A tour around parliament is fascinating, especially if you’re interested in the country’s modern history. Opened in 1885, the hallowed halls have seen some pretty momentous events: this is where British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan made his ‘Wind of Change’ speech in 1960, and where President Hendrik Verwoerd, known as the architect of apartheid, was stabbed to death in 1966. Call ahead and present your passport to gain entry.
Houses of Parliament
Cape Town
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
4.28 MILES
Location and unique flora combine to make these 5.28-sq-km botanical gardens among the most beautiful in the world. Gate 1, the main entrance at the…
29.83 MILES
This 77.5-sq-km section of Table Mountain National Park includes awesome scenery, fantastic walks, great birdwatching and often-deserted beaches. The…
2.33 MILES
Around 600 million years old, and a canvas painted with the rich diversity of the Cape floral kingdom, Table Mountain is truly iconic. You can admire the…
8.82 MILES
Used as a prison from the early days of the VOC (Dutch East India Company) right up until 1996, this Unesco World Heritage site is preserved as a memorial…
29.99 MILES
This 2.5-sq-km wine and fruit farm is on the north slope of the Simonsberg mountain between Klapmuts and Paarl. Its highlight is an 800-sq-metre, formally…
18.71 MILES
This picturesque area, with enormous boulders dividing small, sandy coves, is home to a colony of some 3000 delightful African penguins. A boardwalk runs…
0.28 MILES
It's impossible not to be emotionally moved by this museum, which celebrates the once lively multiracial area that was destroyed during apartheid in the…
7.1 MILES
Simon van der Stel’s manor house, a superb example of Cape Dutch architecture, is maintained as a museum at Groot Constantia. Set in beautiful grounds,…
Nearby Cape Town attractions
0.05 MILES
Planted with a fine collection of botanical specimens, including frangipanis, African flame trees, aloes and roses, the Public Garden is the centrepiece…
0.07 MILES
Dating from 1700, but altered during the British administration of the 19th century when it was the home of the British governor, De Tuynhuis was…
0.07 MILES
These shady green gardens, which started as the vegetable patch for the Dutch East India Company, are a lovely place to relax. They are planted with a…
0.09 MILES
Dedicated in 1851, and having undergone many alterations since, this is Cape Town's main Catholic church.
5. National Library of South Africa
0.11 MILES
Facing the north end of the Public Garden, this neoclassical building is based on the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, UK, and holds a copy of nearly…
0.12 MILES
This bronze statue of the politician and mining magnate Cecil Rhodes was erected in 1908 in the Company's Garden on a plinth carved with the phrase ‘Your…
0.14 MILES
Known as the People’s Cathedral, this was one of the few places of worship that was open to people of all races during apartheid. Classical concerts are…
0.14 MILES
Unveiled in 2017 for Archibishop Desmond Tutu's 86th birthday, this wooden arch stands next to the cathedral where the Nobel Prize winner presided as a…