Districts & neighbourhoods
In Cape Town
Cape Town has a terrific mixture of areas to live, from vibrant city-living to quiet, leafy residential suburbs. The city is known for its successful property market.
In recent years Cape Town’s property values and sales transactions have exceeded Johannesburg’s and continue to attract international property investors.
Take some time to explore our neighbourhoods and get close to the people and places which make our city so special.
Bellville
Situated about 20 kilometres from Cape Town is Bellville. This understated area brings a more South African feel to the much more tourist-focused city that Cape Town is today.
With wine farms a stone’s throw away, hiking trails a few minutes drive away and the only toboggan track in Africa, Bellville has way more to offer than at first sight.
As South Africa’s oldest colonial city, Cape Town showcases culturally rich museums and groundbreaking art projects, including Africa’s first contemporary art museum, The Zeitz MOCAA. Art is integral to Cape Town’s identity, with vibrant street art tours offering a unique glimpse into the city’s pulse.
Bo Kaap
On the slopes on Signal hill, facing Cape Town, lies a vibrant and colourful neighbourhood
known as the Bo-Kaap.
To the non Dutch speakers “bo” means upper and “Kaap” means cape, so its literal meaning is “Upper Cape” due to its positioning overlooking the city and Table Mountain. Today this area is home to arguably the most colourful neighbourhood in Cape town
lined with beautiful cobblestone streets built by the Dutch. This area has become infamous with visiting tourists due to the picturesque houses offering the perfect “Instagram”shot, but this area has much more to offer.
Blouberg
If you head out along Table Bay in Cape Town, one of the last spots you will find before leaving Cape Town is Blouberg.
This Seaside area is well known for Kite surfing and great local beaches. There are some great restaurants and bars found along the beach, and this place offers a much more chilled out approach to life than the city. This area also has a history of fighting, with the British taking Cape Town for a second time in 1806 on the beach of Blouberg from the Dutch at the time.
Camps Bay
As with most upmarket and trendy spots around the World, this beautiful place called Camps Bay comes from humble beginnings.
You need to transport yourself to another time when Europeans were arriving on the sunny shores of Southern Africa with hope and an idea of creating something new. The mountains were dense with forest and teeming with wild animals.
For many years Camps Bay was a pretty wild place. And if you were wondering how Camps Bay got its name, A sailor named Fredrick Ernst von Kamptz managed to acquire the land through his wife, soon the area was called “Die baai van von Kamptz” after him. Only in 1884 did we see a road being built from Sea Point named Victoria road for the Queen’s jubilee in 1888. This new road started what we know as Campe bay today, with many locals cycling here for picnics.
Cape Town CBD
Most big cities around the world have some imposing high rise city centre which never feels welcoming.
Known mostly for its white wine varieties, the area is closer to the Cape Town city centres and has some fantastic food, beer and wine options for the family. With the beautiful Tygerberg Nature reserve, charming wine farms and some local art gems, Durbanville is a day well spent in the Mother City.
Claremont
Situated below the Majestic Table Mountain and tucked cosily between Newlands and Rondebosch is the lovely Claremont.
When we think of Claremont, we think family, green and homely. Interestingly the name Claremont comes from the French for “Clear Mountain” and would highlight the fact that there are some amazing spots to get the fresh drinking water coming straight from the Table Mountain aquifer.
De Waterkant
Sitting between the CBD of Cape Town and the popular V&A Waterfront is the charming, welcoming and sought after De Waterkant.
Translating into the “Waterside”, this area is highly sought after in terms of real estate with swanky newer apartments and older well kept modernised units with cobbled streets and everything within walking distance.
Durbanville
When most people think of South African wine, the names Stellenbosch and Franschhoek get thrown around a lot, but what most visitors won’t know is that Durbanville is where the locals are going.
Cape Town couldn’t be any more different; the city is small, and lies in the shadows of one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World, Table Mountain. This ever inviting city is perfect for tourists, expats and locals alike, with great transport, walking all around the city, and something interesting around every corner. After a few months of living in Cape Town people in the city will recognise you on your daily walk to work and this shows just how charming the city can be.
