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Calling Cape Town’s history “colourful” is a huge understatement. Our city’s eerie past dates back to the early colonial era. We grew up on tales of phantom ships, haunted manors, and that still-notable story of Jan van Hunks, who challenged the devil to a pipe-smoking contest.
Even the Castle of Good Hope has spawned several supernatural narratives, the most infamous being that of the Grey Lady (linked to Lady Anne Barnard). Then there’s the self-ringing bell tower rope, a phantom black dog, and the ghost of the cruel Governor Pieter Gysbert van Noodt, who died of a heart attack after being cursed by a condemned soldier.
True or not, those legends have upped the Mother City’s spooky credentials, earning it a place on the World’s Top 50 Halloween Travel Destinations for 2026.
ICYMI: Cape Town's myths, legends and ghost stories!
Global travel trade platform Travel and Tour World named Cape Town No. 48 on the list. Not bad for a city where Halloween falls on a balmy spring day, and the sun sets after 8pm.
“We’ve always known Cape Town has a dark side. It’s mostly the shade under the oaks in the Company’s Garden, but still,” remarked Briony Brookes, Chief Marketing Officer at Cape Town Tourism.
Romania’s Transylvania topped the list for obvious reasons, followed by Derry, Salem, Dublin and County Meath.
“As travellers increasingly seek experiences rooted in storytelling, participation and a genuine sense of place, Halloween is emerging as a distinctive opportunity for destinations to showcase their heritage, creativity and individuality to a global audience,” added Anup Kumar Keshan, founder and editor-in-chief, Travel And Tour World.
READ: Boo! 7 Fun, kid-friendly Halloween events happening in Cape Town
A look at Cape Town’s spooky history
In the mood for things that go bump in the night? We dare you to explore these sites after dark.
Green Point Lighthouse
During the day, the iconic white-and-red building looks almost smiling. But come the witching hour, rumour has it that a one-legged, missing lighthouse keeper known as Daddy West roams the building, his voice echoing through the spiral stairwell.
Tokai Manor House
Every neighbourhood has that one house that gives us the chills when we walk past. Maybe we’ve heard stories of someone who tragically died there, or maybe our imaginations ran wild because our parents warned us to “stay away from that place.” Tokai Manor House is that place. The 18th-century Cape Dutch homestead is linked to the legend of Frederick Eksteen, who rode his horse up the front steps during a wild New Year’s Eve party in the early 1800s and fell to his death. To this day, residents report hearing phantom hooves and laughter.
Ghost House of Rondebosch
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Then there’s the house with derelict walls and peeling paint. Also called the Spook House on Milner Road, Rondebosch, the Ghost House has earned a reputation as one of Cape Town’s most haunted spots.
In a 2007 blog, a university student described her experience in the notorious house. She and three friends illegally visited the property and tried to open the front door. “I turned the handle, and the door opened. And then it slammed shut,” she wrote.
Other accounts described an old man wandering around the house; lights flickering on and off mysteriously; and doors slamming shut of their own accord. About 17 years ago, Marcus Karlien moved into the house. In all his years living there, he said he never saw any ghosts and laughed off stories of a cult taking up residence during the 1970s.
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