FIND YOURSELF - ECO-ACTIVE™
Cape Town Evening by Bike
Schedule - Day 1
Savour the sights and sounds of Cape Town from the back of your trusty bike, with a guide behind you every pedal of the way! It's fun, healthy and active - and what's more it's good for the environment.
Leave the historic V&A Waterfront as the evening descends on the city. Follow Beach Road as waves lap up on the shore, with the iconic Green Point Stadium beside you. Idle through the Company Gardens, home to Parliament, the National Gallery and much more! Soak up the bars and cafes on Long Street before the smell of Malay curry fills the air in Bo-Kaap with its mosques and coloured houses. Return to the exclusive Waterfront Marina Yacht Basin for a ride aboard a water taxi (in the shape of a giant football!), with a glass of sparkling wine to keep you company as the sun sets. And after all that hard work, sit back and relax with gourmet canapes at the famous Bascule Bar within the Cape Grace Hotel.
Booking is essential! Group size no bigger than 14.
NOTES FOR THE CAPE TOWN EVENING RIDE:
Nobel Square
Unveiled on the 16th December 2005, this square pays tribute to four South African sons, each a recipient of the Nobel Peace prize. They are Chief Albert Luthuli, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, FW de Klerk and Nelson Mandela.
Green Point Stadium
The new flagship 68000-seater stadium has been built for the 2010 Football World Cup and will host 8 matches. The estimated cost was R4.18 billion, funded mainly by The City of Cape Town and the National Treasury.
Green Point Lighthouse
Installed in April 1824, it is the first solidly constructed lighthouse on the South African coastline. Electrified in 1929, it was originally powered using sperm whale oil as fuel.
Lutheran Church
Under Dutch East India Company rule, the only church tolerated was the Dutch Reformed Church. Out of a large shed at this site, where clandestine church services were held, grew the Lutheran Church.
Adderley Street
Previously known as the Heerengracht, it was named in 1850 for Sir Charles Adderley who championed the cause of Cape colonists when he coerced the British Government to divert a convict ship bound for Cape Town, to Tasmania.
Trafalgar Place
Since the 1860s flowers have been sold here, making for a colourful spectacle. Being a flower seller is an occupation that runs in your blood and is passed down from one generation to the next.
Groote Kerk
Founded in 1665, this is the mother church of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa. No less than 8 Dutch governors and 1 English governor are buried here.
Old Slave Lodge
Starting life as housing for the 500 or so slaves working for the VOC in the gardens, it was the Supreme Court until 1914, government offices and is now the SA Cultural History Museum.
Jan Smuts Statue
Twice Prime Minister of South Africa, statesman, philosopher and author of the preamble to the League of Nations (now the United Nations), this statue pays homage to Jan Smuts.
St George's Cathedral
With a history going back to the 1830s, the foundations of this Anglican Church were laid in 1901. Designed by Sir Herbert Baker, it is probably most famous for the sermons delivered by Archbishop Desmond Tutu during apartheid.
Queen Victoria Statue
Unveiled in 1890 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, this marble statue was paid for using monies raised by public subscription.
Company Gardens
Originally 18 hectares in size, the gardens were first planted in 1652 by Jan van Riebeeck for the Dutch East India Company as a source of fresh food for the passing Dutch sea trade. This first step led to the colonisation of the Cape. Now only 3 hectares remain and it has become more of a botanical garden.
Tuynhuis
Dating back to the time of Simon and Willem Adriaan van der Stel, Tuynhuis is the official town residence of the President and is now used as a venue for presidential receptions.
National Gallery
The present building dates from 1928 and houses a variety of permanent collections as well as exhibiting, from time to time, contemporary art.
Long Street
One of Cape Town’s longest (3.8km) and oldest streets, it is renowned for its superb restored Victorian buildings with their cast iron balconies. It is the heart of Cape Town’s backpacker trade and buzzing nightlife hub with a collection of bars, bistros, clubs and street vendors.
Bo-Kaap
The residents of the Bo-Kaap (Upper Cape) are mostly descended from the slaves “imported” to the Cape by the Dutch in the 17th century. They were incorrectly called Cape Malays as not all were entirely of Malaysian descent. Declared an exclusive residential area for Cape Muslims under the Group Areas Act of 1950, people of other religions and ethnicity were forced to leave. Today this area is a vibrant, colourful and cultural melting pot.
Owal Majied
Built in 1795, this is South Africa’s oldest mosque. The name is Arabic, meaning ‘first mosque’. It remains of religious importance and also acts as a nucleus of learning.
V&A Waterfront
Work started on South Africa’s most visited tourist site in 1989 amidst a lot of pessimism. No financial institution was willing to finance the initial R205million for the first phase of development. Transnet stepped in and bankrolled the initial phase of development. Annually the Waterfront receives about 22 million visitors, more than any other single place in Africa. An international consortium has recently acquired the development for a record R7.4 billion!
