Simon’s Town
In the months that the Cape storm rages here, this is a place to stay out of the wind, something Simon van der Stel already discovered in 1679. History can be found everywhere here, but do you really want to dive into naval history? Here you can visit the South African Naval Museum with the Martello Tower (a National monument restored in 1972). A visit to the Simon’s Town Museum is a must if you want to know more about the time of the VOC. Also follow the story of the Danish Dog with the beautiful name; Just Nuisance!
Stroll the Mile past the beautiful Victorian houses on St. George street. A walk from the Railway Station to the East Dockyards Gates takes you past around 21 buildings that are all more than 150 years old, a reminder of the VOC and the British colonial era. At the Heritage museum in the Amlay House, you will learn more about the influence of the Cape Malay, Muslim culture and living in apartheid times. Take the exit to Jubilee Square where you can relax on a terrace with a sea view. And you see, little has changed here in the last 100 years!
Something that Simon’s Town is very famous for is Boulders Beach, with its penguin colony, 2 km away. This colony has been living here since 1985 and it is very remarkable that the animals have chosen to visit this place, inhabited by humans. Here on the beautiful beach with its round rocks live around 3000 penguins. You can visit them through the entrance to Boulders Beach, part of Table Mountain national Park. Via a walking deck you walk past the animals that spend the day on the beach or in the water. The other two colonies that once settled on the South African mainland are at Hermanus and at Betty’s Bay
From Simons Town you can visit the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve with the most southwestern point Cape Point. Here you will find a beautiful coastline, various animals such as ostriches, antelopes and monkeys, a lighthouse and beautiful hiking trails.
Just before Simons Town you will find Gemstone World where you can descend into a no longer functioning Silver mine and admire numerous African gems. In the same area you can also make wonderful hikes in the Silvermine Nature Reserve. And against the slopes of the Silvermine Mountains you will find the beautiful Westlake Golf Course.
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