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Castle of Good Hope

Castle of Good Hope: Our most recommended tours and activities

Cape Town: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

1. Cape Town: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

One of South Africa’s most popular destinations, Cape Town is considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities. See landmarks such as Table Mountain, Camps Bay, and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on a hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour. Choose from 4 exciting tour routes. There are 2 ticket options available. If you opt for a 1-day ticket it allows you to experience all four routes - Red, Yellow, Blue and Purple Routes. The 2-day ticket allows you to take advantage of all routes - Red, Yellow, Blue and Purple Routes - for 2 consecutive days.  The 2-day ticket also includes 2 walking tours, a harbor cruise, and a sunset bus tour during the summer season. The Red City Tour 1 V&A Waterfont 2 The Clock tower 3 Cape Town Convention Centre 5 81 Long Street 6 Jewel Africa 7 Lower Cableway Station 8 Camps Bay Beachfront 9 President Hotel 10 St John's Road 11 Winchester Mansions Hotel 12 Green Point Lighthouse The Blue City Tour 1 V&A Waterfont 4 Foreshore 5 81 Long Street 15 Mount Nelson Hotel 20 Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens 21 Constantia Nek (Wine Bus Tour CHANGE POINT) 22 World of Birds Park in Hout Bay 23 Imizamo Yethu Township (walking tour) 24 Mariner’s Wharf at Hout Bay Harbor 8 Camps Bay Beachfront 9 President Hotel 10 St John's Road 11 Winchester Mansions Hotel 12 Green Point Lighthouse Yellow Downtown Tour  5 81 Long Street 13 St George's Cathedral 14 South African Museum & Planetarium 15 Mount Nelson Hotel (access to the Government Gardens) 16 SA Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center 17 District Six Museum 18 Castle of Good Hope Purple Wine Tour Visit Constantia Valley – the oldest wine making region in South Africa. Groot Constantia Estate (oldest commercial wine estate) Eagles’ Nest (boutique winery)  Beau Constantia (great wine and amazing views)

Cape Town: 3-Hour Bike Tour

2. Cape Town: 3-Hour Bike Tour

Learn about Cape Town’s heritage on a bike tour from the vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront to the bustling inner city, and get up close and personal with its inhabitants along the way. Marvel at the urban landscape, and see sights old and present as you visit the historic fort of the Castle of Good Hope, journey down Adderley Street and go to the former township of Bo-Kaap. Cycle to Company Gardens and St. George’s Mall and see the impressive Green Point Stadium, where the 2010 FIFA World Cup was held. Explore the newly landscaped Green Point eco park and admire the oldest working lighthouse in South Africa.

Cape Town: Half-Day Table Mountain and City Tour

3. Cape Town: Half-Day Table Mountain and City Tour

Ascend to the summit of Table Mountain overlooking Cape Town on a half-day tour that also includes a hotel pick-up and exploration of the city’s most historic neighborhoods. Start with a drive through the city center, passing landmarks such as the Castle of Good Hope, built in 1666 by the Dutch East India Company. Admire the baroque grandeur of City Hall and the Grand Parade. Continue along Adderley Street to St. George’s Cathedral, overseen by the Anglican Diocese of Nobel Peace Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Pass Company Gardens and the Malay Quarter (also known as “Bo-Kaap”) in the foothills of Table Mountain to see the historic district of the Cape Malays, descendants of slaves brought to Cape Town from Java, Ceylon and other regions of the Far East in the early 18th century. Next, go to Table Mountain via Kloof Nek, and ascend to the top (weather permitting) by revolving cable car (tickets not included). Look for wild flowers and the famous silver tree, before getting a bird’s-eye view of the city and its beaches. On clear days it’s possible to see Cape Point on one side and Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, on the other side. 

