The Best Parks in Cape Town, South Africa

With more than 500 varieties of rose and 4,500 rose bushes, many of which are award-winning, this park is a feast for the senses and home to famous flora such as the ‘Fairest Cape’ rose. The garden has also recently expanded to include a number of hybrid tea plants which the tenders of the park are more than happy to discuss with any keen gardeners. The park’s Tea Room is the perfect spot in which to sit with a calming brew and enjoy the stunning view of the park’s perfectly sculpted pathways and hedgerows.

For hot summer days lounging by the waterside, Zandvlei Recreational Park is bordered on all sides by a large river and estuary. This means you get all the relaxation and tanning opportunities of a beach without the crowd. Due to its proximity to water, the park has a wide range of water-based activities such as sailing, canoeing, fishing and windsurfing. With small grassy embankments dotted around the wetland, it makes Zandvlei the ultimate spot for a picnic or a braai (the South African equivalent of a BBQ).
Opening hours: daily 8am – 6pm

A fairly ordinary area tucked away into the suburb of Rondebosch, this park is the epitome of relaxation. With a large number of trees that offer leafy shade and opportunities for an easy climb as well as a small play area, the park is the perfect place to take young children. The park becomes a hive of activity once a month as the Potters Market takes over. A wonderful family day out full of chocolate pancakes and catapults, market day on the small expanse is an excellent way to meet locals and enjoy the close community vibes.

A very recent addition to Cape Town’s park scene, Green Point Urban Park was opened in January 2011. With a young, modern atmosphere, the park has a number of sections that offer different pursuits. The first of these sections offers passers-by the chance to work off some steam in the Fitness Park. If exercise of the mind is your preference, there is a Learning section of the park that holds functions, arts training, and informative seminars. For the party people, there is a Play Park where concerts, markets, and exhibitions are held. Other areas of interest include an adventure park, a heritage park, and a biodiversity nursery.

Created by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, the Company’s Garden is a local heritage site for Capetonians. The gardens are neighbour to a number of monuments relating to South African history such as the lodge house for the slaves who built much of Cape Town. For an educational visit, take a tour of the Iziko South African Museum and Planetarium, the South African National Gallery or the National Library of South Africa. The garden itself is stuffed full of interesting exhibits such as a Japanese flower garden, a vegetable garden and a koi pond.