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Walmer Estate
Travel Africa

Walmer Estate, City Bowl – Cape Town Places

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

Cape Town is a thriving metropolis that is brimming with culture, entertainment, and a well-established centre for business and retail. The City Bowl, in the heart of Mother City, is distinguished by its tall office buildings, long, boutique-lined streets, breathtaking views of Table Mountain and its tall mountain neighbours, and a number of historic suburbs that have seen a great deal of change. One of these suburbs is Walmer Estate, which, despite no longer being primarily residential, provides a significant tale of hardship and triumph. It is a portion of District Six, once inhabited by black and coloured South Africans under the Apartheid system (a political and social state that extended from 1948 to 1994 and demanded the splitting of white and no non-white people).

However, Walmer Estate was thought to be of a better class than the neighbourhoods around it since many of its inhabitants could speak English, earning it the moniker of the Colored Bishopscourt. In recent years, Walmer Estate has had a decline in issues like gangs and poverty as a result of a revitalization of the City Bowl’s historic neighbourhoods. The neighbourhood has changed significantly since District Six days because many of the original people have relocated to other areas of the Cape Flats.

Nevertheless, it is adjacent to several popular tourist destinations as well as a number of important historical and cultural sites. The Bokaap and De Waterkant are two of these must-see locations. While Tamboerskloof never sleeps and offers diners and shoppers a world of things to see and do, Woodstock is alive with quirky shops and markets. The Company’s Garden, Higgovale, Zonnebloem, Vredehoek, Oranjezicht, and University Estate are additional nearby neighbourhoods. The harbour is also close by.

Walmer Estate is dominated by the famed Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, Signal Hill, Devil’s Peak, and other mountains. These mountains offer a variety of hiking and biking trails, as well as viewing places that guarantee breathtaking views of the city and the ocean. Visitors can ride the cable car all the way to Table Mountain’s flat top, where there are stores and dining options. But most importantly, it is from here that one can fully enjoy Cape Town’s exquisite appeal and its surroundings.

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Zonnebloem
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Zonnebloem, City Bowl – Cape Town Places

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

Part of the historical suburb of District Six, which rose to prominence during the Apartheid government and the forced removals, is included in Zonnebloem. In the 1970s, these laws required that non-white people be forcibly (and frequently violently) ejected from their homes, many of which were situated in the region now known as Zonnebloem. They were then transported to squatter settlements outside of the city. In tragic circumstances, 60 000 people were relocated from District Six.

Unfortunately, this also resulted in the destruction of a large number of the homes, mosques, churches, and schools that were in the area at the time, depriving Zonnebloem and its surroundings of their unique qualities.

The Cape Peninsula University of Technology and a few police housing units can be seen in this Cape Town area today. The City Bowl, with its array of art galleries, shops, markets, corporate behemoths, salons, restaurants, and entertainment venues, is nearby. Nearby streets Long Street and Kloof Street are also teeming with interesting things to see and do.

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University Estate
Travel Africa

University Estate, City Bowl – Cape Town Places

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

University Estate is located just above the well-known and therefore ineffective permanent speed trap that is placed across the road near the Walmer / University Estate off-ramp on the N2 coming out of Cape Town, just off De Waal Drive. One has to smile at Cape Town’s little quirks because most residents of the city obediently slow down to stay within the 80 km/h speed limit and then quickly accelerate once the trap is behind them.

University Estate is located above Woodstock on the upper slopes of Devils Peak and features stunning mansions on sizable lots. The neighbourhood has been criticized by certain aesthetic critics for its uninspired design and haphazard mix of several architectural types, but what it lacks in historic appeal, it makes up for with its views of the harbour and proximity to Cape Town’s centre.

University Estate is adjacent to the Gardens Shopping Center, Company Gardens, Cape Town’s museums, and art galleries. It is also a short drive from the V&A Waterfront and the Table Mountain Cableway. What makes it so unique to stay here is that one can access Devil’s Peak Mountain for morning hikes along mountain trails and that Camps Bay and Clifton’s Atlantic beaches are just a 10-minute drive away.

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Woodstock
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Woodstock, City Bowl – Cape Town Places

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

Unbelievably, roughly a century ago, this vibrant neighbourhood was a rural village called Papendorp. Woodstock’s decaying charm is what has made it such an ideal base for the inner-city resurgence that has just seized the suburb by storm. As with many Cape Town suburbs, Main Road divides Woodstock into upper Woodstock, with its larger, graceful, and meticulously restored Victorian semi-detached homes, reminiscent of Observatory a little further along Main Road, and Woodstock proper, which managed to survive the trauma of the Group Areas Act to become a mixed-race suburb associated with crime, litter, and dilapidated drug houses. Woodstock is situated on the slopes of Devils Peak and has stunning views of the harbour.

