Attractions – Culture & Heritage

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Culture & Heritage

With its nine provinces and 11 official languages, South Africa is a potjiekos (traditional South African pot of food cooked on a fire) of cultures. Add to this interesting mix the influence of apartheid and its legacy, and you’re faced with an interesting array of attractions that document the country’s move from colonial rule in the Cape, through to the democratic South Africa that exists today.

Experience the vibrant culture of the Cape’s coloured communities when you watch the Cape minstrels strutting their stuff and singing their catchy songs in specially designed outfits, or learn about their history of displacement in theDistrict Six Museum.

Learn more about the lot of the migrant labourers who developed the country’s gold-mining economy in the Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum, or take in a tour of the National Art Gallery, where the work of many famous South African artists lines the walls as a visual commentary on our heritage.

These and many other attractions document the many cultures that have played a role in making South Africa the Rainbow Nation it is today.

Adderley Street flower sellers

Freshly cut flowers – including fynbos species such as king and pincushion proteas, depending on the season – are available from the friendly flower sellers in Adderley Street, where this trade has operated for the past 100 years. These flowers are generally a lot cheaper than anywhere else.

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African experience – eat, drink, dance and drum

Eat, drink, dance and drum African style in Cape Town.

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Air Force Museum

Take an imaginary flight with the aviators of yesteryear with a visit to the South African Air Force Museum at Ysterplaat, where the winged wonders of a bygone era have been preserved for posterity.

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Amy Biehl Memorial

Amy Biehl was a young American Fulbright Scholarship exchange student who studied at the University of the Western Cape in 1993.

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Art galleries in Cape Town

More than 100 art galleries – as diverse as the colours daubed on an artist’s palette – await discovery in and around Cape Town.

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Bo-Kaap and De Waterkant

Known for its brightly coloured houses and situated at the foot of Signal Hill, Bo-Kaap is the spiritual home of the Cape’s Muslim community.

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Cafda & Stables Craft and Culture Centre

The Cape Flats Development Association (Cafda) is a non-profit child and family-oriented organisation that provides numerous services to disadvantaged communities living on the Cape Flats.

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Cape Minstrel Carnival

The Cape Minstrel Carnival is Cape Town’s longest-running street party, tracing back to old slave traditions during the days of the Cape Colony.

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Cape Town Holocaust Centre

The Cape Town Holocaust Centre is the first and only Holocaust Centre to be established in Africa.

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Cape Town labyrinths

Labyrinths are a common element in many different cultures, with earliest records dating back 3 500 years.

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Cape Town shipwrecks

From the days when Portuguese explorers rounded the Cape in their wooden galleons to modern-day shipping, the aptly named “Cape of Storms” has claimed many a vessel.

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Castle Military Museum

The Castle Military Museum is housed in the oldest building in South Africa, the Castle of Good Hope, which was declared a national monument in 1936.

The Castle Military Museum is a tribute to the brave regiments of the past, providing an insight into the political history of the country and celebrating the rich military history of the Cape. Then Minister of Defence Joe Modise officially opened the Castle Military Museum on August 1, 1995.

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