2 Best Sights in City Centre, Cape Town

In the heart of the city, this is a great place to seek relief from a sweltering summer day if the beach is packed. These lush, landscaped gardens are all that remain of a 43-acre tract laid out by Jan van Riebeeck in April 1652 to supply fresh vegetables to ships on their way to the Dutch East Indies. By 1700 free burghers (Dutch-speaking colonists no longer indebted to the Dutch East India Company, aka VOC) were cultivating plenty of crops on their own land, and in time the VOC vegetable patch was transformed into a botanic garden. It remains a calm haven, surrounded by museums, art galleries, the country's oldest cathedral, and Parliament, and is graced by fountains, exotic trees, rose gardens, and a pleasant little tea shop (careful, though, there's also a large café which is not so pleasant). At the bottom of the gardens, close to Government Avenue, look for an old well that once provided water for the town's residents and the garden. The old water pump, engraved with the maker's name and the date 1842, has been overtaken by an oak tree and now juts out of the tree's trunk some 6 feet above the ground. A huge statue of the colonist Cecil Rhodes, the Cape's prime minister in the late 19th century, looms over the path that runs through the center of the gardens. He points to the north, and an inscription reads, "Your hinterland is there," a reference to his dream of extending the British Empire from the Cape to Cairo. A self-guided walking brochure with detailed historical information about the gardens and nearby sights is available at the shop adjacent to the small but informative visitor center.

Perhaps the most innovative museum in Cape Town, this space tells stories about our relationship with our canine companions, and not always in obvious ways. Aside from the dog portraits, the brief histories of significant South African celebrity dogs, and a chance to listen to songs recorded by famous artists that happen to be about special dogs in their lives, the section upstairs includes an exhibition of artifacts and brief stories about intimate relationships between dogs and their humans—these are tales submitted by members of the public and range from ridiculously funny to absolutely heartbreaking. There's also a small screening room showing dog documentaries and short films, and a section downstairs displays pet paraphernalia and artworks for purchase. There's also a curious display of photographs of U.S. presidents with their dogs, accompanied by the stories behind America's First Dogs, which does hint at the personality biases of certain political figures. Regular events are hosted to raise funds for charitable canine causes; these might include dog-themed wine tastings, dog adoption days, and classical music concerts.