Gardens, Cape Town

Gardens at a glance

Sandwiched between Tamboerskloof and Oranjezicht, Gardens is a very popular suburb and one of the oldest and most established parts of Cape Town. There are still some authentic mansions - houses that haven’t been subdivided or rezoned into business residences. Many are guest houses or hotels whose large rooms with high ceilings and wooden floors are very sought after.

The Company Gardens, the oldest garden in South Africa, dating back to Jan van Riebeeck, is just down Government Walk and virtually synonymous with the suburb of Gardens. Initially a vegetable garden to support the European settlement, the gardens are today one of the most botanically interesting gardens in South Africa. It also houses the South African Museum, the Cape Town Holocaust Centre, the Jewish Museum and Synagogue as well as the SA National Gallery.

Vibrant, bohemian and trendy – Long Street is full of restaurants, coffee shops and bistros offering gastronomic delights, and a quirky mix of African curios, antiques shops, galleries, music, photo and travel shops, books stores and coffee shops, backpackers hotels, clubs and discos whilst the ever so trendy Kloof Street is easily accessible. Gardens is also close to the popular Camps Bay beaches, Table Mountain and the V&A Waterfront. 

Jan van Riebeeck Primary and High Schools are both located in Kloof Street and have catered to the Afrikaans community since 1926. Part of Jan van Riebeeck High School is the beautiful Welgemeend Manor House with its The Boerneef Collection which is on permanent display and consists of work by Irma Stern, Maggie Laubser, May Hillhouse, Cecil Higgs, Jean Weltz, Hugo Naude, Enslin du Plessis, Pierneef, Alexis Preller en Pieter Wenning and is considered to be one of the most comprehensive and best representative collection of early South African Art.

There are many great places to eat on Kloof Street - Manna Epicure, Cafe Paradiso, Kloof Street House, Tamboers Winkel, Dark Horse, Yours Truly and Societi are but a few of the many local favourites.