Facing onto Queen Victoria Street by an equestrian statue commemorating the fallen hero’s of both world wars, the South African Museum is the country’s oldest and most revered museum. Founded in 1825, the museum is today a repository of the cultural and natural heritage of South Africa.

The South Africa Museum also houses the Planetarium. This fascinating look into the night skies of the southern hemisphere is incredibly popular and one should book prior to a visit. Some of the features include a look at changing constellations of the past, present and future, covering more than 25 000 years.

At the top of Government Avenue is Orange Street, where one will encounter the Mount Nelson Hotel, one of the finest hotels the city has to offer. “The Nellie”, as it is fondly referred to by the locals, has played host to royalty, movie stars, statesman and politicians. If you are feeling decadent, a visit for the afternoon tea or lunch lunches is a must, however, it is very expensive.

The Gardens area and its immediate surrounds have in recent times become a mecca for highly acclaimed restaurants and bistros that have sprung up in the old residential homes.

At the lower end of Buitenkant Street stands the imposing Castle of Good Hope, the oldest surviving, and occupied, building in South Africa. Built between 1666 and 1679, this pentagonal fortification, with its stately gateway, was constructed out of timber brought from Hout Bay, stone quarried on Robben Island and lime burnt from seashells. Overlooking the city’s Grand Parade, the site of Jan van Riebeek’s original fort, the Castle services primarily as a museum and the headquarters of the South African National Defence Force’s Western Province Command. Within its fortified walls are both the Good Hope Gallery and the Military Museum, housing an array of military artefacts and uniforms covering both the Dutch and British periods of occupation.

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