Bo-Kaap Walk

The Bo-Kaap, once known as the Malay Quarter, climbs the lower slopes of Signal Hill just above the city centre. Its story began in the 1760s, when Jan de Waal built small rental houses on land at the foot of the hill and leased them to enslaved people. Later the area became home to many skilled Muslim artisans, tailors, builders and craftsmen, and it grew into the historical centre of Cape Malay culture, which it remains today.

The neighbourhood is best explored on foot. The steep, partly cobbled streets are lined with flat-roofed houses painted in bright colours, and the views down to the city and across to Table Mountain are excellent. The Auwal Mosque on Dorp Street, built in 1794, is regarded as the first mosque in South Africa, and several other mosques and kramats, the shrines of Muslim religious leaders, are found in and above the area. The colourful facades are often explained as a celebration of freedom, although historians note that the tradition of bright paint is fairly recent.

Start at the Bo-Kaap Museum at 71 Wale Street, run by Iziko Museums. It occupies a house from the 1760s, the oldest in the area still in its original form, and shows the home of a prosperous 19th-century Cape Muslim family, with period furniture and photographs of daily life. From there, walk up Wale Street and explore the side streets such as Chiappini and Rose Street, where many of the most photographed houses stand.

Remember that the Bo-Kaap is a living residential neighbourhood, not an open-air museum. Be considerate when taking photographs, ask before photographing people, avoid blocking doorways and keep noise down, especially near mosques at prayer times. A guided walk with a local guide gives much more insight into the area's history, food and religion, and several Cape Town operators run them.

Combine your walk with a Cape Malay meal or a cooking class, where you can learn to make dishes such as bobotie, bredie and curry with roti. The Bo-Kaap is within walking distance of Greenmarket Square and Long Street, and it suits all ages, though the hills are steep. Allow one to two hours.