Cape Town: Half-Day Walking City Tour and African Lunch

4. Cape Town: Half-Day Walking City Tour and African Lunch

Meet your local guide and get ready to hear interesting stories about the city's rich history and heritage. Make your way to the Bartolomeu Dias monument in Cape Town Central. Learn about important figures in South Africa's history. Discover the Castle of Good Hope. Explore this pentagonal fortress considered the oldest colonial building in South Africa. Then, immerse in the history of Nelson Mandela. Visit the City Hall where he made his first speech as a free man. Also take a walk past the Parliament, the Slave Lodge, Company Gardens, Cathedral, St. Georges Mall and Greenmarket Square. Finally, take some photos of the brightly coloured houses of Bo-Kaap. The tour culminates with lunch at AfroDeli Eatery in Long Street. Experience the authentic African cuisine from Zimbabwe and Nigeria.

Cape Town: Half-Day City Tour

5. Cape Town: Half-Day City Tour

Discover the best that Capetown has to offer on this half-day tour. Start your adventure with a stop to the famous Table Mountain for a circular walk. Continue to Signal Hill for incredible views and perfect photos. Continue on to Camps Bay and stop at Maiden’s Cove for more breathtaking views. Head through Clifton, Bantry Bay, Seapoint, the V&A Waterfront, and Cape Town city center. Pass by the Cape Town Convention Centre, drive along Heerengracht Street, passing the Cape Town railway station and stop at the Castle of Good Hope. End your visit with a stop at the Noon Gun museum and Cape Town Diamond Museum.

Cape Town: Half-Day City Tour

6. Cape Town: Half-Day City Tour

Cape Town, the Mother City, is a beautiful place steeped with history. This half-day tour will take you to all of the major points of interest and landmarks you need to see for your visit to be complete. The tour will be led by a registered guide who is an expert on all things Cape Town. You will visit all the major sights in the city, including the South African Museum and beautiful Company Gardens. See the Parliament buildings, City Hall, and the Castle of Good Hope. Before you reach the colorful streets of Bo-Kaap, the smells of Malay curry will be wafting your way. You will also visit the Green Market Square, Signal Hill, Camps Bay, and Clifton. If you are interested you will have the unique opportunity to be taken on a short diamond factory tour. At the end, choose from 2 options. You may opt for a cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain (weather permitting). Otherwise, choose a trip up to Table View, for the postcard view of Table Mountain.

Cape Town: District Six Coffee & Culture Guided Walking Tour

7. Cape Town: District Six Coffee & Culture Guided Walking Tour

Visit District Six and discover the remnants of what was once a mixed community of freed slaves, merchants, artisans, immigrants, and laborers. Learn how over 60,000 of its non-white residents were forcibly removed during the 1970s under South Africa's Apartheid regime. Modern coffee culture meets poignant storytelling on this guided tour. Kick-start your experience with a cup of coffee at one of Cape Town's quirkiest coffee houses known for its futuristic steampunk outfits and industrial vibe. Take part in a mini barista workshop and tour the roastery before heading out to discover the history of District Six. Enter the District Six Museum to learn about the residents that were forcibly removed, and their homes destroyed by bulldozers. Next, make your way to the famous Table Mountain Frame and take photos with the mural of former South African president Nelson Mandela in the background. Enjoy a sweet treat from a nearby bakery to keep you energized for the next leg of the tour, a street art walk. Learn about the artist who paints the walls of District Six with powerful messages. Mak1One is one of Cape Town's most famous self-taught graffiti art pioneers and pursued graffiti as a platform to express his thoughts and inspire others to question the governance of that time. End your tour in true local style by catching a local taxi for the short ride back to the city center.

Cape Town: Private Full-Day Table Mountain and City Tour

8. Cape Town: Private Full-Day Table Mountain and City Tour

Join this tour for a day filled with the city's biggest highlights. Travel by cable car to top of Table Mountain. Descend through Malay Quarter, also known as Bo-Kaap. Visit the Bo-Kaap Museum and see the beautiful colorful houses. Explore the city center, Company Gardens, and Green Market Square. Visit the Castle of Good Hope, the oldest colonial building in South Africa. To finish the day, we take a bike ride along the Sea Point Promenade to the V and A Waterfront for a late lunch, shopping, or for drop-off at your hotel.

