Oak avenue
Ancient trees.
Jorge Lascar — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Dietmar Rabich — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dietmar Rabich — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dietmar Rabich — CC BY-SA 4.0
The oldest garden in South Africa, at the heart of Cape Town, planted by the Dutch East India Company in the 1650s to supply passing ships with fresh vegetables and fruit, the very reason the city was founded. Over time it became a peaceful public park, with a long avenue shaded by ancient oaks, a rose garden, rare trees from around the world, a fish pond, tame squirrels that come up to visitors, and a café under the trees. The city's key buildings surround it: Parliament, the Iziko South African Museum with its planetarium, the National Gallery, St George's Cathedral and the National Library, making it a good base for a cultural walk through the centre. Entry is free and it is open in daylight hours, a shady break between the city-centre museums and the nearby Bo-Kaap.
Ancient trees.
And fish pond.
A cultural walk.
Between Adderley Street and Queen Victoria Street, central Cape Town
District Six MuseumA small, moving museum in an old church in central Cape Town that tells the stor6 minutes walk4.3
Auwal MosqueThe oldest mosque in South Africa, built in 1794 on Dorp Street in the Bo-Kaap a7 minutes walk4.9
Castle of Good HopeThe oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa, a five-pointed star fort10 minutes walk4.2
Bo-KaapCape Town's historic Muslim quarter, on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city12 minutes walk
Zeitz MOCAAThe largest museum of contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora, opened in 224 minutes walk4.3The Dutch East India Company planted it in the 1650s to supply ships with vegetables, and the city grew around it.