Cape Town is on most travellers’ bucket lists but when the world’s most famous and important people flock to your city, you know you live in a special corner of the world.

Today we pay homage to the icons who have visited the beautiful Mother City and fallen in love with Table Mountain, its beaches, its winelands and its beautiful people.

Lady Diana, Princess of Wales

Princess Diana visits Nelson Mandela in Cape Town in 1997, where they discussed the threat of HIV/Aids in the country.

Princess of Wales, Lady Diana, known as the ‘people’s princess’ was popular for her humility and her global humanitarian efforts. She was regular visitor to our Mother City, and spent her time here with brother Earl Spencer and his family in his Constantia estate.

Michael Jackson

The King of Pop receives a warm Cape Town welcome

The King of Pop was pop was seen shopping at The V & A Waterfront during his 1997 World Tour.


Barack Obama

The Obamas share a moment in Nelson Mandela’s cell.

The Obamas went touring the Mother City in 2013 and spent time on Robben Island, where they visited Nelson Mandela’s cell.

Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth visits Nelson Mandela at The Presidential House in Newlands.

The Queen of Englands must secretly love Cape Town, where in 1947 she celebrated her 21st birthday. During Mandela’s first and only term as president, The Queen visited Tata for a cup of tea in 1995.

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali travels out to Robben Island with brothers, Marius (left) and Christiaan Barnard.

Mr ‘Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’ was seen sailing along the Atlantic Seaboard when he visited the Mother City.

Have you seen any icons in our beautiful city? Feel free to share pictures with us on Facebook.

According to a former VIP bodyguard, Ali loved gazing at the colourful houses of the Bo-Kaap and being driven around Cape Town in the evenings so he could watch the city’s twinkling lights.

Standing on a rocky cliff at Silvermine one night in 1993, he looked at the lights spread out below him and remarked: “It looks like a jewel box has tipped on its side and spilled over.”

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