ADDERLEY STREET. and other Cape Town, South Africa General Tips

Favorite Thing: The principal street and the centre of Cape Town,Adderley street is named after Sir Charles Adderley, a British parliamentarian who,in 1850 , led the successful opposition against a British plan to turn the Cape into a convict settlement.

Notable buildings in Adderley street include the Groote Kerk,the parent of the Dutch Reformed Church in Southern Africa and the oldest church in the Republic of South Africa.
It was completed in 1704 and has twice been enlarged.The church contains a wooden pulpit elaborately carved by Anton Anreith.

At the northern end of Adderley street is the lodge which housed slaves who worked in the garden of the Dutch East India Company.
The lodge is now the South African Cultural History Museum.
Among its exhibits is a unique display of furniture and household items of early Cape Town.Also displayed are arms, maritime exhibits, coins and silver, costumes and Malay arts and crafts.

Other buildings of interest in Adderley street include the Heerengracht Hotel and the imposing new Golden Acre ,with its weather- protected shopping area.The Woolworth's store in Adderley street marks the site of Cape Town's first trading centre.

Adderley Street also boasts the modern railway station,southern terminus of the railway network of Southern Africa.
On the concourse of the station stands South Africa's first locomotive, a handsome "Puffing Billy" built in Scotland in 1859 and shipped out in pieces to Cape Town.

In front of the Medical Centre where Adderley runs into the Heerengracht, is a small bronze ship dedicated to Robert Falcon Scott - The famed Scott of the Antartic,who, stopped in Cape Town before sailing to his death in the icy wastes far to the south.


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Favorite Thing: Bring your camera! the Mother City offers you the chance to photograph her very best sights. Start the afternoon with a visit to Table Mountain for it’s spectacular views. After your descent head into the City before visiting the beach at Blouberg, where you get a magnificent view of Table Mountain from across Table Bay!

Some really stunning views and photo's to take.


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Favorite Thing: Whatever season you have chosen to visit Cape Town, be warned of the old joke: Cape Town has four seasons - sometimes all in one day. Keep this in mind, especially if you plan to go hiking or be outdoors for the day.

Cape Town & the Peninsula's summer time (our winter) has a Mediterranean climate with little rain and lots of sunshine. Its winter time (our summer), also called the secret season, can have days of rain and wind, however often you will have perfect temperate days.


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Favorite Thing: Hop aboard the funicular and you’ll be whisked away on a scenic trip to the view site near the old Cape Point lighthouse.

Over time, the means of transport to the view site changed from a diesel bus, named after the “Flying Dutchman” ghost ship, to an environmentally friendly funicular – the only one of its kind in the world.

The funicular has been in use since December 1996. It can transport 600 people per hour at peak periods, with maximum safety and minimum impact on the environment.

The funicular travels the same route that the Flying Dutchman bus did years ago, in order not to disturb the natural slopes. The design for an electrically powered funicular railway was proposed by Concor Holdings. It is unique in design and geometry, and the first commercial funicular railway of its kind in Africa.

The entire funicular has been produced from South African resources. 27 different safety features ensure practical and safe operation 24 hours a day.

There are two funicular cars which travel from the parking lot to the view site, just below the lighthouse. Each can carry 40 passengers, and runs on the 585 m long track, which curves vertically and horizontally.

The construction of the funicular was a huge challenge for the engineers, as the original Flying Dutchman had travelled along a single track


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Favorite Thing: A 1-hour inflatable boat adventure leaves the "Pierhead" in front of the Hildebrand restaurant daily.
This ride takes you past Granger Bay, Sea Point, Bantry Bay, stopping at the famous Clifton and Camps Bay beaches, turning at Barley Bay/Bakoven and powering our way back towards Robben Island and finally into Table Bay and safely back to the V & A Waterfront.
This trip takes you to the nudist beach, Sandy Bay, the shipwreck of the giant crane barge "Bos 400", and the seal colony at Duiker Island just off Hout Bay, below the Sentinel.


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Favorite Thing: Cape Town works as a city in a way that so few on the African continent do. Historical buildings have been saved, there are restaurants, cafes and bars, parks and gardens, markets and shops - all the things that make living in a city worthwhile. And there are a few things that most cities don't have: mountains, magnificent surf beaches and outstanding vineyards. Give yourself at least a week to explore it all.


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Favorite Thing: Cape Town central is one of the top international destinations in the world & is filled with natural beauty & a rich variety of exciting activities.
The Cape Town Central area is situated at the foot of Table Mountain & includes the city beaches along the Atlantic seaboard. The Cape Town CBD (Central Business District) is a relatively small area, which allows for easy exploration on foot. All you need is a good pair of shoes, a map & a general sense of direction. To get to the beaches and surrounding suburbs you will need to use your own transport or public transport.

Cape Town City Centre has the Museum Mile, the Company Gardens, Greenmarket Square, St Georges Mall, the Bo-Kaap and much more. Numerous excellent hotels, loft apartments, trendy restaurants and bars can be found in the heart of the city and along the coast. Take a trip up Table Mountain; visit the V&A Waterfront, with over 270 stores, a wide selection of restaurants, art and craft markets, or make use of world-class conference and hotel facilities. Last, but not least, take the trip to Robben Island, the former home of Nelson Mandela.

Along with the City Centre and Table Bay Harbour, Cape Town Central includes the beachside suburbs of Bakoven, Bantry Bay, Camps Bay, Clifton, Fresnaye, Green Point, Mouille Point, Sea Point and Three Anchor Bay as well as the trendy city suburbs of Vredehoek, Oranjezicht and Tamboerskloof. Look out for accommodation, bars and restaurants with a view of the Table Mountain and the Harbour.


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