmarks / Memorials

Cissie Gool Memorial

Zainunnisa 'Cissie' Gool was the only woman to serve on Cape Town's City Council at a time when she did not have the right to vote, representing District Six between 1938 and 1951. She was said to be a woman way ahead of her time, and was known as Cape ...

Landmarks / National Monuments

Company's Garden

The Company's Garden is a large public park and botanical garden set in the heart of Cape Town, home to a rose garden, Japanese garden, fish pond and aviary. Roaming Company Gardens, past the back of Parliament and Tuynhuys, the President’s official ...

Landmarks

De Tuynhuys

Tuynhuys, the office of the state President and closed to the public, witnessed one of the most important turning points in South African history when FW de Klerk announced from its steps, on 18 March 1992, that South Africa had ‘closed the book on ...

Shopping

Diamond Works

Diamond Works is Cape Town’s finest jewellery experience. Established in October 2001, the idea was to create a jewellery destination whereby tourists could learn about the art of diamond cutting, witness the make up of jewellery pieces and see and ...

Museums

District Six Museum

When the apartheid government swooped on District Six, Cape Town in 1965, forcibly removing its occupants and declaring the area a "whites-only" zone, the rich fabric of an impoverished but vibrant community was torn to shreds. Over 60 000 people were ...

Mandela Route / Landmarks / Entertainment / National Monuments

Grand Parade

Grand Parade, as its name suggests, served as a military parade ground for many years and as a stage for public participation, be it as a venue for major political rallies or flea market stalls. Its greatest claim to fame, however, is that it was where ...

Miscellaneous / Landmarks / Shopping

Greenmarket Square

You cannot visit Cape Town and not visit one of its oldest markets, set on a cobbled square between Short and long Market Streets. This is where Capetonians have been buying their clothing, jewellery, sandals, crafts and nick-nacks for years, and, whilst ...

Landmarks / Religious

Groote Kerk

What strikes you, as you look at the oldest church in the country, is how modern it seems, given its three hundred and thirty odd years. Which is as it should be, considering that all that remains of the original is the old tower (walk a little ways down ...

Landmarks / Shopping

Heritage Square

Heritage Square is one of Cape Town's most successful urban renewal projects. It lies right at the heart of the city flanked by Hout, Buitengracht and Shormarket streets, just off the now fashionable foodie destination of Bree ...

Landmarks / Mandela Route

Houses of Parliament

The city of Cape Town, despite not being the capital of South Africa, is home to South Africa’s Parliament - Cape Town is the legislative capital, whilst the seat of government is in Pretoria, the administrative capital - which is one of the biggest draw ...

Landmarks / Miscellaneous

Long Street

Long Street could be described as the funkiest and loudest street in Cape Town, bustling with markets and boerewors roll stands during the day and hosting parties of all kinds once the sun sets. Once the vintage clothing shops and designers alleys are ...

Landmarks / Mandela Route

Mandela Rhodes Building

Find the Mandela Rhodes Building on the corner of St George's Mall and Wale Street in Cape Town. Designed by Sir Herbert Baker, it was originally built for De Beers by Cecil John Rhodes in 1902. The historical building was known as Rhodes House until ...

Landmarks / Memorials

Mannenberg Memorial

One of the art works of the Sunday Times Heritage Project is a commemoration of the place where the famous song, Mannenberg, was recorded. The work is by Mark O'Donovan, an electrical engineer, and Francois Venter, the performance artist. The ...

Landmarks

Old Mutual Building

On the corner of Darling and Parliament streets is the Old Mutual Building (officially The Mutual Building). Old Mutual no longer work from here; they began moving as early as the 1960s to more modern facilities, although they retained ownership of the ...

Landmarks

Open House

Open House is a public art piece. It is a 10.5 metre high bright red 'house' without a back. Its narrow three-storey facáde, complete with stairs and wrought iron balconies, is the creation of artist Jacques Coetzer, who won a World Design ...

Museums / National Monuments

Rust en Vreugd

Rust en Vreugd (rest and joy) is an ornate 1778 townhouse on the outer limits of Buitenkant Street (in an area that would have been on the 'outer edge' of Cape Town when it was built), generally considered the best example of 18th century urban ...

Landmarks / Miscellaneous

Signal Hill

Signal Hill, which connects Kloof Nek to Lion’s Head, in the distinctive shape of a lion’s rump, is one of the most famous spots in Cape Town for sundowners. Views from the 350m high summit are nothing short of spectacular, particularly at night, and ...

