The vast suburb of Parow in Cape Town, incorporates several smaller suburbs,extending from the Cape Flats in the south, to Durbanville Hills in the north. Income levels rise the further north one travels, with Baronetcy being one of the most sought after areas in Cape Town.
Parow is an amalgam of commercial and residential properties. Several schools, religious centres, hospitals, parks and golf courses are throughout the residential areas, while the commercial sector consists of big business, shopping malls and small enterprises servicing primarily the motor industry.
Only 20kms from Cape Town city centre, Parow is a convenient destination for those wanting to base themselves out of the city, yet remain close enough to all conveniences and main thoroughfares.
Top 5 reasons to visit Parow
1. The area is a shopping mecca with two super malls on either end of Parow – Canal Walk in the west and Tygervalley Shopping Centre in the east. The smaller and more interesting N1 City and Willowbridge Mall are nearby.
2. The Durbanville Wine Route is on Parow’s doorstep. Begin the tour at De Grendel Wine Estate to sample their award winning wines and enjoy the views of Table Bay.
3. The Tygervalley Nature Reserve abuts Parow, popular for hiking routes and has over 20kms of mountain bike trails. Small mammals reside in the reserve and the introduction of Bontebok antelope has proved successful.
4. The Grand West Casino and Entertainment World complex is 5kms from Parow. Chance your luck at the more than 2500 slot machines on the casino floor. The centre has an Olympic sized ice skating rink, movie theatres, a food court and fun and games for the children. Regular international acts perform here.
5. Hop on the main highway into Cape Town city to enjoy the spectacular views from Table Mountain, discover unique fynbos plant life at the world renowned Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens or take a ferry to the old maximum security prison on Robben Island.
Transport
The nearest airport is Cape Town International, 10kms from Parow. The suburb has many car rental agencies, however, car rental bookings can be done online. There are many taxi options available too. If you have the Uber app, order a taxi via your mobile phone. Several local tour operators offer shuttle services between Parow, Cape Town and the airport. Parow has 5 train stations on the 2 main train lines into Cape Town or to travel further south to Simon’s Town.
Did you know?
The adjoining Cape Flats was once a seabed of shifting sands that made ox wagon travel almost impossible. In the 1840s, the colonial secretary of the Cape took the decision to plant Australian Port Jackson willow and black wattle and within a short space of time, the trees had anchored the sand. Today these trees are an ecological disaster, however, they have provided employment for many woodcutters – the tree’s branches make for excellent braai (barbeque) wood!
Denzel Washington was recently seen at the Parow Shopping Centre browsing in a book store…
The Karl Bremer Hospital in Parow was awarded a 5 star green rating for its functional treatment of waste water. This public hospital is best known for providing free services to pregnant and breastfeeding women, children under 6 and pensioners.