Cape Town Half-Day City Shared Tour & Table Mountain ticket

9. Cape Town Half-Day City Shared Tour & Table Mountain ticket

Start your morning with a pickup from your accommodation in Cape Town and begin your tour in the heart of the city, otherwise known as Adderley Street. While exploring this area see historical monuments like Bartholomew Dias, Jan van Riebeeck, and Zacharias Waganaer Reservoir. Proceed to the Castle of Good Hope, one of the oldest buildings in South Africa and have the chance to witness the Key Ceremony or the Cannon Firing Ceremony. Afterward, drive through the city and pass by City Hall where former president Nelson Mandela delivered his first speech after he was freed from prison. Arrive in the Bo-Kaap, formerly known as the Cape Malay Quarter, and take a photo stop with the colorful historic houses and have the opportunity to buy and taste Malay foods like Samoosas, Koeksisters, and Melktert. From the Bo-Kaap, make your way to the Noon Gun, a historic time signal in the city of Cape Town. While here, get an incredible view of Table Bay, the city center, the Atlantic Ocean, Robben Island, and Table Mountain. Move on to Afrogem Jewellers for a jewelry factory tour to see the manufacturing of exquisite African jewelry.  This tour culminates with a stop at Table Mountain to take the cable car to the top of the mountain for a guided tour.

Cape Town: Guided Tour With District Six Museum Entry Ticket

10. Cape Town: Guided Tour With District Six Museum Entry Ticket

We start off by visiting the Bo Kaap (upper Cape) a colourful community displaying some of the oldest example of Cape Dutch architectural designs. In the city this community also has a rich history of the origins of the Cape Malay Islam and spicy dishes of the Cape. We continue down Strand street the original shoreline of Cape Town making our way to the Castle of Goodhope and the grand parade. The Castle is the oldest building in the country. The original residence of the governor today is occupied by the SA defence force the Grand parade was where wagons were offloaded their fresh produce. Sadly trenches were once dug out and slaves were buried here. We continue to District six museum rich wish history of slavery at the cape forced removal of non whites in the city under group areas act of 1950. Today a vacant site undergoing development to accommodate ex residents of District six who have successfully submitted land claims today. Subsidy houses are built and keys are given to these people; a symbol of repatriation to the injustice of the past. We continue to spin street visiting the site of the slave tree where slaves were tied and auction to the biggest bidder Slave lodge today one of Iziko museums once residence of the slaves. We end up at the Company gardens established during the VOC era at the Cape. Places of interest are the houses of parliament, St Georges cathedral rich in history. We continue to Table Mnt for a birds eye view of the city below we just visited seven wonder of the world a world heritage site 1087 meters above sea level. Here you will be given an opportunity to explore on your own taking pictures on various lookout points. There are clear marked pathways with brass plates containing interesting information about the fauna and flora found at the Cape. A chance to get souvenirs a light snack at the Table Mnt Cafe (not included in the price) before we come down we will drop off at the V&A waterfront.

Other Sightseeing Options in Castle of Good Hope

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What people are saying about Castle of Good Hope

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 1,540 reviews

This is absolutely brilliant when you do not have much time to spend in Cape Town and you want to see the highlights. I would do that even again next time, it is a great way of transport in the city too! Really recommend to anyone. If you want to visit the vineyards, two days are not even enough :).

We had a fascinating visit to District Six and the District Six Museum with our guide Mzwandile from Honest Travel Cape Town. He was very knowledgable and a real gentleman.

Excellent tour. I highly recommend this as the first thing you do when you arrive in Cape Town to help set your agenda for your visit.

We had a good time, as the Tafel Berg was not clouded or crowded. Also our guide was very caring and pleasant!

Leticia is a very knowledgeable guide and a very kind person taking good care of her guests