National Monuments / Religious

Slave Church Museum

Despite its position as one of the oldest and most graceful buildings on Long Street, the Slave Church Museum is without many visitors. Perhaps this is because it is not on the well-trodden route of popular historical walks ...

Museums

Social History Centre

You'll find The Social History Resource Centre in the National Mutual Building overlooking Church Square, on Parliament Street and Spin Street, a block down from Adderley Street and St George's Cathedral. t's a beautiful old building, one of numerous ...

Museums / Religious

South African Jewish Museum

The South African Jewish Museum stands on what is considered Cape Town’s ‘museum mile’ in the centre of town - neighbour to the Old Synagogue, the first to be built on South African soil - the Great Synagogue, and the Albow Centre where the Cape Town ...

Museums

South African Museum

The oldest museum in sub-Saharan Africa, the South African Museum (SAM) has been adding to their collections for nearly 200 years and was established in 1825. Collections here range from fossils to insects and fish found as recently as a week ago; there ...

Museums

South African National Gallery

Lying in the Company Gardens, opposite the South African Museum on Government Avenue, the South African National Gallery houses some of the most beautiful collections of South African, African, British, French, Dutch and Flemish art in South Africa. The ...

Landmarks / Mandela Route / Religious

St Georges Cathedral

St George’s Anglican Cathedral, a gorgeous example of Victorian era design with magnificent stained glass windows and a crypt in which there is a restaurant - reminiscent of St Martin’s in the Field in London - lies on Wale Street in Cape Town, and is ...

Landmarks / Shopping

St Georges Mall

Once a congested city street, St George’s Mall is now a pedestrian area in the middle of Cape Town’s city, bustling with activity that ranges from live entertainment - provided by buskers, dancers, drummers, street artists and the like - to the sidewalk ...

Landmarks / Religious

St Martini Evangelical Lutheran Church

Established by German immigrants in 1861, St Martini is the first German Lutheran Synod in South Africa. It was built when the Lutheran Church split and a new church, called St Martini the Evangelical Lutheran Church, was erected in Long Street, where it ...

Mandela Route / Landmarks / Religious

St Mary's Cathedral

The Cathedral of St Mary of the Flight into Egypt, known simply as St Mary’s Cathedral, is a beautifully imposing building on Roeland Street within walking distance of The Company’s Garden and a couple of blocks away from the ...

Landmarks

Table Mountain

Since the first person laid eyes on Table Mountain, it has exerted its powerful and charismatic pull, enchanting and drawing any and all who fall under its spell. The way to the top has never been easy, and for many centuries only a handful of bold and ...

Landmarks / National Monuments

The Saffron Pear Tree

The over 360 year old sweet saffron pear tree is an old Dutch pear that arrived way back in Van Riebeeck's time. Its Latin name is Pyrus communis, which makes it one of the original varieties of pear. It must be a good variety ...

Landmarks

Thibault Square

Lying between Hans Strijdom Avenue and Riebeek, Long and Adderley streets, it is also a very busy square, particularly over lunch. Which is why it is a favourite space for those who work in the vicinity to make use of the numerous coffee shops and ...

Landmarks / Memorials

We are Still Here Monument

We are still here is a monument outside the Central Library on Longmarket pedestrian mall. It is both disturbing and moving. Almost hidden along the leafy byway, the mosaic framed art piece displays copies of advertisements that appeared in the Cape ...

Attractions AROUND Cape Town Central

Landmarks

Adderley Street

Adderley Street, the next street north west, runs parallel to St George’s Mall. It starts at the Foreshore and ends in Government Avenue, an oak-tree lined street, running along the boundary of the Company's Garden. There is a flea market on the Adderley ...

Museums

Bertram House

One of the Iziko stable of museums, Bertram House is the only remaining red brick Georgian style house in Cape Town. Originally built as a residence, the building became a museum when it was restored in 1984. If you are even vaguely interested in vintage ...

Landmarks / Memorials / Miscellaneous / Museums

Cape Town's East City

Cape Town's East City is known, interchangeably, as the East City, the East City Precinct, and the fringe. Others, still, know it as lower Gardens. But this part of the Mother City's central city is in the process of a rebirth. Some have hailed it as a ...

Landmarks / Museums / National Monuments

Castle of Good Hope

A unique combination of history, fine wine, traditional food, military ceremonies and craftsmanship awaits you at this pentagonal fortification. Built between 1666 and 1679, the Cape Town Castle is the oldest surviving building in South Africa. The ...

Landmarks / Miscellaneous

Noon Day Gun

Up on Signal Hill at 12:00 exactly every day, a cannon is fired. Accurate to the nearest millisecond, it booms over the Mother City, Table Mountain in the background, yet never ceases to surprise even long-term Capetonians, and certainly has visitors ...