Gugulethu
Situated 15 km from the city centre of Cape Town is a bustling hive of local flavour called Gugulethu: one of the original townships established in Cape Town in the 1960s.
Since Apartheid, much has changed in the townships of South Africa, and Gugulethu is no different. Being one of the poorer parts of Cape Town it is difficult to escape poverty but it’s the people who make this place great. A hive of activity, the streets are always busy with vendors and you can always find a sense of community in “Gugs”, as it’s known to locals.
Hout Bay
Picture an old fishing seaside suburb with lush green forests towered over by the beautiful Cape mountains and only 25 Km’s from the city centre, and that just about summarises Hout Bay for anyone who hasn’t been there.
It can be hard for anyone to imagine that the lights of the city are merely 20 minutes away when enjoying the cold Atlantic wind blowing through the wooded area around Hout Bay on a dark night. Not just pretty, this place has much to offer locals and visitors alike today with an interesting history.
Kalk Bay
This quaint and colourful sea-side fishing village is only 30 minutes drive from Cape Town city centre, and it is hard to imagine that you are in one of South Africa’s largest cities when visiting Kalk Bay.
Kalk in this way means “Chalk”, and that is because all the mussel shells used to be farmed here to make chalk. Today this place is most famous for boutique antique shops, a great local pub that’s also a train station, and the most famous fish and chip shop in the city.
Khayelitsha
Situated 15 km from the city centre of Cape Town is a bustling hive of local flavour called Gugulethu: one of the original townships established in Cape Town in the 1960s.
Since Apartheid, much has changed in the townships of South Africa, and Gugulethu is no different. Being one of the poorer parts of Cape Town it is difficult to escape poverty but it’s the people who make this place great. A hive of activity, the streets are always busy with vendors and you can always find a sense of community in “Gugs”, as it’s known to locals.
Kommetjie & Scarborough
Travelling down the Western side of the Peninsula to Cape Point National park is a must for all visitors to Cape Town. Once you leave the bright lights of the city, there are some amazing places to visit out in the countryside that offer something completely different.
Kommetjie and Scarborough are the perfect destinations for people wanting to experience nature and not wanting to stay in the City. These two villages offer visitors fantastic surfing opportunities, incredible foraging in the kelp forests and as always some spectacular hikes into our world famous mountains. Home to some of South Africa’s best musicians, it’s easy to see why creatives would want to live out in the “wild” while still having access to the Mother City.
Langa
About 15 km from the city centre is the oldest informal settlement in Cape Town, called Langa and no trip to Cape Town would be complete without a visit here.
This multicultural and diverse area offers much for tourists and locals alike from a lekker braai (barbeque) shared with friends to visiting a local tavern and trying some homemade beer. Not just a one-stop-shop for food and drinks, there is much to be learned about South Africa’s past and present. The Langa Pass Museum offers visitors the chance to go back in time to a very different South Africa where many people were affected by the Apartheid regime. This is a truly worthwhile context every person passing through Cape Town should have. A favourite stop in Langa, not to be missed, is always to stop and get a “smiley”, which is half a boiled sheepshead, a classic lunchtime meal in South Africa.
Mitchell’s Plain
Situated on the outskirts of Cape Town facing the majestic False Bay is an unassuming place called Mitchell’s Plain.
Historically a bitter story for local people, today this place offers something interesting and different to the rest of Cape Town. With great street art, creative people, and a real sense of togetherness, Mitchell’s Plain might just surprise you.
Muizenberg
A short 30-minute drive from the city centre of Cape Town lies a beautiful and quaint seaside suburb called Muizenberg.
Most famous for surfing and sharks, Muizenberg is an interesting place to visit. The long rolling waves here are perfect for new surfers, so most of the visitors to Cape Town in need of some surfing lessons come to stay in Muizenberg. Shark sightings have decreased in recent years, but a visit to the shark spotter on Boyes drive is always fun and interesting to see how they spot a shark from the shore to be able to warn surfers and swimmers on Muizenberg Beach.
Newlands
Nestled on the foothills of Table Mountain, lies a leafy green suburb called Newlands.
