First Nations to democracy: three centuries of stories about the shaping of the Cape Town as we know it. Hugely knowledgeable and experienced guides, Lesley Cox, is leading this popular Culture Connect walking tour. She is the expert. You’ll have your eyes opened, even if you know the city centre well.

We start at Haas cafe,19 Buitenkant St (District 6), at 10am and finish at 12:30pm, by the war memorials, just up from Company’s Garden Restaurant.

We start by imagining life before the European settlers arrived. We’ll absorb the views of the Castle and Grand Parade, imagining what it was like when the sea was here. We will walk to the old Granary which has had so many uses, including a court and prison and now is home to The Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation. Opposite we’ll stop by the easily missed Cissie Gool memorial, she was afterall the first black woman in the country in local government. – Its behind the City Hall where there is the newish statue of Nelson Mandela, where he gave his speech on the day of his release, 1990.

At Church Square, which Lesley calls the Slave Precinct we’ll get an understanding of early settler life at the Cape. We’ll stop by St George’s Anglican Cathedral and the segment of the Berlin Wall. Then head through Company’s Gardens. On route we will we engage with South Africa’s political history, especially when we are outside South Africa’s Parliament. We’ll pass the statues of Queen Victoria, Jan Smuts, Cecil Rhodes and World War memorials.

Lesley, with 169 reviews in TripAdvisor all five out of five, has been guiding for 18 years in and around Cape Town. She has an Honours Degree in History from the University of South Africa and specialises in walking tours in city centre. Some of you may have met Lesley as she regularly attends Culture Connect’s open tours and lectures about South African history. Lesley is an active committee member of the Simon van del Stel Foundation of Cape Town, nationally known as the Heritage Association of South Africa.

• R250pp pay a week prior, or R300 each.
• All tours will be small but please wear a mask and cancel if you are ill
• Sat 29 May and Wed 23 June (do suggest a date for a public tour, or have a private tour – wonderful for your friend and/or family ‘bubble’)
• To book: email kate@cultureconnectsa.com or WhatsApp/tel 072 377 8014
• Remember to wear footwear good for walking on pavements. Please dress according to the weather and, if you are likely to get thirsty or peckish, water and snacks. As with all cities around the world, please keep your phone and wallet safe during the tour; leave jewellery at home.