To attract commercial investors, such as the Neighbour Goods Market in the renovated Old Biscuit Mill, a very popular Saturday morning gathering place where purchasing local goods has taken on new significance, a number of warehouses and Victorian cottages have been converted into trendy character spaces.

Victorian semis are in high demand from young professionals who are taking advantage of the low prices. Together with a few nearby eateries and coffee shops, Woodstock has developed a village-like feel that elevates it to the status of a major suburb. A stay in Woodstock places one close to the city centre, busy Long Street, museums, galleries, trendy Kloof Street, and the V&A Waterfront while giving one a true sense of inner-city living. In the distance, Table Mountain dominates, giving one a feeling of the city’s true character.

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Vredehoek
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Vredehoek, City Bowl – Cape Town Places

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

This neighbourhood in Cape Town’s city centre is adjacent to several well-known hotels, but it still has its own quirky appeal that is ideal for travellers seeking the best of both worlds. Vredehoek is a flavorful suburb that is well-liked by DINKYs (dual income, no kids yet) and younger buyers. It is a residential suburb that is located just outside of the city centre on the lower slopes of Devil’s Peak and in the shadow of three unsightly, round towers that dominate the horizon.

The suburb’s name directly translates as “peace corner,” and the neighbourhood is calm and serene while being attractive to a few eccentrics. Living in Vredehoek and working in the city is one of the Capetonians‘ most preferred lifestyle choices, and the established suburb has grown to be one of the most sought-after. The neighbourhood has been revitalized as a result of the conversion of outdated apartment buildings into trendy residences, and prices for real estate in the area increased during the most recent real estate boom.

Even though the wind seems to blow a little more here, staying in Vredehoek offers some of the best views of the city, over the waterfront, the harbour, and Table Mountain. Old Victorian homes coexist with well-known eateries and hip bars, and the neighbourhood’s close proximity to the Gardens Centre shopping centre makes stocking up relatively simple.

The town’s centre and bohemian Long Street, with its eclectic mix of African curios, antique stores, bookstores, and a bevvy of coffee shops, eateries, and bistros, can both be reached in a matter of minutes. Walking distance from Vredehoek is Company Gardens, The National Art Gallery, the Museum, and the Houses of Parliament. The Table Mountain cableway is only a 10-minute drive away.

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Tamboerskloof
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Tamboerskloof, City Bowl – Cape Town Places

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

Near the end of Long Street, at the base of Lion’s Head, Tamboerskloof is situated between Gardens and the Cape Peninsula National Park. One of Cape Town’s oldest residential neighbourhoods, Tamboerskloof features a unique combination of architectural styles, including enormous, lovely Victorian-style homes next to art deco. This is a well-liked suburb and a convenient one to base yourself in when visiting Cape Town because of the stunning views of the bay, Lion’s Head, and the mountain.

Particularly in this charming neighbourhood, Table Mountain seems to be holding it. Tamboerskloof lies near the bottom of the hill, only affected by the beginning rise, even though it can still feel very steep while you’re walking it. This contrasts with many of the metropolitan bowl’s residential neighbourhoods, which are situated in enviable places up in the mountain’s foothills.

Tamboerskloof is ideally situated for exploring the remainder of Cape Town, and the bustle of the city is audible here. However, the neighbourhood is peaceful, with wide, tree-lined streets that are convenient for walking. Since it’s simple to get around from Tamboerskloof and there is a strong transportation system if you stay mostly in the city, a car is hardly unneeded.

Tamboerskloof is close to Kloof Street, which is referred to as the “restaurant mile” of the city. The sidewalk cafes, which offer hours of entertainment as the ordinary and extraordinary, of every hue and culture, grace the streets, can be just as much fun to browse as bookshops and antique shops. And it’s only a 10-minute walk to Long Street from here.

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Roggebaai

Roggebaai, City Bowl – Cape Town Places

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

Despite sounding like a small beach town that belongs firmly on the coast, Roggebaai is actually located on Cape Town’s waterfront. Roggebaai, which is primarily a business area of town, is located right behind the Foreshore, with Woodstock to the east, the Cape Town International Convention Centre to the west, and the Foreshore in between. Also, be careful when parking in this area of the city because Roggebaai is the postal address for the traffic department.

