|
|
| Home > City Guide - Cape Town - Further Distractions | ||
|
||
|
Further Distractions Bo-Kaap Museum Built in the mid-1760s, the Bo-Kaap Museum was originally the home of Turkish scholar, Abu Bakr Effendi, and is the oldest extant residence in the Muslim community. The furnishings are typical of an 18th-century Cape Town Muslim residence, right down to the main bedroom – an authentic bridal suite. Effendi was a revered Arabic teacher and wrote one of the first texts that documented the emergence of South Africa’s second language Afrikaans (a mixture of Dutch, Malay, German, Xhosa and English). Also available are walking tours of the Bo-Kaap area – the traditional home of the Cape-Malay community, brought in as slaves from Indonesia. It has some of the city’s most interesting history and architecture, as well as fabulous views. 71 Wale Street Tel: (021) 424 3846. Fax: (021) 461 9592. Website: www.museums.org.za Transport: A short walk from Adderley Street. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0930-1630. Admission: R5. Castle of Good Hope Construction began on this five-pointed, star-shaped castle – originally a Dutch fortress – in 1666. Perhaps the most visible symbol of the colonial occupation of Cape Town and South Africa, the Castle of Good Hope became the apartheid government’s military headquarters. in 1948. However, since the liberation of South Africa in 1994, South Africa’s oldest building has done much to polish up its tarnished image and has become very much a museum of the people. The castle hosts alternative art exhibitions and cultural events. Also within the castle, the William Fehr Collection is a superb record of colonial Cape art and culture. Corner of Darling Street and Castle Street Tel: (021) 469 1249 or 1083. Fax: (021) 469 1089. E-mail: casteel@cis.co.za Website: www.castelofgoodhope.co.za Transport: A short walk from the Grand Parade/Strand Street. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1600; guided tours Mon-Sat 1100, 1200 and 1400. Admission: R15 (including guided tour); R7.50 on Sun. William Fehr Collection Tel: (021) 464 1263/4 or 1272 (weekend). Fax: (021) 464 1280. Website: www.museums.org.za Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0930-1600. Admission: R15. Century City A relatively new addition to Cape Town’s entertainment scene, Century City offers visitors not only the delights of the impressive Canal Walk shopping centre but also Africa’s first full-scale theme park, Ratanga Junction, as well as an entertainment complex, complete with clubs, pubs and restaurants. The MTN Sciencentre provides a myriad of scientific distractions, for children of all ages, with a Camera Obscura in the tower offering a unique 360-degree view of the city, Table Mountain, Table Bay, Robben Island and the environs. The 16-hectare (39.5-acre) manmade Intaka Island, is a haven for bird life, while boat rides on the four kilometres (2.5 miles) of canals are also available. Century City, N1 Tel: (021) 555 3377. E-mail: touristinfo@canalwalk.co.za Website: www.centurycity.co.za Transport: By car, exit 10 off the N1. Canal Walk Shopping Centre Tel: (0860) 101 165. Website: www.canalwalk.co.za Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0900-2100, Sun 0900-1800. Admission: Free; parking charges apply. Ratanga Junction Century Boulevard Tel: (0861) 200 300. Website: www.ratanga.co.za Opening hours: 20 Nov-4 May Wed-Fri 1000-1700, Sat 1000-1800, Sun 1000-1700. Admission: R85 (2001 price; 2002 price tbc). MTN Sciencentre 407 Canal Walk Tel: (021) 529 8100. Fax: (021) 529 8179. E-mail: info@mtnsciencentre.org.za Website: www.mtnsciencentre.org.za Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 0930-1800, Fri-Sat 0930-2000. Admission: R28. Westcoast Ostrich Show Ranch The largest birds on earth are on show at this ranch, just 20 minutes from the city centre, near Bloubergstrand, in Philadelphia. Guided tours take place every half an hour. In a bucolic setting, with the stunning panorama of Table Mountain in the distance, visitors can have their photographs taken sitting on top of an ostrich. Afterwards, those with the stomach for it, can enjoy this famous South African delicacy in the restaurant (booking is advisable) or purchase one of the ostrich-related, albeit slightly kitsch, curios on offer in the shop. Van Schoorsdrif Road, Philadelphia Tel: (021) 972 1955 or 1961 or 1669 or 1649. Fax: (021) 972 1905. E-mail: info@wcor-av.co.za Website: www.wcor-av.co.za Transport: By car off the N7 toward Malmesbury. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700. Admission: R26. |
||