Known to be the wettest suburb in South Africa, it’s easy to see why this place calls home to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, one of the most beautiful gardens in Africa. Kirstenbosch Gardens is open every day from 08h00 and closes at 19h00 during summer (Sep-Mar), and 18h00 during winter (Apr-Aug). Find all the Kirstenbosch Gardens information you may need here.
Noordhoek
Just 35 minutes drive from Cape Town city centre, you will find the tranquil, green and lush countryside of Noordhoek.
It’s hard to imagine that you are only half an hour’s drive from a major city with beautiful long beaches and farms with horses dotted around every corner. Not only is it beautiful and green but it has a certain charm to it that just can’t be beaten. There is always a lovely country style restaurant to visit, and if you love horses, the rides on Noordhoek beach are famous in Cape Town.
Observatory
Observatory or “Obz” as it is affectionately known, is a mostly student orientated suburb situated just outside of the city centre of Cape Town.
A Quirky neighbourhood with mostly old Victorian laden streets and steeped in history offers more to locals and visitors alike than is first expected. Locals will favour thrift shopping and good bars, and some of the best second-hand records found around Cape Town. The proximity to the University of Cape Town and the eclectic mix of bars and thrift shops means there is always a student buzz around.
Rondebosch
This leafy green suburb nestled below the slopes of Table mountain has been home to most of the University of Cape town’s students for many years, but there is much to know and see in this beautiful suburb.
The first land title awarded in Africa by the first Dutch Governor, a man called Jan van Riebeeck was for the area we call Rondebosch today. The name Rondebosch loosely translated to “round tree” and has its origins in a clump of thorn trees along the Liesbeek river used as a reference point by the arriving Dutch in the 1650s, they called it “Het Ronde Doornboschjen”. Today this area is home to most of the University of Cape town students and families. The proximity to the city is fantastic, and you never feel like you are in one of South Africa’s biggest cities when staying in Rondebosch.
Sea Point
Just a stone’s throw from the city centre of Cape Town sits a beautiful neighbourhood called Sea Point.
This largely affluent area filled with high rise buildings is something a little bit different as Cape Town is not home to many bigger apartment blocks. The suburb is home to many working professionals from the city, with Green Point Park and the new sports stadium, this place has much to offer in the future. Home to South Africa’s oldest lighthouse, most locals will think of great ice cream and walks along the promenade by the ocean on hot summer days.
Simon’s Town
Cape Town’s history is always going to be linked to European powers arriving at different times and assuming a role on the bottom of Africa.
The English played a major role in the history of the country, but more so in Cape Town. If you head out to Simon’s Town on the false bay, this British style neighbourhood is a great example of Colonial South Africa. Home to the Naval base of South Africa, the most popular penguin colony at Boulders Beach and right by the Cape Point National Park, there is much to see and do in Simon’s Town.
Stellenbosch
South Africa’s second oldest town is most famous for its bold red wines, like with most things though there is much more to this quaint town than first meets the eye.
Home to one of the biggest Universities in South Africa, some of the best examples of Cape Dutch architecture and many local farms producing wine, gin and other spirits – there is something for the whole family to do in Stellenbosch. Originally called the “City of Oaks”, due to the large array of Oak trees planted by its founder, Simon van der Stel. The town is named after him today.
Woodstock
Cape Town is known to be liberal and arty, and this is no truer than in Woodstock. This quirky area is only situated about 2 kilometres from the city centre and is an eclectic mix of colonial buildings with hip new thrift shops and the best street art in Cape Town.
Most locals are stalwarts of the Old Biscuit Mill, its Saturday market brings Capetonians about from all corners of the city. Woodstock is home to many artisanal projects and a visit to the Woodstock Exchange is a must-do for any visitor. Here you can see a fantastic mix of local artists’ work and have some good coffee and local treats. There is everything in Woodstock from great local fish markets to fabric stores and second-hand books.
Study
Cape Town is Africa’s most desirable city for students. Now that you can study virtually from anywhere, why not do it from Cape Town with some of the most picturesque college campuses in South Africa.
Play
Cape Town is an adventure seeker’s paradise. You could stay for weeks and still not tick off all the activities on offer. From paragliding to kayaking, kitesurfing and sand boarding, Cape town offers all the high speed thrills.