In what is known as the Roggebaai Canal area, you will also discover a number of canal-based vacation and residential apartment-style buildings, many of them super modern. The major draws in this area are the harbour vistas and its “vibrance,” which can be seen from many of the residences. Living here and working in the city means that you surely avoid the morning traffic nightmare and save at least an hour, if not two, each day. With a variety of eateries, shops, galleries, and movie theatres, Roggebaai can serve as your playground because it is close enough to the V&A Waterfront.

If visiting the city’s nightlife and business district is your goal, a stay in this lovely, modern, and varied area is a terrific bonus. Roggebaai gains new significance when Table Mountain, which is always in the background, is included. Although its existence as a suburb may go unnoticed, it provides a perfect vantage point from which to travel and see Mother City.

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Highlands Estate
Travel Africa

Highlands Estate, City Bowl – Cape Town Places

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

With breathtaking views of Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, Signal Hill, and the city sprawled out below you like a tapestry, Highlands Estate is located on the lower slopes of Table Mountain, tucked between the suburbs of Vredehoek and Oranjezicht. Despite being only five minutes from the Mother City’s centre, this highly sought-after suburb manages to evoke country living with lovely older homes and a sense of being suspended above and far from the city’s hustle and bustle. It is hidden in the shade of impressive pine trees.

In Cape Town, Highlands Estate is convenient for everything. The Table Mountain Nature Reserve, with its popular mountain and woodland trails and cableway to the summit, is only a short distance away. Only a short drive away are the well-liked and up-and-coming Atlantic beaches, such as Clifton and Camps Bay. It is also simple to get to the town’s centre, which features numerous museums, galleries, and structures of architectural interest, as well as the lively Long Street.

About 10 minutes from Highlands Estate is the V&A Waterfront, where you can take an open-top bus around the city, go to the Two Ocean Aquarium, take a ferry to Robben Island, or go shopping ’til you drop. Constantia’s Wine Route, one of the oldest appellation districts in the Cape, is only a 20-minute drive away if wine sampling is what you’re looking.

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Salt River
Travel Africa

Salt River, City Bowl – Cape Town Places

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

Due to its proximity to the city’s centre, Salt River is a lovely suburb that was once the centre of Cape Town’s industrial activity. It has had highs and lows over the years, giving it plenty of character and a tale to tell. Areas like Salt River are crucial to preserving the lessons learned in the minds and emotions of fellow South Africans. The apartheid era left its stamp on the nation.

Today, people of colour with Cape Malay ancestry predominate in the Salt River neighbourhood of the Western Cape. It has a real vibe as residents and visitors alike throng through the streets and goes about their daily lives. It is bursting with schools, shops, businesses, and houses. Visitors can get a real sense of the Mother City’s inhabitants through this diverse area, including their friendliness, culture, and way of life. It is located not far from Table Bay. The City Bowl, Observatory, and Woodstock are some additional nearby suburbs.

World-famous sites like the V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain, Signal Hill, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Town International Convention Centre, and the City Bowl are all within close proximity to Salt River and are simple to reach via the main highways that run through the entire city. Additionally, the distance between the area and Cape Town International Airport is only about 15 kilometres.

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Kloof Nek
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Kloof Nek, City Bowl – Cape Town Places

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

If you spend enough time in Mother City, the word “Kloof Nek” will start to appear frequently in your vocabulary. The locals have no trouble pronouncing it, and in some ways, it’s similar to the yellow brick road in that if you follow it, you’ll eventually arrive at your destination. Especially during rush hour when the road via Sea Point becomes rather congested, Kloof Nek is the easiest way to leave the city, over Table Mountain, and reach the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean.

It’s also the quickest way to get from Camps Bay to the city centre via the mountain, Kloof Nek Road, and Buitengracht Street. Additionally, it is one of Cape Town’s steepest roads. From the city bowl, take it straight up to the top where five roads converge. From there, you can choose to go left to the cableway, right to Clifton or Lion’s Head, or straight ahead into Camps Bay.

At Kloof Nek, the Pipe Track begins. This hike is well-liked perhaps because it’s among Table Mountain’s simpler hikes and since it mostly follows the Camps Bay side of the mountain without much in the way of steep hills. It’s convenient to travel to and ideal to do after work as the sun sets on this side of the mountain because it’s near to the city. The walk follows a pipe, as suggested by its name, which was once a water conduit but is no longer in use. You also have stunning views of Camps Bay.

