The Bo-Kaap flourishes on shared values, cuisine, and community spirit. This is the oldest surviving neighbourhood in Cape Town, and it exudes a blend of history and tradition that comes with nearly three centuries of life. Along steep winding streets lined with colourful homes, walk in the footsteps of the families who have dwelt here for generations.
GO: Established in the 1700s, the Bo-Kaap is rooted in Islamic heritage. It’s best accessed via Wale Street, with the wide avenue welcoming you into this significant area.
SEE: Nineteen heritage sites dot the Bo-Kaap, enshrining sacred and historic landmarks. Among them is Auwal Masjid, the oldest mosque in South Africa. Built on land bought by Coridon van Ceylon, a freed slave who became the first Muslim to own property in the city, this place of worship commands reverence from all who cross its threshold.
DO: Visit the Noon Gun on Military Road, a cannon that has been fired daily since 1806. Its signature boom has helped notoriously late Capetonians keep track of time for hundreds of years. At 12pm on the dot, the fuse is lit and the midday thunder echoes across the city bowl, rattling windows and punctuating conversations.
Learn to prepare authentic Cape Malay cuisine with Zainie Misbach of the Bo-Kaap Cooking Tour. A culinary stalwart of Bo-Kaap, you’ll get hands-on experience in mixing masala and preparing a feast of dhaltjies and chicken curry with yellow rice.
Discover a craft preserved by generations at Rocksole. A testament to perseverance and workmanship, this shoe repair institution has run for nearly 100 years. The family of cobblers’ presence in the Bo-Kaap began with a stowaway on a ship from India to Cape Town in 1902.
Take in the scent of connection and the sounds of liedjies that permeate this land. Leave the Bo-Kaap with a full tummy and a spring in your step.
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