Don’t rush through Victoria West!
Usually Travellers driving between Cape Town & Gauteng rush past all the little Karoo dorps – only pausing to fill up or for a comfort stop! My advice after our 4500kms road trip through the Northern Cape is to slow down …. explore these little towns – there lies so much beneath the surface – fascinating architecture, beautiful old churches, friendly people, amazing history!!
One such dorp is VICTORIA WEST – on the N7. A charming quaint village with an interesting assortment of architectural styles – Victorian, Edwardian, Cape Cottage and a magnificent DRC Church dating back to 1849.
Victoria West is worth a stop just to see the iconic Apollo Art Deco Theatre which reminds me of going to the bioscope in my youth! Red curtains, leather seats, popcorn, smoking allowed!!!
We arranged a two-hour guided walking tour with Ricardo of Victoria West Tours. He is a fountain of knowledge on the area and very enthusiastic. So nice to meet a young man from a disadvantaged background so keen to learn and very proud of his Victoria West heritage: victoriawesttours@gmail.com
The Victoria West Museum is also a must see stop with really interesting displays of dinosaurs, fossils, San culture, Voortrekker life and the Boer war. The museum houses original copies of the Victoria West Messenger from 1871 – the oldest continuously published newspaper in South Africa … still being published every week!
Victoria West has a good variety of B & B’s, self-catering options and Moonlight Manor a three-star Victorian Guest House.
Finally Victoria West is definitely worth a stop over to enjoy the famous Karoo lamb at KA’Roux restaurant.
