Historic Cape Town

 

Cape Town is simply rich in history. From the landing of Dutch pioneers in 1652 to the release of Nelson Mandela in 1991, countless historic events have unfolded in the Mother City.

Travelers who enjoy their history can spend days exploring the city centre alone before venturing out to destinations like Stellenbosche and Paarl, which are South Africa’s second and third oldest towns respectively.

The Castle of Good Hope, the Company’s Garden, the Slave Lodge and the Bo-Kaap are just a few of the historic destinations to consider in the city centre.

CitySightseeing

One of the best ways to explore historic Cape Town is by taking a CitySightseeing bus tour of the city. The route includes some of the more important historic sites and comes with narration in a selection of languages, including English, Afrikaans, Dutch, German and Spanish. For R120, passengers can hop on and off the bus as often as they like during the day of their tour, giving them the choice of how much time to spend at a particular destination.

Tickets can be booked online.

Cape Town by bicycle

Bike and Saddle offer excellent historic cycling tours around the Cape Town city centre. Read our blog for more information.

Robben Island

Robben Island is a must visit for anyone interested in modern history. This island housed South Africa’s most prominent political prisoners during the Apartheid era and the tour includes interaction with former inmates with many stories to tell. Ferries leave the V&A Waterfront three times a day and tickets cost R220 for adults and R110 for children. Advanced bookings can be made by phoning +27 (0)21 413 4263.