City Centre Walking Tour
Normal Price: Tips only basis
What you get: A 90-min guided walking tour of Cape Town CBD
Explore Cape Town's CBD on Guided Historic City Walking Tour
Walk through the 400-year-old history of Cape Town with a local guide on this 90-minute tour that takes you from Long street to the City Hall, Company Gardens, Greenmarket Square and more.
City Centre Walking Tour Highlights
- Walk through the 400-year old history of Cape Town
- Tour includes City Hall (The Parade), Company Gardens, Greenmarket Square and other historical landmarks
- Enthusiastic, hilarious local guides!
OVERVIEW
Embark on a cultural tour of Cape Town that tells the fascinating story of the city’s maritime history, apartheid struggle and cosmopolitan present. This walking tour takes you through the heart of the city, including historical Greenmarket Square, where artists and traders connect from all corners of Africa. Also visit City Hall, the large Edwardian building where Nelson Mandela made his first speech to the nation as a free man. Stop at the Company’s Garden, which was the home of Cape Town’s first farm and today houses many landmark historical and architectural buildings and museums.
HISTORY
European settlement of the Cape of Good Hope and of South Africa began with the Company’s Garden. This garden sustained sailors and the community through its production of fruit and vegetables.
Greenmarket Square, built-in 1696, served as a slave market, a vegetable market, and a parking lot before becoming the bustling market it is today.
Cape Town City Hall, built-in 1905, was designed as the result of a public competition. It was conceived as the centre of city administration and the auditorium was a regular venue for political rallies and public gatherings.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
City Sightseeing City Centre Walk
81 Long St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8000
Hours: Hourly from 10 am – 3 pm
Phone: +27 (0)64 883 0440
Website: www.citysightseeing.co.za
THINGS TO KNOW
ADVICE FOR VISITORS
Walking around the city of Cape Town is the ideal way to enjoy sightseeing while learning about culture and history along the way. Remember to wear comfortable shoes for this 90-minute walking tour. Also, don’t be shy when asking guides as many questions as possible. They are incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic and love sharing information about their home city.
If you love your tour guides, feel free to show them in the form of tips. These guides work on a tips-only basis.
DID YOU KNOW
The Flying Dutchman is a legend of Cape Town that began in the 17th century. It tells the tale of a ghost ship symbolising bad luck, particularly for sailors. The legend was inspired by the story of a Dutch sea captain named Vanderdeckon who boasted that he could complete the journey around the Cape during a fierce storm. As punishment for his rashness, he was condemned to sail around the Cape until the end of time.
