One of Cape Town's most photogenic and historically rich neighbourhoods, Bo-Kaap climbs the slopes of Signal Hill in a cascade of brightly painted houses and narrow cobbled streets. The area has been home to the Cape Malay community since the 1760s, when freed slaves and political exiles from Southeast Asia settled here. Islam took root early — the Auwal Mosque, founded in 1794, is the oldest mosque in South Africa and still holds services today.
Wander up Wale Street and Chiappini Street for the best colour displays, then visit the Bo-Kaap Museum on Wale Street for context on the community's origins. The Tana Baru cemetery on the upper slopes holds the graves of several Muslim holy men and political exiles, some of whom were imprisoned on Robben Island in the early colonial period. The neighbourhood is also known for its food: Cape Malay cooking — fragrant curries, bobotie, koeksisters — runs deep here, and several home-kitchen experiences and cooking classes operate in the area.