Robben Island - Cape Town, South Africa

Lying 11km off the shores of Cape Town, Robben Island was the place where the city housed its unloved, unwanted and undesirables, from lepers to common criminals and political prisoners. But it's most famous for being Nelson Mandela's home for 18 of his 27 years of incarceration under successive apartheid governments.

Tour this world heritage site to gain a fascinating glimpse into a grim past and how stoic resistance overcame an oppressive regime.

Tours to the island leave from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the Clock Tower section of the V&A Waterfront (booking is essential). A pleasant 40 minute cruise across Table Bay (you may see penguins and seals) will land you on the island where a former political prisoner-turned guide will give you an insight into what life was once like here. Explore its history; enter Mandela's old cell and check out the penguin colony and other wildlife.

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