Cape Town on Foot: St. George’s Cathedral to Greenmarket Square
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by Ursula Stevens in Cape Town
01 Dec 2016
20min
 1mi
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About the audio tour
On this tour you'll walk along St George’s Mall, once known as Venus Street, to Greenmarket Square. A long time ago, seafarers would have wandered here in search of a tavern or boarding house. Wealthy burghers, whose elegant homes lined the street, would have sent their slaves off to Greenmarket Square to restock the larder, and a dentist would have fitted you with a set of wooden teeth... Or you could have engaged in a friendly chat with Baroness von Ludwig in her tobacco shop.
Bishop Robert Gray may not have approved of smoking and imbibing, but he too ambled down St. George’s Mall. And much later, so did Cecil John Rhodes. More recently you might have had the fortune to shake hands with Nelson Mandela, as he wound his way from the Mandela Rhodes Building to St. George’s Cathedral.
Ah yes, and today? You'll be able to mingle with the crowds, browse the souvenir and food stalls, cafes and restaurants, and admire some of the remarkable architecture of the boisterous Greenmarket Square. Here you can join in with the holiday mood, tap your feet, or even dance a little to the spirited tunes of cheerful singers and drummers.
Major Landmarks
St. George's Cathedral, Mandela Rhodes Building, Berlin Wall, 'Camissa' Canal, Old Town House, Methodist Cathedral, Shell Building, Namaqua House
Directions to starting point
The tour starts in front of the Crypt at St. George's Cathedral. From the train or MyCiti bus station, walk up Adderley Street, past the Slave Lodge and then into Wale Street to St. George's Cathedral. Parking is possible in the Mandela Rhodes Building (entrance in Burg Street), or in Queen Victoria Street.
Tips
Places to stop along the way:
St. George's Cathedral, FNB Bank, Newspaper House. You'll also find a multitude of cafes and restaurants in St. George's Mall and Greenmarket Square.
Best time to walk:
Best time to walk the route is between 9am and 4pm, Mondays to Fridays, and 9am to noon on Saturdays. On Sundays the streets are fairly deserted and lack atmosphere and security.
Precautions:
Be aware of beggars and street children. Do not carry valuables in the back pockets of your rucksacks, and avoid wearing jewellery or keeping your phones in shirt or blouse pockets – quick and nimble fingers might extract them.
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