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Oranjezicht
Travel Africa

Oranjezicht, City Bowl – Cape Town Places

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

In the foothills of Table Mountain is the chic tiny community of Oranjezicht, which is well-liked by the artistic and fashionable crowd. Homes in this neighbourhood appear to be relatively low on the mountain from a distance, but as one drives through the neighbourhood, they quickly become apparent to be higher up on the mountain than they initially appear.

Only Buitenkant Street separates Oranjezicht from Vredehoek, which is situated next to it and perched above Kloof Street. With outstanding views of Table Mountain, the seafront, and the distant Hottentots Holland Mountains, the homes in this area are spacious and elegant. Apartments in this area are popular with Cape Technikon students because they are close to Gardens Centre, where shopping is nearby and transportation is minimal.

Oranjezicht can be reached on foot from Kloof Street, where there is a vibrant restaurant and café scene. However, be prepared for a climb on the way back. Within five minutes of entering the city centre, you will be in the centre of bohemian Long Street, surrounded by historical buildings, eateries, bistros, and cafés, as well as a number of museums and galleries that will keep you occupied for at least two days.

The Cape Town beaches of the Atlantic Ocean, Camps Bay and Clifton, which offer wonderful swimming, people-watching, and sunbathing options, are only over the other side of the mountain and only a 10-minute drive from Oranjezicht.

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foreshore
Travel Africa

Foreshore, City Bowl – Cape Town Places

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

Between 1930 and 1940, this area of land was reclaimed from the sea, extending Cape Town City 2 km farther into the Bay. The International Convention Centre (CTICC) and a number of well-known hotel chains, whose structures obscure the city’s entrance from the N2, virtually dominate Cape Town’s foreshore, which is located on the waterways of Table Bay, next to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront with the city centre behind it.

The foreshore of Cape Town is leading development in the city, and a number of significant corporate and financial institutions are relocating here to join the ranks of the Convention Centre, which opened in late 1999 and successfully hosted nearly 13 000 delegates for one of the congresses in 2006 without incident. As Cape Town continues to be a popular travel destination, more international conferences are being held there.

Fountains and statues are scattered throughout Heerengracht Street. A notable landmark is a memorial to South African soldiers who died in both world wars, as well as statues of Jan van Riebeek and his wife Maria and the Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Diaz.

Excellent access may be made to the Mother City’s centre from the foreshore. One can choose to walk to the V&A Waterfront, where a number of tour buses run throughout the city, or to the city centre, where a variety of historical structures, an eclectic mingling of cultures, restaurants, and unexpected little alleys make for an enjoyable day or two of exploring.

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City Bowl
Travel Africa

City Bowl Region, Cape Town – South Africa

by Kojo Pocu
written by Kojo Pocu

Cape Town’s City Bowl is remarkably properly called. It lies cosy in the enormous arms of Table Mountain. The centre of Cape Town is neatly tucked between the harbour and the mountain, resembling a bowl. The city bowl is a self-contained entity with nowhere else to move and expand its boundaries, almost like a martini before it is poured, all shaken up and tingling with flavour. Some of the most fascinating and historically significant neighbourhoods can be found in the city bowl, and areas like the Bo Kaap, Oranjezicht, Tamboerskloof, and Gardens offer hours of leisurely meandering, dining options, and historical attractions.

The suburbs that surround the city centre are steeper the closer one gets to the mountain, so Higgovale and Oranjezicht are right up on Table Mountain’s slopes. There are many things to do in the city bowl besides taking in the atmosphere, which is typical of Cape Town. It is mandatory to ride the cable car to the summit of Table Mountain, although it is safer to wait for a clear day without any indication of the tablecloth. Another mountain worth climbing is Lion’s Head, the conical-shaped mountain close to the tabletop, especially on full moon nights. It is preferable to time the 1.5-hour ascent such that the summit is attained just as the moon begins to rise.

One of the well-known Atlantic Seaboard beaches that extends to Llandudno and Hout Bay is Camps Bay, which is reached by crossing the Kloof Nek chasm between Table Mountain and Lion’s Head. Or head to the well-known suburbs of De Waterkant, Green Point, and Sea Point by going around the western corner of the bowl.

Every third Saturday, the Cape Town Partnership offers a free walking tour of the Cape Town City Bowl that travels from the Company’s Garden through St. George’s Mall, Waterkant Street, the Fan Walk, and St. Andrew’s Square. Through storytelling, the walk connects locations, history, art, and music, bringing the city’s public spaces to life.

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