Architecture in the Historic Mile
Between St James and Muizenberg lies a part of the main thoroughfare known as ‘The Historic Mile’. The varied architectural style of buildings and the history of these residences make visiting such places as Rhodes Cottage, Het Posthuis, Natale Labia Museum and the Muizenberg rail station, to name only a few, an interesting experience.
Stroll along the seaside walkway and admire the ever-changing seascapes, or stop and chat to the truly cosmopolitan locals, all of whom will gladly answer all your questions in a variety of lingoes. Marina da Gama is a secure, clean and spectacular residential development enveloping the lake. Bird life is plentiful and provides excellent opportunities for the photographer.
Sandhills
Baker’s own humble house, Sandhills, is built on the dunes at Muizenberg. It has plain gables and a stone plinth while the walls and columns of the stoep were originally white and the roof’s cedar shingles a pale grey. The floors were paved with red tiles and the ceiling beamed with jarrah hardwood.
To escape the glare of the beach and howling south-easter, Baker created a small, open-air atrium (which filled with sand half-a-metre deep on days when the wind was bad). “The salt-sea air, breathing ozone, came in everywhere; too much for some of our friends or tenants, when the sand was ‘spun before the gale’,” wrote Baker. Today Sandhills belongs to the Lindbergh Arts Foundation and visitors are welcome.
Muizenberg Events
Muizenberg regularly hosts local, national and international events in the lifesaving, canoe, surfing and kite festival sporting events. The well-known Argus Cycle Tour and Two Oceans Marathon pass along the main road. Muizenberg is understandably also much loved for film shoots, symphony concerts, and the like.
The white beach sweeps for miles along the coast. Here you will enjoy participating or just watching all kinds of water sports, "trek" fishing, surf fishing - yours to request, yours to enjoy! Together with the spectacular lake, the craggy mountains and the friendly locals representing all kinds of cultural facets, visitors will find something special drawing them back, time and again, to Muizenberg.