Landmarks / Miscellaneous

Pier Place

Pier Place is an unassuming public square on Heerengracht Street on Cape Town's Foreshore. The square is probably best known for its position in front of Vodacom, the company occupying the bulk of the Pier Place building. It's interesting to think that ...

Marine Protected Areas / Mandela Route / Landmarks / World Heritage Sites

Robben Island

For nearly 400 years, Robben Island, 12 kilometres from Cape Town, was a place of banishment, exile, isolation and imprisonment. It was here at Robben Island that rulers sent those regarded as political troublemakers, social outcasts and the unwanted of ...

Penguin Route / Birdlife or Wildlife Sanctuaries / Popular Tourist Routes

Robben Island Penguin Colony

Few people know of Robben Island Penguin Colony's existence. When the Dutch originally arrived in the Cape, penguins dominated the island. But by 1800 they were all gone - killed to add variety to the rabbits introduced in 1685 as a source of meat for ...

Landmarks / National Monuments

The Old Granary

The beautiful building on Buitenkant Street, known simply as the Granary, or the Old Customs House, is well over 200 years old and part of the city’s heritage. Designed by the French-born South African architect and ...

Landmarks / Entertainment / Shopping

V&A Waterfront

One of Cape Town's biggest tourist attractions, the Waterfront evokes images of the early activities of the harbour. Much of its charm lies in the fact that this busy commercial harbour is set in the midst of a huge entertainment venue with pubs, ...

... and a little further afield

Religious

Al-Azhar Masjied

The Al Azhar Mosque is an Islamic mosque in District Six, Cape Town. It holds the same name as a rather resplendent more-famous mosque in Cairo, Egypt but what it lacks in minarets, it makes up for with position, for the mosque of Cape Town lies ...

Landmarks / Religious

Auwal Masjid

The mosque that stands at the top end of Dorp Street, in amongst the brightly painted houses of the Bo-Kaap (almost diagonally behind the Bo-Kaap Museum), is South Africa’s oldest mosque - established in 1794, during ...

Airports / Landmarks

Cape Town International Airport

Cape Town International Airport is the base from which millions of international travellers begin their exploration of this uniquely beautiful country. It is the second largest airport in South Africa, second only to the OR Tambo International Airport in ...

Entertainment / Shopping

Cape Town Shopping

For the international Tourist, shopping in Cape Town is relatively inexpensive due to the favourable exchange rate and comparatively low production costs. For the Tourist, jewellery is particularly inexpensive and as many of South Africa's most talented ...

Landmarks / National Monuments

Cape Town's Ubuntu Tree

Also known as Nokuphila, which means 'place of the healing mother, where people gather for health and wellness' in Xhosa, Cape Town's Ubuntu Tree lies just off Kloof Street in the city bowl. The landmark tree is endowed ...

Nature Reserves

Deer Park

One may be forgiven for thinking that Deer Park is the little children's park attached to the Deer Park Café at the top end of Deerpark Drive West. But actually this is Rocklands Road Park, the fenced, community-maintained public ...

Miscellaneous

Erf 81 Tamboerskloof Farm

Erf 81, or Tamboerskloof Farm, lies between the gentrified suburb of Tamboerskloof and the Cape Malay suburb of the Bo-Kaap, a ramshackle collection of buildings and grounds that are home to geese, chickens, dwarf goats, the ...

Religious

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St George

Not the more-famous Anglican St George’s Cathedral at the top end of Adderley Street, this lesser-known, but no less beautiful, ‘other’ St George’s Cathedral (also known as the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St George) lies ...

Mountain Reserves / Landmarks

Lion's Head

Lion’s Head is flanked by Table Mountain and Signal Hill, and was so named by the first Dutch explorers, who arrived in the 1600’s and were of the opinion that the mountain and Signal Hill together resembled a lion in the crouching position. At its ...

Lakes / Dams / Landmarks

Molteno Reservoir

The Molteno Reservoir is a 200 000 kilolitre water storage facility just above De Waal Park in Oranjezicht. It’s the city’s oldest water reservoir and still in service. It’s also rather pretty; the locals walk their dogs here, or jog around its ...

Cape Town Central as a destination

Also in the neighbourhood

Bo Kaap, De Waterkant, Devils Peak, District Six, Foreshore, Gardens, Higgovale, Highlands Estate, Kloof Nek, Oranjezicht, Roggebaai, Salt River, Tamboerskloof, V&A Waterfront, Vredehoek, Walmer Estate, Woodstock, Zonnebloem

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