Area Profiles

Noordhoek is a beautiful suburb of Cape Town, located below Chapman's Peak on the west coast of the Cape Peninsula, approximately thirty-five kilometres to the south of the Cape Town City Bowl itself. The name "Noordhoek" was taken from Dutch and literally means "north corner".Noordhoek was first named in 1743 when it described the north corner of the farm Slangkop.  Noordhoek is famously known for its picturesque shoreline and its long, wide, sandy beach, which stretches south to the neighbouring village of Kommetjie. Near the southern end of this beach is the wreck of the steamship "Kakapo", which ran aground about a century...

Draped over the foothills of Table Mountain, the suburb of Oranjezicht, which is Dutch for `orange view,’ is situated on the site of the original Oranjezicht farm, which once stretched all the way down to The Mount Nelson Hotel. In the early 18th century, the farm supplied fresh produce to the Dutch East India Company, as well as to the troops in the Cape Town Castle. Oranjezicht’s original owner, Pieter Van Breda, was renowned for his musical appreciation, and during the last few years of Dutch government in the Cape, he held regular concerts on the lawns of his estate. It was situated corner upper Orange Street and Belmont Ave. A tent would be erected and a...

Paarl is situated about 60 kilometres northeast of Cape Town in the Western Cape Province and is renowned for its haunting scenic beauty and deep viticulture and fruit growing heritage. Paarl, while not part of the Cape Town metropolitan area, falls within its economic catchment. Paarl takes its name from the huge granite outcrop on the crest of Paarl Mountain.  The town was founded in 1687, is the third oldest settlement in South Africa (Cape Town and Stellenbosch are one and two) and has a rich cultural and historical heritage. Paarl features many fine examples of Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian and Cape Dutch buildings that intersperse a variety of restaurants...

Located among the southern suburbs just south of Wynberg and east of some Constantia suburbs, Plumstead has become a sought-after area for property investors, as it offers affordable homes. In fact, demand is currently so great that stock in the area is in short supply and homes coming onto the market tend to be snapped up rather quickly. Most of the existing homes in Plumstead were built in the 1940s and 50s and many still retain their original low walls and fences. Here neighbours stop to chat while they walk their dogs or take children to a park. The suburb is home to many older residents who have lived there for decades, but an increasing amount of younger buyers...

Rondebosch lies between the M3 in the west and the M5 in the east, Mowbray and Rosebank in the north and Newlands and Claremont in the south. Rondebosch has always been known as a liberal constituency and is a very popular suburb for student accommodation, given its proximity to the prestigious University of Cape Town. It is mainly a residential area, with commercial properties located along the Main Road, predominantly in the area of the fountain, which is a famous landmark. There is another small hub of shops along Campground Road, as well as Belvedere Road. The Baxter Theatre complex is situated on Main Road below the University of Cape Town and forms part of the...

Simon’s Town, named after one of the early governors of the Cape colony, Simon van der Stel, is a town approximately 40km outside the Cape Town city bowl. Simon’s Town is the home of the South African Navy and is nestled on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula on the False Bay coast. Simon’s Town is a suburb of greater Cape Town and the quaint village is boxed in by majestic mountains and cliffsides that are a hallmark of the Cape coast. With cobble stoned streets that lead you past restored homes and cottages Simon’s town hosts a wondrous array of restaurants, coffee shops and general stores. St George's street which is arguably the most...

Named after Tokai, a range of hills in Hungary, Tokai, was another property belonging to van der Stel, on which a typical Cape Dutch homestead was built, which still stands today. The Manor house, allegedly haunted, built in 1796 by Thibault,  has significance in that it has many fine features notwithstanding the curved steps leading up to the house. After a succession of owners the property was purchased by the government in 1883, to house the forestry chief. Parts of the property was used as a reformatory and convict station, the house and out buildings which by now had become a Heritage site fell into disrepair and was in danger of being lost, due to neglect by...

Wynberg, one of the most loved and established suburbs in the Western Cape, is known for its famous Maynardville open-air theatre, its quaint Chelsea Village and its excellent restaurants. Nestling on the southern spine of Table Mountain, this suburb today has the highest concentration of historic buildings in South Africa. Wynberg had its beginnings on 1 March 1657, when Jan van Riebeeck, the first Dutch commander of the Cape, distributed land along the Liesbeeck River to nine “Free Burghers”, in order to establish farms. These farmers were to supply produce to the VOC Company so that their trading ships had fresh supplies en route to India and Europe. The...