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Grahamstown is a city in South Africa's Eastern Cape.

[edit] Understand

Grahamstown is known as The City of Saints, owing to it having more than 40 churches, and as Africa's Festival Capital since six national events are celebrated here each year.

This charming and picturesque small city is well worth a visit. It has maintained its old-time demeanour, and has many examples of buildings in the Victorian, Colonial and Gothic Revivalist styles.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By road

Grahamstown lies just off the N2 highway between Port Elizabeth to the west and East London to the east. From Port Alfred in the south follow the R67 north through Bathurst. From the north a number of different routes converge on Grahamstown.

[edit] By rail

The station is on Ayliff street (right in town). However there is no longer a train between Grahamstown and Alicedale, inland to the west.

From Alicedale there are regular trains south to Port Elizabeth and north to Bloemfontein and Johannesburg.

For several years there has been talk of reviving the disused rail link between Grahamstown and Port Alfred, but this project is still very far from completion.

[edit] By bus

Several companies, including Greyhound and Intercape, run long distance buses between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, which stop off at Grahamstown along the way. As of 2007, they all appeared to leave Cape Town in the evening, which means you'll arrive at Grahamstown very early in the morning (and probably won't have had an awful lot of sleep along the way! If you choose to travel like this, remember to take some toilet roll as the bus ran out pretty quickly).

[edit] Get around

[edit][add listing] See

[edit] Museums

• The Observatory Museum, Bathurst Street, ☎ +27 (0)46 622-2312, [1]. Open 9:30AM to 1PM and 2PM to 5PM, Monday to Friday. The only Victorian camera obscura in the southern hemisphere R8 entrance fee.  edit
• The History Museum, Somerset Street, ☎ +27 (0)46 622-2312, [2]. Open 9:30AM to 1PM and 2PM to 5PM, Monday to Friday. The history and art of the Eastern Cape R3 entrance fee.  edit
• 1820 Settlers National Monument (admin@foundation.org.za), Fort Selwyn Drive (Grahamstown.), ☎ +27 46 603 1100, [3]. The 1820 Settlers National Monument is both a national heritage institution and a conference and functions venue. It is administered by the Grahamstown Foundation, and is home to the National Arts Festival, as well as a range of educational and cultural projects, including Scifest Africa, Schools Festivals, Olympiad and Eisteddfod.  edit
• National Science Museum, Somerset str, ☎ +27 (0)46 622-2312, [4]. Open 9:30AM to 1PM and 2PM to 5PM, Monday to Friday. R5 entrance fee.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

• National Arts Festival, PO Box 304 Grahamstown 6140 (info@nationalartsfestival.co.za), ☎ +27 (0)46 603 1103, [5]. Every year in June/July this festival attracts more than 30 000 visitors to attend the 500-plus productions.  edit
• National Festival of Science, Engineering and Technology, 1820 Settlers Monument (Fort Selwyn Drive), ☎ +27 (0)46 603 1106, [6]. This comprises SciFest Africa (formerly Sasol Scifest), SciFest-on-the-Road, National Science Week, Mall Shows, Deep Rural Programme and International Partnerships. SciFest Africa is South Africa's national science festival held annually in late March or early April in Grahamstown. It features over 550 events. Attendance now exceeds 58 000 visitors - it's a great way to get your children interested in Sience, Maths, Engineering and Technology.  edit
• EP Skydivers, Grahamstown, ☎ +27 (0)82 800-9263 (joosvos@eastcape.net), [7]. Go Skydive  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

• Under the Arch. There are two shops under the Drostdy Arch, the much-photographed entrance to Rhodes University. The shop called "Under the Arch" sells wonderful unusual gifts, specialising in crafts from the Eastern Cape region and further afield. They also stock a range of beads and snacks. Don't miss the pottery by local potters Greg Jacobs and Richard Pullen.  edit

[edit][add listing] Eat

• Red Café, 127a High Street (Upstairs from UPB, just past Postnet), ☎ +27 (0)46 622-8384. A great coffee shop with friendly staff and eccentric customers, owner-managed by Justus. It is licensed and serves delicious light meals. There is an eclectic range of secondhand books on sale.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Rat and Parrot, 59 New Street. A cosy student pub - anyone who has spent any time as a student in the UK will be instantly at home here!  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• A Stone's Throw B&B, 9 Stone's Hill, Grahamstown (On the R67 towards Port Alfred), ☎ +27 (0)46 622-3294 (+27 (0)83 651-9244, info@astonesthrow.co.za), [8]. checkin: 14h00; checkout: 10h30. A Stone's Throw B&B, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa offers accommodation with tranquil country living within easy reach of the main CBD of Grahamstown, which is famous for hosting to the National Arts Festival each year. R530.00.  edit
• 7 Worcester Street, 7 Worcester Str, ☎ +27 (0)46 622-2843 (info@worcesterstreet.co.za, fax: +27 (0)46 622-2846), [9].  edit
• The Cock House, 10 Market Str, ☎ +27 (0)46 636-1287 (fax: +27 (0)46 636-1295), [10].  edit
• Colonel Graham Guest House, 2 Lansdowne Road, ☎ +27 (0)46 622-2274 (info@colonelgrahamguesthouse.co.za), [11]. 4 star From R150 per person sharing.  edit
• Henri House B&B, 16 Henry Str, ☎ +27 (0)46 622-8845 (henrihouse@telkomsa.net), [12]. From R500 for a double and R300 for a single.  edit
• The Highlander, Worcester Str, ☎ +27 (0)46 622-3564 (highlander@imaginet.co.za, fax: +27 (0)46 622-7417).  edit
• Jenny's B&B, 9 Dulverton Road, ☎ +27 (0)46 636-1541 (claire@jennys.co.za), [13]. 4 star From R250 per person sharing.  edit
• Lantern Hill Guest House, 2 Thompson Street, ☎ +27 (0)46 622-8782 (lanternhill@imageinet.co.za), [14]. 3 star From R250 per person sharing.  edit
• Protea Hotel, 123 High str, ☎ +27 (0)46 622-2324 (centralres@albanyhotels.co.za), [15].  edit

[edit] Get out