Three lighthouses mark the end of the Cape Peninsula — each telling its own story of the wild Atlantic. From the Slangkop right next to Villa Austral to the famous Cape Point Lighthouse, it's a short drive that combines history, architecture and panorama.
Slangkop Lighthouse — Kommetjie
Built in 1919, the cast-iron Slangkop Lighthouse stands 41 metres tall — the tallest in South Africa. It sits 800 metres from Long Beach and is walkable from Villa Austral. With advance booking you can climb to the lantern — the view over Kommetjie, the Hangberg cliffs and the Atlantic is unforgettable.
Old Cape Point Lighthouse
The original Cape Point Lighthouse from 1860 sits 249 metres above sea level — too high, in fact, because the typical Cape cloud often hid it. Today reachable by funicular or footpath, it remains one of Africa's most spectacular viewpoints: False Bay to the left, the Atlantic to the right, the horizon stretching to Antarctica.
New Cape Point Lighthouse — Dias Point
Because the original tower disappeared into fog too often, a second, lower lighthouse was built in 1919 on the rocky cliff of Dias Point — just 87 metres above the sea, with one of the strongest beacons in the southern hemisphere. Reached via a narrow, vertiginous path from the old lighthouse — an insider tip for hikers.
Bonus: Roman Rock & Green Point
Lighthouse fans can crown the day with two more: Roman Rock Lighthouse off Simon's Town (on a single rocky island in the middle of False Bay) and Green Point Lighthouse in Cape Town — Africa's oldest active lighthouse, dating from 1824.
A day trip from Villa Austral
Start early at the Slangkop, drive via Scarborough to Cape Point, and pair the day with sundowner spots along Chapman's Peak on the way back. Check availability.
