City Sightseeing Bo Kaap Walking Tour

Oldest colonial building in South Africa, the Castle of Good Hope is a symbol of the early days of the Cape colony of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Includes the daily Key Ceremony, a visit to the museum, a viewing of the William Fehr art collection.

Highlights

Discover the colourful Cape Malay district on the slopes of Signal Hill, overlooking Cape Town
Get a taste of Cape Malay food
Visit South Africa’s first mosque and the Bo-Kaap Museum

Description

Wander through the colourful cobblestoned Bo Kaap neighbourhood on this two-hour tour. Begin on the slopes of Signal Hill, where the brightly coloured houses unfold in an array of pinks, greens, blues and oranges. Get a taste of the spicy ‘Cape Malay’ food on offer, made famous by the people who call the neighbourhood home. Along the way, visit South Africa’s first mosque, Auwal Masjid and the Bo-Kaap Museum, which is housed in the oldest home in the area. Dating back to the 1760s, the house highlights the cultural contribution made by early Muslim settlers.

History

Bo Kaap is an area of Cape Town formerly known as the Malay Quarter. It is a former township that was settled by the descendants of slaves brought by the Dutch in the late 17^th and 18^th centuries. They originated from different parts of Southeast Asia, but were collectively referred to as ‘Cape Malay’. Cape Malays were a mixture of political exiles, convicts, skilled craftsmen, artisans, scholars and religious leaders. While the majority of Bo-Kaap’s residents are still of Cape Malay origin, the housing boom in the past 15-years has seen an influx of diversity into the area. However, there are plenty of little local restaurants still open to sample the traditional cuisine.

Day	Open	Close
Monday	14:00	16:15
Tuesday	14:00	16:15
Wednesday	14:00	16:15
Thursday	14:00	16:15
Friday	14:00	16:15
Saturday	14:00	16:15
Sunday	14:00	16:15

Walking tour guides work on a tips-only basis.

Phone: +27 (0)21 511 6000
Website: www.citysightseeing.co.za

City Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off

Advice for visitors

The tour takes approximately 90 minutes, and all tours are guided in English. You’ll be walking the streets of Cape Town, some cobbled, so wear your comfiest pair of shoes and make sure your camera is fully charged and ready to capture the charm of the city. Be sure to try some of the Cape Malay food on offer in order to get the most of your experience of the Bo-Kaap. Also check out a great little neighbourhood nearby called De Waterkant, where you will find lots of cobbled streets to wander through, as well as many trendy bars and restaurants.

Did you know

The freed slaves that eventually settled into the Bo-Kaap area were used to cooking with spices that originated from their home countries. The Dutch East India company continued to sail to Asia via Cape Town, so many of these traditional spices were still available. Dutch housewives began to include cinnamon and cloves in their pies, while the Cape Malay cooks started adding potatoes to their dishes This resulted in a wonderful fusion of cuisines that continues to influence South Africa’s finest dishes.