When I go to a new city, I like to get acclimated to the place through a guided tour. Bike tours are scarce in Cape Town, probably because of all the hills, but we found good guided tours through Cape Town Free Walking Tours. They offer three walking tour options at different times of day. One of the best things to do in Cape Town is visit Bo-Kaap, so on our first day we did the tour!
Bo-Kaap Overview
The Bo-Kaap neighborhood of Cape Town is one of the best known areas of the city with a tour of its own. Bo-Kaap is a multicultural part of town, originally inhabited by Malaysians, Indonesians and other Africans. It is also the site of the country’s first Muslim mosque, Auwai Mosque.
Our tour guide, Ken, encouraged us to be friendly with the locals, who were in turn very friendly with us. In addition to sharing history regarding Bo-Kaap, our guide emphasized this neighborhood’s melding of cultures as a metaphor for the city and South Africa itself. He gave us tips on local restaurants and nightlife spots.
More amazing Cape Town attractions include the modern art museum and hiking Table Mountain
Colorful Houses of Bo-Kaap
The highlight of the neighborhood is the colorful houses, which Ken tells us started as a marketing stunt. I can’t remember who he said started the trend, but one of the businessmen painted his house a bright color so people could find him. His success led to copycats, with the butcher in a red house, the cobbler in blue, etc. Now the area may not have those tradesmen, but the bright houses remain, making it a popular photo spot.
Cape Town is such a cool city, and the walking tour of Bo-Kaap was one of the highlights!
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