University of Cape Town

Cape Town

LoginSave

For the non-academic there’s no pressing reason to visit UCT, but it’s nonetheless an impressive place to walk around. Unfortunately, it has experienced violent student protests in recent years. The Upper Campus (west of the M3) presents a fairly cohesive architectural front, with ivy-covered neoclassical facades and a fine set of stone steps leading to the temple-like Jameson Hall. If you call ahead, it's possible to arrange a tour of the library.

If you approach UCT from Woolsack Dr, you’ll pass the Woolsack, a cottage designed in 1900 by Sir Herbert Baker for Cecil Rhodes. Now a student residence, it’s said that Rhodes' friend Rudyard Kipling wrote the poem 'If' during his sojourns here between 1900 and 1907.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Flowers in the Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens below Table Mountain.

    Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

    2.54 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…

  • Cape of Good Hope

    Cape of Good Hope

    27.54 MILES

    This 77.5-sq-km section of Table Mountain National Park includes awesome scenery, fantastic walks, great birdwatching and often-deserted beaches. The…

  • Table Mountain Aerial Cableway in Cape Town

    Table Mountain

    3.29 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…

  • Prison Barrack on Robben Island

    Robben Island

    11.72 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…

  • Simondium near Paarl Western Cape South Africa, Vineyard of the Babylonstoren wine estate.

    Babylonstoren

    28.29 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…

  • African penguins on the stone in evening twilight. African penguin ( Spheniscus demersus) also known as the jackass penguin and black-footed penguin. Boulders colony. South Africa 628098086 Endangered Species, Wilderness Area, Stone - Object, Sea Life, Colony, Two Animals, Water Bird, Bird Watching, Arrival, Coastline, Dusk, Dawn, Twilight, Cute, Jackass Penguin, Animal Foot, Animal Wing, Fun, Wildlife, Nature, South Africa, Uncultivated, Animals In The Wild, Penguin, Sea Bird, Freshwater Bird, Bird, Animal, Sunset, Boulder - Rock, Sand, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Sea, Surf, flightless, Footed, south-africa, blackfooted, black-footed, Life, Aquatic

    Boulders Penguin Colony

    16.49 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…

  • District Six Museum

    District Six Museum

    2.97 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…

  • Groot Constantia manor house in Cape Town, South Africa.

    Groot Constantia

    5.52 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,…

View more attractions

Nearby Cape Town attractions

1. Rhodes Memorial

0.42 MILES

Partly modelled on the arch at London’s Hyde Park Corner, this monumental granite memorial stands on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, at a spot where…

2. Mostert's Mill

0.51 MILES

This real Dutch windmill dating from around 1796 is the only such working mill south of the Sahara. The thatched cap can rotate to face the wind. Check…

3. Groote Schuur

0.59 MILES

The grandest of Cecil Rhodes' former residences was also home to a succession of prime ministers and presidents, culminating with FW de Klerk. The…

4. Irma Stern Museum

0.6 MILES

The pioneering 20th-century artist Irma Stern (1894–1966), whose works are some of the most sought-after among modern South African painters, occupied…

5. King's Blockhouse

0.77 MILES

This defensive position, built by the British between 1795 and 1803, can be reached by a steep hiking path from behind the Rhodes Memorial or by walking…

6. Rondebosch Park

1.02 MILES

This park hosts events including the monthly community market, held every second Saturday from September to May, and the Rondebosch Potters Market in…

7. Newlands Brewery

1.04 MILES

In the early 19th century, Jacob Letterstedt built the Mariendahl Brewery in Newlands, a handsome building since granted National Heritage status. It's…

8. Springs Way

1.15 MILES

Just off Kildare Rd in Newlands, you may be intrigued to see a steady flow of cars pulling in and out of a suburban cul-de-sac. A clue lies in the road’s…