Cape Town’s famous Cape Dutch architecture is as intricate, layered and complex as its history. Though undoubtedly beautiful – defined by grandiose rounded gables, thatched roofs and whitewashed walls – Cape Dutch architecture has deep roots in South Africa’s colonial past.

Kalk Bay is known for its faded wooden fishing boats and guffawing seals. It’s a popular tourist stop en-route to Cape Point, but as the fishing industry changes, the quaint charm of the harbour is under threat.

South African artist Lucie de Moyencourt loves Cape Town so much she has forged a career sketching the city’s most beloved locations. Few of Cape Town’s famous attractions and neighbourhoods have escaped the tip of her pen, and the resulting artworks now have pride of place in a variety of locations, from nostalgic postcards on foreign fridges right through to murals in the city’s most lavish hotels.

Cape Town’s hot and dry conditions, exacerbated by the city’s ongoing drought, make wildfires extremely prevalent and difficult to control in summer. Thankfully, an established group of volunteer firefighters are on hand throughout the year to keep the city safe.

The Cape coastline is littered with shipwrecks that serve as relics of bygone eras. But one wreck in particular, just metres off the pristine blue-flag beaches of Clifton, has been hiding a dark story that’s only just been uncovered some 200 years later.

Few individuals have transformed the future of their nation as Nelson Mandela has. Culture Trip takes a look at the Cape Town landmarks closely associated with the man they call Madiba, in the city where he led the charge for change.

South Africa is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, with 11 official languages. But one those – Afrikaans – is perhaps the most misunderstood and contentious of them all.

Cape Town is a city that can easily soak up several days of travel. Many travellers who initially pay cursory visits to the city end up returning for longer trips; some even relocate here to take in all it has to offer.

Cape Malay food is a cuisine unique to the Western Cape of South Africa. It’s a style of food steeped in history and preserved through ongoing tradition. Most know the cuisine for its fruity, mild spices and full-bodied flavours, which are heavily influenced by its overseas origins.

South Africa’s wine industry is world famous – but more for its quality and value than its inventiveness. As celebrated as South African wine is, local wineries have long harboured a reputation for being fairly staid and traditional – until now.

Cape Town is a veritable foodie paradise. The city’s history, along with global food trends, means that there are several dishes you have to try when visiting the Mother City – whether it’s traditional South African braai (barbecue), wild game meat or Japanese sushi.

There are few things as humbling, gratifying and exhilarating as an encounter with South Africa’s celebrated wildlife. It’s one of the country’s primary draw-cards for visitors from around the world. Unfortunately, because of this, there are some companies in South Africa that put profits above the ethical treatment of animals.

South Africa is a country that carries massive collective trauma. The political system of institutionalised racism, called apartheid, was devastating for the majority of the population. Yet, in spite of the painful, oppressive system, many of those most deeply affected by it rose up and remained resolute and united – with some crediting one philosophical concept, that of ubuntu, as a guiding ideal.