Cape Town is one of the most naturally beautiful cities in the world, surrounded by a natural harbor and overlooked by Table Mountain, the iconic flat mountain that oftentimes spreads clouds over its’ top like a tablecloth.
But more than natural beauty Cape Town has a deep history as the seat of the British Cape Colony. The legislative branch of government still functions here, with beautiful parliament buildings. But a darker side includes the importing of political dissidents and others as slave labor from other British colonies, as well as apartheid era policies that forcibly removed and flattened the colored District Six neighborhood in order to build housing for affluent whites, and of course the infamous political prison at Robben Island.
But the people of Cape Town have been resilient. The imported slaves of Southeast Asia have created a unique and flavorful Cape Malay culture. Desmond Tutu became the first black Archbishop of Cape Town during apartheid, pushing against discriminatory apartheid policies and providing an outlet for those without a voice. And even today, when Cape Town is under threat to become the first major city in the modern era to run out of water completely, its’ citizens have proved resourceful. This is not to say that racial inequality and segregation have been eradicated in Cape Town, that is far from the truth. But under difficult circumstances, Cape Town has found a way to create a rich and inviting atmosphere.
My dad, who lived in South Africa for a year and a half, wanted to visit Cape Town more than anywhere else. The highlights of Cape Town take at least 3 days, which is all we had, but 4 or 5 gives time to really enjoy the city. Here is what I would’ve liked to do:
In the end we squeezed the 4 days into 3. My dad really wanted to drive out to Stellenbosch. According to him it is the 3rd coolest thing in Cape Town after Table Mountain and Cape Point.
For me the highlights of Cape Town, in order, were:
Must Do
2 – Drive and Explore Cape Point & the Cape of Good Hope
3 – Tour Robben Island
4 – Visit the Zeitz MOCAA Art Museum
5 – Wander Bo-Kaap & see the Kramats
6 – Eat a Gatsby Sandwich
(***if you aren’t going to Durban eat Bunny Chow!!)
Worth Doing
1 – Seeing the Penguins at Boulder Beach
2 – Lazing around Muizenberg Beach
3 – Enjoying the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
4 – Strolling through Greenmarket Square, Long Street, and Bree Street
Places we missed that I really wanted to see:
**Links are to external blogs and websites
4 – Hike Lions Head
Other Possibilities:
**Links are to external blogs and websites
1 – Iziko South African Museum
2 – Signal Hill at Sunset (but be safe)
Day Trips Away from Cape Town
**Links are to external blogs and websites
1 – Stellenbosch and the Cape Winelands, including the Nelson Mandela Statue at Drakenstein, and the Afrikaans Language Monument
2 – Whale Watching in Hermanus (June-November) and the Penguin colony at Betty’s Bay