The maximum-security prison on Robben Island is where Nelson Mandela and other dissidents of the antiapartheid movement were incarcerated (Mandela spent 18 years on the island). There, they faced miserable conditions, inhabiting tiny cells and toiling in a lime quarry. The tour of the prison is a moving experience, and the museum is remarkable in that former prisoners serve as guides, providing you with firsthand accounts of their experiences. While on the island, which has been designated a World Heritage Site, you may get to see some of the penguins, antelope and other wildlife that call it home. An Anglican church designed by Sir Herbert Baker and a distinctive lighthouse (one of two in the world that flashes on and off) built in 1863 are other attractions. Ferries to Robben Island leave daily at 9 and 10 am and noon-3 pm on the hour from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the Clock Tower Precinct, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The island tour lasts 3.5 hours, including boat transfers in either direction and a 45-minute bus tour around the island. R150 adults, R75 children. Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town. Phone 021-413-4200. http://www.robben-island.org.za.
