Walking Tour In Bo-Kaap

POSTED ON JULY 26, 2017

A great way to explore Cape Town and learn about its history is by walking. What better way than to walk with a knowledgeable guide? We were so happy to find the free walking tours and explore the city with other travelers. The walking tour to Bo-Kaap lasted about 90 minutes.

 

Bo-Kaap was such a fun and beautiful tour. It is located right in the heart of Cape Town in Signal Hill. The cobblestone streets and the colorful houses make this area so magical. We went before sunset and were able to capture amazing photos of the colorful houses below Lion’s Head mountain.

Bo-Kaap is a quiet and serene town to walk around. The first mosque established in South Africa is located in Bo-Kaap and you will encounter people from the Islamic culture who live there.

 

We learnt from our guide that many of the residents of Bo-Kaap are descendants of slaves that were brought by the Dutch during the 16th Century. The slaves were from places in Africa and Asia, including Malaysia and Indonesia. These slaves were given the name of Cape Malays, and the area is also known as the Malay Quarter.

 

No one really knows when, how or why people started painting their houses with pastel colors. There are several interesting stories that our tour guide shared with us.

One of them was that many of the inhabitants did not know how to read and were having challenges finding out where the exact location of places such as where the doctor’s office was. To make it easy, people started painting the houses with bright colors, so that those who did not know how to read could locate important places by a certain color. Other stories say that people started decorating their homes after Apartheid ended as a way to celebrate their new freedom.

 

It is also speculated that it all started after South Africa reinvented itself as the Rainbow Nation. As a result, everyone in Bo-Kaap was ordered to paint their homes different colors.

Whatever the reason was, these picturesque houses attract many tourists throughout the year. We highly recommend you go on this walking tour. You won’t regret it!