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Company's GardensvsCastle of Good Hope
Both are highly recommended by experts. Overall, Castle of Good Hope is the choice of most writers compared to Company's Gardens. Castle of Good Hope ranks #10 in Cape Town with recommendations from 5 reviews such as Lonely Planet, Frommer's and Fodor's.
Company's Gardens
Lonely Planet
Time Out
Travel + Leisure
Fodor's
Michelin Guide
Afar Magazine Afar Magazine
Rhodes Dr., Cape Town Central, South Africa
From $0/night
Lonely PlanetTop choice
"These shady green gardens, which started as the vegetable patch for the Dutch East India Company, are a lovely place to relax." Full review
Time Out "A symbolic bell silently stands testimony to the slaves who tilled and toiled away in what was once a veggie garden providing sustenance for scurvy-stricken sailors." Full review
Travel + Leisure "As old as Cape Town itself, this historic park dates back to the earliest European settlers in the 1650s." Full review
Fodor's "One of Cape Town’s best-kept secrets is also a great place to seek relief from a sweltering summer day if the beach is packed." Full review
i
A self-guided walking brochure with detailed historical information about the garden is sold at the office just outside the restaurant.
Michelin Guide 1 Star
"An aviary, ponds, squirrels and astatue of Cecil John Rhodes adorn this garden located across from the National Museum. Plants from the four corners of the world are grown here." Full review
Afar Magazine "The Company's Garden, in the heart of the city...along the way, you'll pass the South African National Gallery, the Planetarium, the Holocaust Centre, the De Tuynhuis presidential offices" Full review
Afar Magazine "Many friendly squirrels will greet you while walking through the Company's Garden, a park and heritage site located in the heart of Cape Town's City Bowl" Full review
Castle of Good Hope Lonely Planet Time Out Fodor's Michelin Guide Afar Magazine
Condé Nast Traveler
Frommer's
Castle of Good Hope Darling St and Buitenkant St Cape Town 8001 South Africa
From $0/night
Lonely Planet "Built by the Dutch between 1666 and 1679 to defend Cape Town, this stone-walled pentagonal castle remains the headquarters for the Western Cape military command." Full review
Time Out "The military museum showcases several impressive pieces, interspersed with display cases." Full review
i
If you time it right, you can catch the key ceremony, as performed by the Castle Guard.
Fodor's "Despite its name, the castle isn't the fairy-tale fantasy type but rather a squat fortress that hunkers down as if to avoid shellfire." Full review
i
Despite its name, the castle isn't the fairy-tale fantasy type but rather a squat fortress that hunkers down as if to avoid shellfire.
Michelin Guide 2 Stars
"Considered the oldest colonial building in South Africa, the Castle of Good Hope was built by the Dutch East Indies Company in the late 17C according to a star plan inspired by Vauban's constructions." Full review
Afar Magazine "Fearing a British takeover of its ill-gotten trading post, the Dutch East India Company built this star-shaped castle (known as Kasteel de Goede Hoop) between 1666 and 1679 to defend its territory." Full review
Condé Nast Traveler "A sprawling building near the shoreline of Table Bay, the Castle of Good Hope is a 17th-century site that draws large crowds." Full review
Frommer's "A pentagonal fortress typical of the Dutch defense system adopted in the early 17th century... the oldest surviving building in South Africa." Full review
i
Get here at 10am or noon sharp if you want to see the Key Ceremony, a kind of changing of the guard (Mon-Fri only).
