Robben Island

Situated 11km (7 miles) north of Cape Town harbour, Robben Island is the notorious island prison where thousands of political prisoners were incarcerated between 1961 and 1991 for campaigning against apartheid. Its most famous resident was Nelson Mandela, who referred to it as a ‘harsh, iron-fisted outpost’. Used as a prison as far back as 1525, it has also housed the mentally ill and lepers; its long history as a place of cruelty and isolation has turned it into a worldwide symbol of the triumph of the human spirit over oppression. Since 1996, there has been a National Museum and cultural centre on Robben Island, where visitors can see, among other things, the cell where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Some of the tour guides are former political prisoners, able to provide a personal testimony of the terrible conditions suffered by the inmates.
Air: Cape Town International Airport. Water: Ferry: From Jetty 1 at the V&A Waterfront (Cape Town) to Autfhumato, Makana.