Cape Town CBD Tourism Information

Quick Facts: Cape Town CBD

• Many shops, restaurants, bars, hotels, headoffices of large companies
• Cape Town's central business district
• Greenmarket Square
• St Georges Mall
• Vibrant Adderley and Strand Street
• Company Gardens
• Parliament
• Museums, Planetarium, Galleries

Distance to Airport: 20 km

Introducing Cape Town CBD

Cape Town's city centre is a relatively small area and can be covered on foot. Greenmarket Square and St. George's Mall are situated at the heart of Cape Town.  The lively city centre of Cape Town is characterized with African vibes, sounds and crafts of Africa, mixed up with European heritage.

The Cape Town city centre can be split into the following areas:

Adderley Street, Cape Town

Adderley Street runs right through the middle of Cape Town city and changes into Government Avenue where it runs through the Company Gardens.  It is named after a nineteenth century British politician.

Bokaap, Cape Town

The Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town lies to the west of the Cape Town city centre and is situated on the slops of Signal Hill.
The name Bo-Kaap translates into "Above Cape". The area was previously called the ”Malay Quarter“ and used to house the many slaves brought in, mainly from Java, in the 17th and 18th Centuries. Because the Bo-Kaap was never subject to forced removals, it has retained much of its character. 

It is a residential predominantly muslim area, with a number of mosques rising above the skyline. The Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town is characterized by a strong mix of people, cultures and architecture. A local treat are the daltjies, which are crispy fried balls made with spinach, pea flour and spices.

Company Gardens, Cape Town

Originally a vegetable garden of the Dutch East India Company first planted in the 17th century, the six hectare garden is home to more than 3000 species, most of which are exotic.

Strand Street in Cape Town

Strand Street runs from East to West through Cape Town. The word "Strand" is Afrikaans for "beach". Before the land was reclaimed in Cape Town, Strand Street did run along the beach.

Foreshore, Cape Town

The foreshore is an area of land which was reclaimed from the sea in the 1930s and 1940s. Notable landmarks are the Cape Town International Convention Centre ( CTICC ), the Railway Station, the Civic Center, the Artscape Theatre, the War Memorial, Statues of Jan van Riebeeck and his wife Maria de la Queillerie.