Things To Do Claremont

Claremont takes its name from the French for “clear mountain”, after the Claremont House Estate that once stood here. The land dates back to a 1660 grant on the banks of the Liesbeek River to one of Van Riebeeck’s free burghers, and by the early 1800s British settlers had turned it into a proper village. John Molteno, who would go on to become the Cape Colony’s first prime minister, bought 140 acres of the old estate. Claremont had its own mayor before officially becoming part of Cape Town in 1913.

Outdoor Adventures

Arderne Gardens, a 4.5-hectare garden built up over four generations by the Ardernes, sits right in the suburb, and Kirstenbosch and Newlands Forest are both a short drive away for something bigger.

Food and Dining

Claremont’s Main Road has been a commercial hub since the 1800s and remains one of the busiest strips in the Southern Suburbs today, with a genuinely wide mix of restaurants and cafes.

Family Friendly Activities

Claremont mixes family homes with a large student population thanks to its proximity to UCT, giving it a livelier, more mixed character than some of its quieter Southern Suburbs neighbours.

Nightlife and Culture

Claremont has one of the more active nightlife scenes in the Southern Suburbs, driven largely by its student population, alongside the shopping and commercial buzz along Main Road.

Claremont by the Numbers

The Short Version

Claremont has grown from farmland into one of the Southern Suburbs’ busiest commercial and residential hubs, with a genuine mix of families, students and history behind the name.