continuing on with my Cape Town, South Africa series, here is a little overview of my favorite neighborhoods scattered throughout the "mother city!"
Bo-Kaap
This is the historic neighborhood of the Cape Malay people that continue to inhabit the most colorful spot in Cape Town. Everyone is drawn to take pictures of the colorful houses, just remember to be respectful and since these are people’s houses. Take a stroll around for a couple hours if you like, or you can also join a free walking tour which I’m sure would add some depth to your experience!
Rondebosch / University of Cape Town
Where I spent a good two months living a few years back, this is the university neighborhood and thus has a few fun restaurants and is safe to wander the pretty streets. In general, the campus main hall and it’s location carved into the site of Table Mountain is absolutely gorgeous, and definitely worth a visit to the best university in all of Africa! I mean look at those VIEWS! There are even trails that start right here by the campus if you want to hike up the backside of Table Mountain. As for yummy foods, I can't attest that it's still there after all this time, but our favorite restaurant was the Indian food across the street from the Rondebosch Woolworth's market.
Observatory aka Obs
One of the more funky, hip spots around! Since it’s adjacent to the university, there are lots of yummy cafes, some good bars, and an awesome thrift scene. This is a dear spot for me because I bought my favorite pair of teddy bear overalls here.
Woodstock
Just up the road from Observatory, the Woodstock neighborhood is slightly more upscale and often has lively weekend food and crafts markets-- the Old Biscuit Mill was the main one back in 2020! I had a beautiful memory celebrating my 21st birthday here with my twenty new friends in my exchange program, at a Mexican restaurant nonetheless!
City Center "CBD"
Where to begin? You have the *hipster* upscale Kloof Street, the urban downtown full of various markets and restaurants, and the Company Garden and various historical buildings and museums to one side. Greenmarket Place is the staple artisanal/ African goods market.... if you can't tell, outdoor markets are a HUGE thing in Cape Town which is another great reason to visit in the warm summer months.
The night life can also be decent here but only go out in groups, preferably with girls and guys. I recommend spending a full day and a full evening exploring the streets here and take in the sounds, sights, food, and mix of cultures so unique to South Africa!
V & A Waterfront
This is a good bet for an easy, fun visit in a commercial area. At the waterfront, you will find the ferry that leaves for Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela and others were imprisoned); you will find all kinds of stores for shopping, and there are markets, an aquarium, and museums nearby as well! I loved "Gibson's" which has the biggest variety of milkshakes in the world and well, shares my last name :)
Muizenberg
My last post kinda already says it all about Muiz, but even if you’re not surfing it’s worth a visit to take in the colorful beachside homes and surfy hippie vibes.
Sea Point and Green Point
Also as seen on my beach post, Sea Point is home to the long promenade that borders the Atlantic Ocean, and at the northern end you have Green Point which houses the Cape Town Bowl (from the World Cup!). If you want to stay centrally located in the city but still enjoy the ocean, this neighborhood would be my number one recommendation.
Visiting Townships
At your discretion, you may also want to visit, with a local or a tour, one of the many townships or "informal settlements" that are on the outskirts of the city-- Khayelitisha and Langa are two of the biggest. Many of these communities were forcibly made in the midst of apartheid and even before, when black people were pushed to the outskirts of the city with racial segregation laws . While a huge part of the Cape Town population continue to live in the predominantly black townships, the overcrowding and crime in these areas make them not very safe to live or tour, and tourism to these areas has its own ethical concerns for you to consider. I have never entered a township, just passed them from afar on the freeway but you may want to visit them since this is where a lot of Capetonians call home.
Talk of townships and the cultural diversity of this city and country drives the point home that it is really important to study and do your research on the tragic, recent history of South Africa. Despite being a relatively developed country, the legalized apartheid continued until the mid 1990s and of course the country is still trying to recover and restore racial equity. There is so much more to South Africa then just Nelson Mandela, but his history and work may be a good place to start :)
Any other cool Cape Town neighborhoods that I should've included? Making this post I remember just HOW MANY different corners there are to this beautiful city and this barely scratches the surface. I think I could live in Cape Town for years and keep discovering new places! Stay tuned for more on Cape Town...
